Jason almost dreaded going to the hospital. He felt almost as if ignorance could really be bliss, that if he didn't go there and he couldn't find out if Courtney was all right, then he could continue to imagine that she was safe and well, as he had been imagining her in those weeks since he broke up with her. The cops, insisted, however, that he go to the hospital as well, to get checked out, and so he was brought to the hospital in a police car.

He stood in front of the hospital doors afraid to go in. He just stood there with her blood on his shirt, on his hands, in his hair, and he stared at the people going in and out of the hospital. He didn't want to know that Courtney was dead. The more he thought about it, and how much blood she lost, the more he feared that she was dead. He just knew that he had held her for the last time, but he didn't want the doctors to confirm it.

She can't be dead...she can't be dead... He chanted it over and over in his head, like a mantra. They were the only words that kept him from completely breaking down so that he could go into the hospital. When he walked in Bobbie was the first person he saw.

"Jason!" she cried out startled. "Jason, what happened to you? There's blood everywhere! Are you hurt?"

"It's not my blood. Where's Courtney?" he questioned patiently.

He knew the moment that she had pieced together what had happened in her head. Her eyes got bigger and then she clapped her hand over her mouth. "You were there...when Courtney got shot..." Then she realized why he was standing there in front of her looking as if his whole world had been turned upside down. "Courtney is in surgery right now."

"Is she...is she going to make it?" he forced himself to ask.

"She's lost a lot of blood, and there's a definite possibility that she could lose the baby," Bobbie informed him somberly.

His breath caught at her words. He had been staring at the floor, but with those words his eyes went immediately to her face where he stared at her intensely to determine if he had really and truly heard those words. "Baby?" he managed to croak out.

Bobbie's own eyes widened with surprise and sadness. "You didn't know? Jason, Courtney's pregnant and in danger of losing the baby, but the doctors are doing everything in their power to save them both."

Jason felt as if someone had just punched him in the stomach. Courtney was pregnant and the baby could die...and he hadn't even known...he never even realized...

But the signs were there. He knew that something was wrong ever since she hadn't fainted that time in court. He had meant to ask her about it, to make sure that she went to see a doctor about it, but then he and Brenda had gotten convicted, and he had written it off as worry over him. And now his mistake could cost her and his unborn child their lives.

If only he had known...he would never have broken up with her, no matter what Sonny had suggested that he do. He knew in his heart that he was the best one to protect her. He would have moved her into his penthouse and he would have married her, and he wouldn't let her go anywhere without guards. He would have made her quit Kelly's and then she never would have gotten kidnapped and then she never would have been there on the docks, while he waited for Fowler. Then she wouldn't be shot and possibly dying...

Knowing that she could possibly be dying because of him, after the way he'd been treating her these past few weeks, telling her that he needed to stay away from her, being cold to her, turning his back on her, and knowing that he was hurting her the whole time, it made him feel ashamed to his very soul.

"Bobbie, I have to see her!" he wanted to tell her how much he loved her. He wanted her to hear the sound of his voice and know that he would die without her. He wanted to be there when she woke up because he didn't know what he would do if she died.

Bobbie saw the mix of emotions play on his face. She saw the despair, the anguish, the sadness, the fear, and she could understand them all. "She's still in surgery right now, but I'll go and check on her. Sonny's already in the waiting room, I think you should talk to him," she told him.

Jason swallowed back the lump in his throat and then nodded. Then he went in search of Sonny.

Jason found him pacing in the waiting room. His face was haggard. His eyes were darker and sadder than he'd ever seen them before. Jason walked up to him with his head bowed. "Sonny, I didn't know she was pregnant. Do you think I would have let her anywhere near those docks if I had known?"

Sonny looked up at Jason with angry eyes. He was so enraged he couldn't even see straight. His jaws were clenched and for a few moments all he could do was stare at Jason who tried to avoid his eyes. Finally he spoke. "I know you didn't know she was pregnant. Courtney didn't want you to know. She knew, just as I knew, that her baby would be in danger if it was anywhere around you. She wanted to protect her baby from you, so she asked me not to tell you about it."

Jason was taken aback by Sonny's admission. "She knew that she was pregnant? She knew and she didn't tell me?? She told you, but she wouldn't tell me? The father of her child??" Jason thought Courtney trusted him more than that. He had hoped that if anything had ever happened to her that she would trust him enough to tell him about it. He had never imagined that she could keep such a secret from him.

"And a lot of good it would have done her!" Sonny angrily fired back. "Because of you, my sister is in that operating room in danger of dying and most probably losing my niece or nephew!" Sonny seemed to expel most of his anger with that comment because he sighed and closed his eyes, rubbing his forehead with the tips of his fingers. "And this is just what I warned you about. And if she dies...her blood will be on your head for the rest of your life."

Jason gulped and sank into a waiting room chair. He closed his eyes, but could not keep out the truth of Sonny's words. If Courtney died, it would be all his fault. Because he couldn't protect her. He couldn't protect her or their baby. He couldn't protect anyone.

Just then Bobbie came in. "She's still in surgery. There's still no news on her or the baby." She went to Sonny first to try to give him and understanding pat on the shoulder, but he just shrugged her off. Then she went to Jason. "I'm sorry I don't have any better news for you. But Taggert wants you to get checked out by a doctor. So you need to come with me."

Jason nodded, and got up. He didn't look at Sonny as he left the room. He only stared at the floor and followed Bobbie.

~*~

She was in hell. She knew it because of the fire that seemed to be consuming her body. The flames licked at her, scorching her hair, singeing her hair. And there was no way to escape it, or the voices that were tormenting her.

...You're nothing but a common, seen-'um-every-day, run of the mill slut...he will leave you after he's had his fun with you...

...Jason cares about only one thing, and one thing only