Journey Online

Chapter One - A Small World

"Ahhhh, home at last!!" Jason thought. He straddled his bike; looking out over Vista Point...it was so good to be back home. Jason thought about the events that had led him back here...from the beginning of his best friends' betrayal, the almost relationship with Liz, and the relationship that might have been with blonde haired, blue-eyed angel that haunted his dreams. Now he was back!!! He was ready to face his demons and move on with his life...she had taught him how to do that!

Kelly's

"Courtney!!" Liz called. "Can you get the guy who just came in sitting at table number 6 please?"

"Sure thing Liz"

"Well sir, what can I get you for breakfast today?"

Jerked out of his daydream, Jason blinked rapidly at vision in front of him. Oh my god!!!

"Courtney!!!" "What are you doing here?"

Courtney squealed in excitement, "Jason, what are you doing here!!!??? When, who, how..." Courtney sputtered!!!

"I can't believe it," he said. "I can't believe you're really here"

Jason sprang up and grabbed Courtney in the biggest hug and swung her around.

As he set her down, Courtney looked at him suspiciously, "Jason, my God what are you doing here? I haven't seen you since we were together in Atlantic City. That was almost a year ago!!"

Jason stared at the angel before him...he couldn't believe his luck...but he couldn't understand why she was in Port Charles.

'Courtney...I live in Port Charles...Port Charles is my home town"

"What?? Since when, I don't remember that ever coming up in our 'conversations'"

"I am a born and raised Port Charlestonian. I've lived here all my life except for the past 3 years. Now, answer my question...what are you doing here?"

Courtney sat down...she was stunned...here was her first love, sitting right in front of her and she was afraid to tell him the truth. From the very beginning of their relationship...she had never been afraid...today she was afraid.

"Well, Jason...you see, it all started with my Mom."

"Why am I not surprised that this has something to do with her"

"When we were in Atlantic City...Mom took off for parts unknown and I couldn't find her anywhere. Finally, after about a month of being missing, I got a post card from her. It was postmarked Port Charles."

"So, I packed up the car and Rosie and drove out here to Port Charles to pick up, Mom. It wasn't that simple though, when I found her she was having a grand ole time living the high life. It seems that she had become the mistress if Edward Quartermaine...now there's a jerk if I ever saw one!!"
Edward Quartermaine...oh god...thought Jason.

"When I finally talked to her...she made no sense whatsoever. She was yapping about my Dad and Edward and the MOB...and god knows what else. I was a bit confused"

"Wait a minute," Jason said, "I thought your Dad was dead."

"Yeah...that's what I thought too. Turns out that my Dad was never dead, he's just a deadbeat father. But one good thing about this is that I have half-brother that I never knew about!"

"Oh really" said Jason, "What is your brother like?"

"He's ok I guess, we don't really get along. I don't like the line of business that he is involved in but he has a really nice family. His wife is super-friendly and supportive. I'm still in shock," she said, "I can't believe that you are really here!!!"

"I know." Jason said, "Doesn't it feel odd?"

"It most definitely feels odd," Courtney stated. "It's completely different than Atlantic City."

"So," Jason said, "What's been happening with you since you moved to Port Charles...obviously you have a job here at Kelly's?"

"Yes Jason, I have a job here at Kelly's. My life has been turned upside down in a very short time. But, there's something that I need to tell you."

"What is it Courtney, you know you can tell me anything."

Well Jase, I don't know how to say this but..."

"But what..." Jason prompted.

"I'm married!" Courtney blurted out on a huge breath of air.

"Married!" Jason exclaimed.

"Yeah, married!" Courtney said.

"Wow, that's good news, I guess. Congratulations, who did you get married to?"

Just then a voice from the doorway interrupted the conversation...

"Well, well, well...look who we have here??!! What are you doing here, Jason???

------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 2 Part I -- Confrontation

I'm married!" Courtney blurted out on a huge breath of air.

"Married!" Jason exclaimed.

"Yeah, married!" Courtney said.

"Wow, that's good news, I guess. Congratulations, who did you get married to?"

Just then a voice from the doorway interrupted the conversation...

"Well, well, well...look who we have here??!! What are you doing here, Jason???

At the sound of the voice, Jason stiffened. Slowly, he turned around to look at his "brother". Although, he hadn't seen him in a few years, A.J. hadn't changed much. He still looked like the bastard who had stolen away so much from him. He still looked like the selfish prick who had had too much to drink one night, got into his car, and smashed it up, leaving his brother a brain-damaged idiot who couldn't remember his previous life.

But, what the hell, he had gotten over his resentment a long time ago. If he hadn't have been in the accident, he never would've met Sonny, his best friend, his father, his mentor and his saviour. If he hadn't have been in the accident, he never would've met Carly, the one person who has always believed in him and stood by him no matter what. If it hadn't have been for the accident....

If it hadn't have been for the accident...he wouldn't have met the one person who saw beyond the iceman, the hitman, Borg, and angerboy....Courtney. The person who made him feel good to be just Jason Morgan.

Just thinking about her made him smile, so he turned back to her, anxious to her ask her about her marriage. Although, he was shocked to find out about it, he was happy for her. "She couldn't wait for me forever," he thought.

"Ummm," Courtney said. "Do you guys know each other?"

"Yes, my dear," AJ pronounced. "The man standing before us, gracing us with his presence is none other than the illustrious Jason Morgan...hitman extraordinaire and PC's resident's Mob boss' number one goon!!! He also has the honour of once being named Jason Morgan Quartermaine."

Courtney gasped and covered her hand with her mouth.

She looked at Jason in a mixture of shock and absolute horror.
"You're Jason Quartermaine???!!" she exclaimed!!!

"Actually, no I'm not. I legally changed my name to Jason Morgan, after the accident."

"Oh," Courtney struggled to breathe, "So, so, then you are A.J.'s brother, right?"

Jason looked at Courtney a little closer. She had turned a waxy shade of white in the past few minutes. She looked like she was struggling to breathe and she had the look of a deer caught in the headlights.

"Yeah, AJ and I are half-brothers. Alan is our father." Jason said. "Hey Court, are you ok. You look kinda pale and shaky."

Jason started to walk over to check on Courtney, who had turned even paler. He reached out a hand towards her and just as he was about to touch her, AJ grabbed him from behind.

"Get your hands of my wife!!! If she needs help I'll get it for her. We wouldn't want the blood of your victims to leave a trail on her." AJ spat.

AJ reached for Courtney roughly, but Courtney backed away quickly.

"You married this prick, Courtney???!!" Jason exclaimed. "This was who you married!!! My God, why???" Jason was shell-shocked, he was in utter disbelief, first to find out she was married, then to find out that she was his sister-in-law...holy @#%$.

"Shut up, Jason" AJ said snidely. "Courtney and I have been married for 4 months. We are very much in love. No thanks to your boss."

"AJ," Courtney sighed, "Let it go...God. Just give it up, its over and done with now."

"God, AJ, you are such a prick!!" Jason said, "Can't you see that something is wrong with your wife???!!"

"Shut up, Jason!! Don't tell me what to do!! You might have all of Port Charles scared, but not me. I know that you are just a brain-damaged idiot who can't think for himself. You just follow Corinthos' orders like a robot!"

"SHUT UP, AJ", Jason and Courtney yelled.

"No, I won't shut up! Courtney I don't want you anywhere near Jason. He is dangerous...he's Sonny's hitman!!!"

"AJ, if you don't shut your filthy mouth right now, I will shut it for you!" Jason angrily said.

"Jason, it was nice to meet you," Courtney said. "Maybe we can get together and learn some more about each other."

Jason looked at Courtney quizzically and then he saw her raise her eyebrow. THE SIGN. The eyebrow thing was their own private sign, he knew what she wanted.

"AJ," Courtney asked, "Can we go home please, now? I am kinda tired"

Just then, the ringing of a cellphone interrupted the tension that filled Kelly's.

"Morgan. Hey Carly," Jason's features softened as he talked to his best friend. "Yeah, I won't be coming back to the penthouse yet. I'm going down to Jakes to shoot some pool, my table hasn't been delivered yet. I'll see you later tonight. Bye."

At the mention of the pool table, Courtney's eyes flew to Jason. As he hung up the phone, he looked at Courtney and they both knew that the other was thinking about all the pool games that they had shared. Just thinking about how those games ended brought a small smile to both of their faces.

AJ looked at Courtney and Jason share a secret smile. "What the hell is going on here," he thought, "If Jason thinks that he can take Courtney away from me. He is in for a rude awakening. Courtney is mine, and NO ONE not even the incomparable Jason Morgan, will take her away."

"Come on, Courtney." AJ grabbed Courtney's arm roughly and pulled her toward the door. "Let's leave Jason alone now!!"

Courtney looked back towards Jason and she saw his sign...she knew what he wanted too. She sighed as she thought about what the hell her life had just turned into.

In front of her, was the man whom she ought to love. Behind her, was the man who she had once loved -- did she still?

Chapter 2 - Part 2 - Pride

"Come on, Courtney." AJ grabbed Courtney's arm roughly and pulled her toward the door. "Let's leave Jason alone now!!"

Courtney looked back towards Jason and she saw his sign...she knew what he wanted too. She sighed as she thought about what the hell her life had just turned into.

In front of her, was the man whom she ought to love. Behind her, was the man who she had once loved -- did she still?

“Owww, A.J.!, Let go of my arm!!” Courtney exclaimed. “You’re hurting me”

“Sorry,” A.J. muttered, but he was angry and pissed. He couldn’t believe it. He had just been getting his life back together, he had a wife who was starting to love him, he had a steady job and he had been sober for 6 months. Now…..now the one person who had the power to ruin him had come back and A.J. knew that he had to take action before Jason could move in on his territory. He decided to let Courtney know just exactly what his feelings toward his brother were and what he expected her to do as his wife.

Once they had reached their apartment, A.J. let Courtney have it.

“What the hell was that little scene in Kelly’s? Do you know who that man is???” A.J. asked.

“Well…he was a customer, I thought.”

“You looked pretty damn cozy when I walked in,” A.J. snarled.

“We were just talking A.J., I do that with all of my customers. Hell, I met you by doing that.” Courtney said.

“Well, I don’t want you to ever talk to him again. EVER!!! A.J. yelled.

“Excuse me??!! I can talk to whoever I damn well want to talk to, A.J. Quartermaine”

A.J.’s eyes began to glaze over as he flashed back to the scene at Kelly’s, just what in the hell were those little secret smiles that they kept sending each other? What was going on here??? A.J. walked over to the bar and took down the bottle of vodka and….

“What are you doing, A.J?” Courtney asked, a little bit of fear and worry evident in her voice.

“Well, I’m going to have a drink, my dear…you see, I can do that, I have self-control! I am not going to get drunk…I am going to take the edge of my pain and the anger that I have after seeing you all cozied up with my “brother”.

A.J., I wasn’t cozied up to Jason at all. Sheesh, I had just met him. He was a customer, that’s all. We were just exchanging pleasantries.” Courtney said, but she had a guilty look in her eyes. She knew that he had seen the signs, but she couldn’t dwell on that, she would just have to be more careful.

“Don’t you lie to me, you little bitch!! I know what I saw, and I saw you and my “brother” looking like you wanted to get it on!’ Tell me something, have you realized that you married the wrong brother? Do you want Goldenboy now?......TELL ME!”

“Don’t do this A.J. I love you, not Jason. You really need to get over your problems with your brother and just be happy. Now, I’m going to have a shower, and we can talk about this some more when I get back. Please,” Courtney pleaded, “put away the drink, you don’t need it…we can work this out!”

With that said, Courtney made her way to the bathroom and to the shower. A.J.’s eyes followed her as she closed the door…but all he could see was the light in Courtney’s eyes when she had looked at Jason in Kelly’s. He had never seen that light before…

AND IT HAD TAKEN HIS GODDAMN BROTHER TO PUT IT THERE!!!!

**Crash, smash….boom*** The whole apartment shook as A.J. took out his wrath and anger on every piece of furniture in the apartment!!

Everyone stared at the man who had just walked in. The prodigal son had returned to Port Charles and everyone knew that Sonny Corinthos was once again a man to be feared. Not that he wasn’t already feared, it was just that Morgan struck fear into the heart of every person who he crossed, even Corinthos, although Sonny would never admit it.

“Hey Jake,” Jason said, “It’s good to see you, can I get a beer, please?”

“Sure…do you want a back room to go with it.” Jake asked.

“Yeah…I’m expecting someone to meet me here, just send them on back when they get here.”

“Ok, anyone I know?”

“No, probably not…just send them on back if they ask, they might not even ask and just come on back.”

“Ok, here’s your beer.”

“Thanks” and with that said, Jason made his way around the perimeter of the bar to the back room, to HIS back room and for the first time since coming home, he was truly relaxed.

‘Hello, old friend’ he thought as he rubs his hand over the green felt. Let’s rack-em up. I have a feeling that tonight will be very interesting.’

Courtney’s Apartment

A half an hour after she had left for her shower, Courtney gingerly made her way out of the bedroom to face A.J. She had changed into black Capri pants and a red halter top. She had a mission to get to she just hoped that she could get out without another confrontation with A.J.

She knew that A.J. suspected something about her and Jason, but she also knew that she couldn’t tell him. She couldn’t’ believe that Jason was back…she knew that this would be a bad situation all around for them, especially if he did work for Sonny. This could be extremely bad, for everyone involved. She just had to make sure that all of their tracks were well covered and that she didn’t give A.J. a reason to suspect anything. She knew how to shut down and become unfeeling, she just had to remember how to do it again.

She smiled slightly at that thought, cold and unfeeling were Jason’s specialties to those who did not know him well, not hers…but she could do it, and she would again!

As she stepped out into the living room, she couldn’t believe her eyes. The apartment was in mass destruction, CHAOS named A.J. had appeared while she was otherwise engaged with the shower. Broken glass, shattered ceramic ornaments, scratched wood and ripped furniture was what she saw on first glance.

Then she noticed A.J., bleary eyed and drunk, slumped over onto the couch. She walked over to the closet, hoping that A.J. wouldn’t notice her. She reached in and grabbed her leather jacket and just as she turned around…A.J. spoke.

“What the fuck do you think that you are doing? You can’t leave, and what the fuck are you wearing. What is that smutty top, it looks like something a hooker would wear. Get your ass back into that bedroom and change or I’ll come in and do it for you!!”

“A.J., you really need to calm down. I’m just going over to Carly’s for a while. Don’t you remember, its Friday night…we’re having our weekly Ladies Chat tonight.” Court winced at the lie; Carly had cancelled this week’s chat, so that she could spend some time working on plans for her new club. But she hadn’t told A.J. that, so she was safe.

There was just something that she had to do.

“Don’t you lie to me, you little slut. I know that you aren’t going to see Carly…why would you want to do that, she is a whore!” A.J. screamed. “You are not going to see anyone, you are staying here with me and being the good little wife and pleasuring her husband.”

With that said A.J. got up and walked towards her. Courtney stood her ground and continued to put on her coat. She turned around and started to reach for the doorknob. Suddenly, she felt A.J. grab her hair and yank really hard. He started to pull her by her hair towards the bedroom, all the while, muttering incoherent words under his breath.

Courtney’s heel caught on the edge of the rug and as she slipped AJ lost his grip on her hair. They both went down hard but Courtney managed to grab the couch before she hit the floor. AJ fell to the floor and he went down hard. The fall knocked some sense into him and he started to sputter and apology but Courtney was too angry to hear it.

When AJ reached his hand out to her she slapped it away.

“Don’t you ever grab me again, AJ. Do you understand me?” Courtney screamed at him.

“Courtney, I … I don’t …” AJ stammered.

“Shut up, just shut up.” She warned.

AJ took a step towards her but she held up her hands to block him. She backed her way to the door and reached behind her to turn the knob never taking her eyes off him.

Only when she was in the hall and the door shut firmly between them did she turn around. She rubbed a trembling hand over her face and smoothed down her hair. She couldn’t believe what had just happened, and she knew that she had a big problem with A.J. and his drinking. But, for right now she just wanted to forget about A.J. and concentrate on the bigger problem.

She looked at door one last time, and heard A.J. crying and sobbing her name and saying that he didn’t mean it. She shook her head in disgust, anger, fear and maybe a little guilt and walked down the hallway and out the door to see the one person who could help her make it all go away.

Jason shot the 8 ball into the corner pocket and sighed. After 2 beers and 2 games of solitary pool, he wondered if coming here was a mistake. He knew that things had to be discussed and action taken, but he couldn’t do that alone.

He looked at his watch and noticed that he had been at Jake’s for just over an hour….hopefully soon they could decide on a course of action. He wondered what they were going to do…he knew that they had extreme problems in the making…Sonny could never find out about the past, they would just have to cover their tracks really well.

As he walked around the pool table and gathered up the balls, he noticed the faint prickling of the hair on the back of his neck and a hum in the air. He knew that it was time, but he would let her make the first move.

He moved the pool triangle into the middle of the table and began to rack up the balls. He heard the faint rustling of her pants and the click of her heels as she picked up a cue and starting to chalk it.

As he bent over the table, his blue jeans stretched taut across his ass, and his black t-shirt was pulled tight across wide shoulders which only emphasized the strength that this man had. She looked admirably at his backside, as he heard her soft words.

“Nice ass, Mr. Morgan.”

Who is the woman? What is going to happen?

Spoiler: “Memories and the Pool Table”

Coincidences - Chapter 3 - Remembrance

“Nice ass, Mr. Morgan.”

Jason’s eyes gleamed with laughter and he looked behind him as his ass and then at the woman.

“Glad you like it, but are you sure that it isn’t a bit too big?? I mean, I have to wear a size 34 inch waist just to fit it all in.”

“Actually, I don’t think it’s your ass that is the problem here, I think it might be the other area.”

“Yeah, you might be right about that, you might just be right about that.” They both shared a chuckle, as Jason finished racking the balls. He took the triangle away after perfectly lining them up and moved away towards his cue stick. He grabbed the cue stick and the chalk and watched her as she walked to the end of the table, getting ready to break.

“I wasn’t sure if you were going to show up.” Jason said.

“Why were you worried about that? I got the signal.”

“Yeah, I guess you did.”

As she leaned over the table, he caught a glimpse of her cleavage as her shirt gaped open. Swack, in one smooth motion, the balls were now littered across the green felt, some balls having been pocketed, others not. Jason watched her as she assessed the table, ready to run it. She had always been beautiful to him, but tonight he noticed a hint of vulnerability, a hint of sadness in those beautiful blue eyes. He knew that something was wrong, but that she wouldn’t tell him until she was good and ready. That’s how they had always done it - ‘I will tell you when I’m damn good and ready, and not before, so don’t ask!’ So, as he waited for her to tell him, he would just enjoy the view that she was giving him.

As she leaned over the table and lined up her next shot, she watched him furtively from half-closed eyes. Damn, she thought, there was one fine male specimen, but she knew that she could never have him again, she had loved and lost him once before, and now, she had a new life, a life that didn’t involve him. With that unsettling thought, she drew back the cue stick and hit the cue ball with such tremendous force, that the cue ball popped up and flew straight at Jason.

“Jason, watch out!!” Courtney yelled. But, it was too late. Jason looked up from admiring the view that he had been gazing at, just in time to get beaned by the cue ball. Smack, the ball hit him flush off his cheek bone.

“Jason!! Are you okay?” Courtney rushed around the table to check on him, half-laughing and half-scared. As she reached him, he put out his hand to stop her before she could reach for his face.

Jason looked at Courtney and noticed that she was trying extremely hard not to laugh.

“Do you think this is funny? I just got walloped by a cue ball and you’re standing here, trying to act all concerned but you’re laughing your ass off!”

“Oh, Jason!! I’m so sorry, but my stick just got ahead of my mind and the ball took off with a mind of its own. Here, let me look at it.” Courtney grabbed Jason’s face between her hands and despite his protests tilted it up towards the dim lights to get a better look at the damage that she had inflicted.

As she poked and prodded his face, she moved closer and closer to him, until there was barely an inch of separation between them. Finally, she was satisfied that he was only going to have a bruise and tenderness and she let go of his face. It was then that she noticed how close and she had got to him.

She looked up at him and watched his face for signs of what he was thinking. He stared right back at her. Two pairs of blue eyes locked, never blinking, never moving…just staring. As he looked deep into those bottomless pools of ocean blue, the air started to hum with electricity, the hair on the back of his neck stood up on end…just the way that it always did when he was with her.

He reached out and pulled her close to him. He knew that there was something bothering her, besides being here with him and the complications that already had and would eventually arise with them both being in Port Charles. He reached up and smoothed a hand down her hair but stopped when he felt her flinch and the faint shudder of pain rack through her body.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, gently pushing her away and looking at her. The naked vulnerability he saw in her eyes nearly blinded him, but almost immediately, the shield came down and he was back to looking eyes he knew so well. They were almost the same eyes that he looked at in the mirror everyday. Eyes that didn’t show anything, only when he was with her did they change. Usually, the same had held true for her, but obviously not anymore.

“Nothing’s wrong, Jason. Nothing you can fix anyway.” She thought back to the horrible scene with A.J and knew that her life had just fallen down around her in shambles. Jason reached for Courtney again, but she stepped back and grabbed his pool cue.

“Here,” she shoved the cue towards him, forcing him to take it. “It’s your turn, I just botched my shot.”

Jason sighed. He rubbed a hand over his face, but decided not to push the issue further. He knew better. He walked around the table and studied his next thought. Courtney watched him, as he focused on the task at hand and set up his shot. She couldn’t believe how much had changed in the past year, but one thing that hadn’t, one thing that would probably never change was the connection that they had together. She too, felt the electricity that hummed between them….that was always between them. But she also knew that they could not act upon it.

As Jason started to run the table, Courtney’s thoughts wandered back to the events that had occurred previously in the evening….

Courtney’s Apartment

A.J. gazed blearily eyed at his surroundings as he unsteadily brought the vodka to his mouth and remembered what had transpired previously.

“Courtney,” he called. “Courtney, honey where are you?? Courtney!!! Goddamnit, you little bitch, where are you??” A.J. finished up the last of his vodka and tried to lever himself off the couch to walk over to the bar for a refill. As he stumbled over in that general direction, he smacked into the edge of the ottoman, clipped the corned of the steel-edged coffee table with the shattered glass top and knocked over the halogen lamp, the only piece of furniture that had not been broken in his previous rage.

As the lamp fell, A.J. tripped over it and fell face first into the floor. Thud! A.J., groaned and rolled over, grabbing his face. Blood was steadily dripping out of his nose, and from the cut on his forehead, that he had received from the glass that was already on the floor.

“Courtney, where are you, baby?? I need your help.” Then he remembered. She had left him. Left him for his brother….left him for the golden boy, the idiot. But, he would not let her go that easily, he vowed as he continued to hold his nose. He laid there, wallowing in self-pity, wallowing in the fact that she had left him and getting angry. Angrier than he had ever been before, Jason would never be allowed to have Courtney. He would never let her go ever.

A.J. hastily tried to get to his feet but he couldn’t do it and he fell back on his head, passing out in the process. His last coherent thought was about his wife….she can never leave me, I won’t let her.

“Courtney!! Courtney!!” Jason called and snapped his fingers to get her attention.

Courtney was jerked out of her reverie by Jason’s voice. “Sorry, I just have a lot of things on my mind.” She grabbed her stick and went to play; she knew that she had to keep a better handle on her emotions. She couldn’t let Jason know what was wrong. He would try to play hero and she couldn’t allow that. Their lives were already messed up; she didn’t need to add more complications. She could handle A.J.

Jason watched her closely and noticed the tension that was running through her body. He knew that he need to lighten the situation, so when she leaned over the table, he took that opportunity to stare long and hard at the masterpiece of flesh that she thrust back at him. God, she was beautiful, he thought.

Courtney heard a moan, and turned her head to catch Jason staring at her backside with a loopy grin on his face. She smiled at him and said, “Caught you looking.”

Jason jerked out of his admiration and glanced at her. “Yeah, I just thought that I would return the favour. Maybe, I’ll take it one step further.” Jason grinned wickedly and walked towards her. His hand reached down and hovered over her rounded flesh, ready to just give it a gentle pat. Just as he went to touch, her arm snaked behind her and grabbed his wrist.

“Don’t start something, you can’t finish Morgan.”

“Maybe, I can finish it,” he said, but he knew that he had achieved his goal and moved away from her, walking towards their drinks. He picked up his beer and looked at her. The blonde beauty that haunted his dreams was standing here before him. Just then, a flash of light glinted off her hair and he was transported back into time, back to a time when his life was uncomplicated.

Courtney glanced up at Jason and noticed his far away gaze. She wondered what he was thinking, what he was feeling, then she noticed his glazed over eyes focus on the pool table. She also noticed the growing bulge in his pants and she too was transported back into time.

*******FLASH BACK*******

“So, what do you want to do tonight?” Jason asked Courtney as he cleared the table of the dishes that they had accumulated after ordering in Italian. Courtney grabbed their glasses of wine and headed over towards the pool table.

“I thought maybe we could play a game.”

“Oh, yeah…what kind of game? Nine-ball, eight-ball??”

“Nope…none of those.” Courtney’s eyes gleamed with laughter and desire as she watched him walk closer. She could tell that he was confused.

“Well, then what do you want to play?” He asked.

“I want to play sex pool.”

“SEX POOL!!!??? What is that?”

“Oh come on Jason, you can’t be that naïve…I mean we’ve done it everywhere except for on the pool table. I want to do it here and now. No ifs, ands or buts about it.”

“Um…Court, are you ok?” Jason asked as he walked closed until he was standing in front of her.

“Yes, I’m just peachy, Jason. But, I won’t be in about two seconds, if you don’t get a move on.” Courtney reached out and grabbed his shirt, pulling him ever so slowly towards her. She backed up till her ass reached the hard edge of the pool table, just as Jason’s mouth hit hers.

Courtney’s hands reached up and anchored Jason’s head as her tongue started to do battle inside Jason’s mouth. Deep, thrusting plunges into his throat, forays into all the deep, dark crevices was what she wanted. And what she got. She tasted the heat, the passion, the man…HER man.

Just as quickly though, Jason became the aggressor and took the kiss over. Sweeping, searching, sucking, he took the kiss from hot and angry to sweet and gentle. Courtney let go of his face and ran her hands down his back. She felt the firm muscles clench and bunch as she pulled him closer, trying to become one with him.

She arched her back and pushed her chest into his. She reached around the front of him and pulled his shirt, popping the buttons right off. She pushed the offending fabric out of the way just enough so that she could rake her fingernails over his nipple. The bud tightening immediately and his muscles flexed reactively.

Jason tore his mouth away from hers and reached for the hem of her shirt. In his haste to get it off her, he tore the fabric and they heard a rip. Soon, the shirt was on the floor in tattered threads and her bra was lying right beside it. Jason’s breath caught as he looked at the vision before him, naked from the waist up, her breasts rose like beacons in the night. Firm and plump, they laid there, her nipples puckering from desire and the night air. Not too big, not too small…just the perfect size.

He brought his hand up to touch her and started to re-shape her firm flesh. Over and over, he played with it, moving, pushing, and thumbing….touching. He brushed his fingers lighting over the tips of her nipples and watched as they tightened even more, just begging for one lick, one suck.

“Jjjjjaaaaaaasssssssssooooonnnnnnn,” Courtney moaned.

Jason looked up at her and watched as she arched her back out even more towards him. Jason reached around her waist, and lifted her up onto the pool table. He bent down and started to tease the buds with his mouth. A touch there, a moist breath here, round and round he went, kissing the flesh but never the nipples. Until… she grabbed his chin and forced him to take her.

“Suck me, now!” She said.

Jason grinned as he opened his mouth and took her in. He started to suck hard, then softly, alternating the pressure as he heard her moans. Courtney grabbed his hair and begged him not to stop. With one hand urging him on, she pushed the rest of his shirt off of him and grappled for the buckle on his belt.

With the belt undone, she wrestled with the brass button on his pants.

“Courtney, honey…I think you’re going just a bit too fast.”

“Jason, shut up. This is my game and we’ll play it how I want to play it.” With that said Court’s hand found his straining member inside his black boxers and lifted him out as she pushed down his pants. Her hand encircled his hard cock and she felt him grow even bigger. She started to rub him, glancing over his tip, stroking her hand over his shaft. She reached between his legs and fondled his balls, while running her other hand up and down his back…raking her nails over the smooth flesh.

Jason growled and brushed her hand away from him, he pushed her back onto the table, her back and head bouncing against the green felt and scattering the pool balls every which way. But she didn’t feel the pain…only the pleasure that he was giving her.

Jason looked at her, her breasts flushed from his ministrations, her mouth swollen and juicy from their kisses. He started to reach for the snap on her black leather skirt, but she stopped him.

“Push it up,” she said. “I want you to take me with my clothes still on.”

“Ok, but what about your nylons?” Jason asked, not really caring, just wanting to get them out of the way as quick as possible.

“They are fishnet stockings, Jase. Just open one of the holes wider and stick it in me.”

And with that said, Jason shoved her skirt halfway up past waist, grabbed her nylons and pulled the flimsy material apart. He looked at her heaving hips as she thrust herself up towards his hand…but he knew that the foreplay had stopped here and now…they were both to anxious.

Courtney reached up and grabbed his shoulders, pulling him down on top of her. Her legs went around his waist and she pushed her hips towards his.

Jason’s hands reached down and grasped her hips anchoring them to him, as he slowly pushed into her. He started to move her hips with his hands and his rhythm took on a higher sense of urgency as he started to pound harder and harder.

“Faster, Jason!! Faster!!!” Courtney screamed.

Jason began to thrust harder and harder, the tempo rising dramatically as the roaring in his ears, increased tenfold. Jason felt the need to cum as the muscles in her tight sheath clenched around him.

Courtney knew that they were both reaching the edge and she grabbed his head…thrusting tongue deep down his throat.

Jason pulled back and pushed once more deep inside her in rhythm to their kiss. And then it hit them, the orgasm that they had so desperately craved was finally here.

“Jason!!!!!!!!!!” Courtney screamed.

“Courtney!!!!!!!” Jason moaned.

*****End Flash-Back*****

Jason and Courtney were both rudely jerked back to the present when the bar called for last call. They both looked at each other with stunned expressions, both knowing what the other one had just gone through.

Jason smiled wryly at Courtney, who blushed from head to toe.

“Some memories are good,” he said, “some aren’t. This one was good.”

And with that said, they made their way out into the parking lot. They stopped in front of his bike and he said, “How are you getting home, Court?”

“Don’t worry about me Jason. I’m a big girl. I can handle myself.”

“I know you can, but you also know that I will follow you until you get home anyways. So, why don’t you let me take you?”

“Are you going to let me drive?”

“No, not this time. Maybe later.” Jason grinned thinking about the last time she had drove. But that was a different memory for a different day.

Jason climbed on the bike and gunned the engine. He handed Courtney a helmet and then his leather jacket as he knew that she would be cold. Courtney got on behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist. She breathed in deeply and smelled the scent of man, leather and sweat. Her kind of combination.

As they started off, she couldn’t help but think about how many other times that they had done this, but this time, she was going home to A.J. She wouldn’t be going home with Jason.

As they reached her apartment complex, Jason slowed down and stopped the bike. Court got off and reached for her stuff.

“Do you want me to walk you up?” Jason asked her.

“No thanks Jase. I’ll be fine alone.”

“You do realize that we have to talk about things?!” he said.

“Yes, I do realize, but I couldn’t do it tonight. She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. “Thanks, for the memories.” She whispered and walked away in the complex, dreading what she was about to face.

Jason watched as she walked away and through the doors, away from him to his brother. He put his helmet back on and started the bike. Where he was going, what he was doing…he didn’t know. He only knew that, he was back in Port Charles and his life was never going to be the same again.

Courtney reached her door and slowly opened it. There, she saw A.J., passed out on the floor with dried blood pooled around him, broken and shattered objects everywhere. She bent over to check his pulse and realized that he hadn’t died yet.

She got up from checking him and walked towards the bedroom, fingering the chain around her neck, feeling the ring that was attached to it. What was she doing, where was she going…she didn’t know. She only knew that, life was never going to be the same again.

Chapter 4 - Revelations

A hand reached out from underneath dark blue satin sheets and slapped at the offending alarm clock. Morning sunlight poured through the bay windows that led out onto the balcony and straight into the squinting eyes of the tousled head that poked out from under the covers. Jason groaned and rolled over, onto his back pushing the covers down as he laid there thinking about what was happening in his life.

He couldn’t believe that she was back in his life again. He had thought that after all he had put her through the last time that he wouldn’t be given a chance. Fate was once again knocking at his door and had led him straight back to her, but he knew that it was too late. She was with another man and happy. He didn’t want to ruin that happiness; he just wanted to be her friend. Her friend, somehow that sounded bad to him, but he knew that he would never again have a chance to be more than that. He had blown it the last time, and he wasn’t going to be given a second chance.

Jason’s eyes cut to the picture that sat upon his dresser. “His two ladies”, Emily had called the picture when she had presented it to him. Emily and Liz. Wow, it was hard to believe that almost 4 years had passed since that picture had been taken. So much had changed. He had changed. She had changed him and all for the better. They weren’t his ladies now, but he knew that Liz would like to try again. Maybe they would and maybe they wouldn’t.

Jason kicked the covers away and slowly stretched out in the water bed. He got up and padded towards the bathroom, intent on hitting the shower before he made his way to Kelly’s for his daily jolt of caffeine. As he walked past the mirror absentmindedly rubbing his chest he smiled faintly when he caught a glimpse of his shoulderblade in the mirror.

As he reached the shower, he turned on the water and let the steam fill the air as he grabbed a fluffy white towel from closet, flipped on the heating bar and lights and threw the towel onto the bar. He stepped into the large glass and chrome enclosed shower, adjusted the water temperature with his forearm. As he stepped under the spray from the shower, he grabbed the shampoo off the shelf, grinning wryly as he looked at the label, “Herbal Essences - Honeysuckle and Daisy”. If only she could see him now he thought as he lathered his hair and started to drift back in time.

*******Flash Back******

“Courtney!!!!!!!”

Courtney smiled as she heard him call her name, from the direction of the shower. She wondered what was wrong with him now. As she made her way out of bed and into the steam-filled bathroom, she was acutely aware of the fact that she was going to check on him, wearing nothing but her ivory negligee with black lace trim.

As she reached the threshold of the bathroom door, she started to giggle when she saw him. He was standing in the shower, with his head poked around the blue and white striped curtain. Half of his head was covered in lather from the shampoo and in his hand was the shampoo bottle.

“Courtney, what the hell is this crap?” Jason asked. In his hand, he was holding the new shampoo that she had bought for the shower, ‘Herbal Essences - Honeysuckle and Daisy’. “What happened to just the plain old stuff that we had before?”

“Jason, this stuff was on sale and besides, it makes your hair smell pretty.” She walked farther into the bathroom, laughing all the while as he glared at the offending bottle and then at her.

“But baby, it’s going to make me smell like a girl!!!” Jason whined.

“Oh, quit being such a whiner. Suck it up and deal with it. I had to go buy the groceries, so I got to choose, next time you can do the shopping!” As Courtney had been talking, she had been walking closer and closer to the shower until she had stopped just within arm’s reach of Jason. She surveyed the scene again and started laughing all over again.

With the water still pouring down on him, Jason watched as she amused herself at his expense, and an idea started to form in his mind. “So, you think this is funny do you?” he asked with a gleam in his eye.

Courtney looked at him and almost doubled over with laughter again. “I’m sorry,” she giggled, “it’s just, you look so funny standing there half-showered and upset over a shampoo bottle.”

“You think this is funny?” he asked as he gestured to himself and the bottle. Courtney watched him and her body was shaking from mirth and giggling as she nodded. “Well, let’s just see if you think that this is funnier,” he said.

And with that, he reached out and grabbed her arm, pulling her into the shower with him.

“Jason!! What are you doing?? I’m dressed and besides, we have to get ready to go. We don’t have time for this now!!!” Courtney’s protests were stopped as her mouth was covered by his and he started a slow and sensual assault on her senses. He left no spot untouched, no crevice undiscovered as he slowly familiarized himself with the nuances of her body. The negligee that had once molded itself to her curves was now a hindrance that clung to her body, waterlogged and heavy.

He hastily ripped the offending piece of fabric away, leaving it to lay in a sodden mess on the shower floor. He pulled her closer and they started to kiss, underneath the hot beat of the water. His hands roamed to every part of her body and then back again. All she could do was grip his hair and moan helplessly as he continued his sensual assault. In and out, his fingers found and pleasured that sensitive area on her body. He paused over her opening, just long enough to have her whimpering in anticipation and thrusting her hips out to reach his hand.

He looked at her face, her head thrown back in pleasure, her eyes closed against the sweet torture, a smile gracing her lips. His eyes slowly travelled down the length of her body as he held her securely in one arm. Her skin was flushed and glistening as the water continued to rain over them. Her back was arched towards his chest, making her breasts thrust outwards and become even more prominent. The blush pink areoles and nipples were tight and puckered with wanting and water droplets dripped off their tips, making a pathway down over her tight stomach, dipping into her cute innie and then becoming caught in the blonde hair that protected the entrance to the core of her being.

As his hand hovered over that entrance trying to decide what course of action to take, Courtney slowly opened her eyes and stared at Jason. “Do it,” she pleaded. “Please!!”

And with that said, Jason’s hand swooped in to claim its desire as he leaned down to suckle her breast. Courtney was caught unaware by the twin onslaught of pleasure and reached backwards to steady herself against the door, but as she did so he grabbed her and swung her around so that she was leaning against the shower bench.

He raised his mouth from her breast and captured her mouth with his again. As he deepened and angled the kiss, her head was forced backwards against the wall and she had to balance herself by grabbing his hair and wrapping her leg around his hip.

Jason smiled wickedly against her lips as he realized what this new position could do for them. As he went back to kissing her sweet, honeyed lips, he moved his hand in unison to the time of their kiss. In and out, slowly and then faster, he moved. Courtney gasped and tore her mouth away from his as she grew closer and closer to the pinnacle. But she didn’t want to go alone; she wanted him to go with her.

“Jason, stop! I want you with me,” she whispered.

Jason looked at her and saw that the meaning hidden inside her eyes. He slowly withdrew his hand, increasing the friction by making sure that he hit all the right spots. He moved into position and slowly eased himself into her slick passage. They both gasped as her tight sheath clutched his shaft as he pushed in slowly and then withdrew.

Courtney plunged her hands into his hair anchoring his head between them. She pulled him down to meet her and their lips met in a soul-searching kiss. His hips gradually increased the speed and intensity of his thrusts, until they were both clinging to last thread of sanity.

Jason pulled his mouth away from hers as he thrust one last time and took her over the edge.

“I love you,” he whispered.

Courtney’s eyes widened in shock as she realized what he had said. Her eyes focused on his, blue on blue and as she whispered, “I love you, too.” With that admission, Jason took them over the edge, spiralling down further and further into the tunnel of their love.

Courtney snuck up behind Jason who was sitting reading the morning paper. She wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her nose in his hair, “Mmmm, your hair sure smells pretty.”

*****End Flash-Back*****

Courtney shook her head at the memories of that particular day as she replaced the shampoo on the shelf and finished up her shower. She knew that she would never forget that day. That was the first time that they had said……..NO!!! She couldn’t think about that now, she was with A.J. She loved A.J.

Courtney walked out of the bathroom and finished getting ready for her shift at Kelly’s. Just then, the phone rang.

“Hello,” she said. “Hey Carly, what’s up?”

“Court, Sonny and I were wondering if you would like to come over for dinner tonight. There’s someone that we want you to meet.”

“Sure, Carly. I’d like that, I haven’t seen you guys in a while. Is there anything that you would like me to bring?”

“Yes, there is one thing. But, it’s not what I want you to bring, it’s what I want you not to bring.”

“Let me guess, --- A.J. right?” Courtney laughed a little bitterly. “Don’t worry, he won’t be coming. So, I’ll see you at 7:00, then?”

“Yes, that would be great. Bye Court. Have a good day. Can’t wait for tonight.” Carly laughed as she hung up the phone and gazed at out the doorway of the penthouse towards another doorway. She could feel the electricity of the air and knew it wasn’t the summer heat generating all of it. Something big was happening, she could feel it.

As Courtney hung up the phone, she made her way out to the living room, ready to go to work. She glanced swiftly around the trashed room and saw A.J. slowly making his way out towards her from the kitchen. In his hand he carried a bottle of Aspirin and a glass of water. His face was covered in dried blood and his eyes looked like rivers of blood.

“Courtney,” A.J. whispered. “I’m, I’m so so---“

“A.J.” Courtney said firmly. “Save it! I don’t want to hear your pitiful excuses right now. I’ve heard them all before. When are you going to finally take control of you life and stop blaming other people for your problems?”

A.J. stared helplessly at his hands and then looked at Courtney. Unshed tears made her eyes glisten but she knew that she had to stand her ground.

“Courtney, I don’t know what to say. I’m sorry. I don’t know what got into me last night”

“I said save it, A.J.!! I can’t deal with anymore of this shit that you keep dealing out. I won’t put up with it anymore and you better clean up your act or I’m walking out this door and never looking back. Now, clean up this mess and we’ll talk when I get back from dinner with Sonny and Carly tonight. With one last disgusted look around the apartment and a glance at A.J., Courtney walked out the door, leaving him standing there in the ruins that his life had become.

Liz looked up from serving coffee as the bell jingled signalling a customer. Her eyes gleamed with malice as she saw Courtney walk in.

“You’re late,” she spat nastily.

Courtney sighed and looked at her own personal nemesis. “No, I’m not Liz. I was scheduled to start at 8:30 and here I am. It’s not even 8:30 yet.”

Liz glared at Courtney as she made her away around the counter and grabbed an apron. Liz knew that Courtney had had a bad night. She could tell; she always could. Courtney had married that big-loser A.J. Quartermaine and Liz never passed up an opportunity to rub it in.

“It looks like you had a pretty rough night. Was A.J. on one of his binges again?”

“Elizabeth, I would really appreciate if you didn’t have to bring up my marriage every time we saw each other. It’s none of your business anyways.”

“I wouldn’t want to talk about it either. I mean, you’re married to that loser A.J. and I have myself the greatest man in the world.”

Courtney looked at Liz suspiciously. “What do you mean that you have the greatest man? You aren’t even seeing anyone.”

Liz looked at Courtney smugly, “Yes, I am. My boyfriend just came back into town.”

“Oh, really.” Courtney looked a little surprised at this piece of information but smiled at Liz and nodded. “That’s great, I guess. You’ll have to excuse me, I need to see to these customers.”

“Oh, but I really wanted to tell you how great he is. He is so gorgeous and sweet. He’s sooo much better than A.J.” Liz smirked. “And, he just got back from travelling abroad for 3 years.”

“Listen Liz! I don’t really want to hear about your love life, but I do have a question though. If this “boyfriend”, is really your boyfriend, where the hell has he been for the last 3 years?”

“Why you little b----“ Cut off in mid-speech, Liz’s eyes grew wide she saw who had just walked through the door.

“Jason!!!” she yelled and rushed towards him, ready to give him the welcoming that he deserved. She went to wrap her arms around his neck and pull him down to give him a welcome home kiss, but he stalled her and pushed her off to the side.

Jason’s eyes found his way to Courtney who was standing at the counter shell-shocked. They stared at each other as Liz looked back and forth between the two of them. Liz glared at Courtney and started to growl. She grabbed Jason’s arm and pulled him towards Courtney with a smirk.

Pasting a sugary sweet smile on her lips, Liz introduced Jason to Courtney. “Courtney, this is Jason Morgan, my boyfriend.”

Jason winced at the term that Liz used, but looked back at Courtney. Then, he stuck his hand out.

“Hi, it’s nice to meet you,” he said.

Courtney looked at Jason wryly and met his raised eyebrows with a look of her own. She reached out and grasped his hand firmly. As skin met skin, sparks flew up both of their arms but neither let on that they had felt it.

Courtney pulled her hand back from Jason’s and grabbed her tray. “It was really nice to meet you but if you’ll excuse me, I have customers to wait on.”

As Courtney swept around the end of the counter, she noticed Liz lean in closer to Jason and laughed quietly to herself when she saw Jason move away as Liz moved closer.

Jason’s eyes tracked Courtney around the diner as she made her way from table to table. Liz stared in growing frustration as she couldn’t keep Jason’s attention for more than two minutes at a time. Smiling sweetly, Liz asked him,

“So what time are we going out for dinner tonight?”

Jason jerked his gaze back to Liz and blinked rapidly to clear his vision. “What??? What dinner?”

“We’re going out to dinner tonight, aren’t we??” Liz asked plaintively.

“No, I’m sorry. I can’t. I already have plans for this evening.”

“Jason, there’s nothing that you can’t break for me.” Liz leaned over the counter provocatively, trying to give him a glimpse of things to come.

Jason sighed and stared at her face. I’m sorry; I’m having dinner with Sonny and Carly. I can’t break that, I promised Michael and Sonny has some business stuff that we need to go over. Maybe we can get together later in the week.” Jason dropped some money down on the counter for his coffee and then made his way out the door, with Liz staring longingly at his retreating backside.

Courtney looked around the penthouse at Sonny, Carly and Michael. She couldn’t believe how happy they were together, being a family. Courtney drifted back into time for a minute, reminiscing about what might have been. She too, had once dreamed of having this fairytale life but she knew that what she wanted were only in fairytales.

Carly looked at the sad expression on Courtney’s face and knew that she was having problems with A.J. again. She hoped that Courtney knew what she was doing with A.J. They had all tried to warn her, but Courtney wasn’t one to take anyone’s advice, especially when it seemed like they had all been out to get her.

“Courtney, could you go check on the roast, please?” Carly asked.

As Courtney made her way into the kitchen, the doorbell rang. The guest has arrived, she thought. She leaned down to check the roast and once she was satisfied that everything was okay, she made her way back out into the living room.

Carly smiled as she saw Courtney makes her way back in. She reached up and the grabbed the arm of the man standing beside her.

“Jason,” Carly said. “I’d like you to meet someone.”

Jason turned from talking to Michael and followed Carly’s direction. His jaw dropped as he stared at the woman in front of him.

“Courtney!!!” Jason said.

Courtney stared in shock at Jason.

Carly looked back and forth between the two of them. “Wait, do you guys know each other?”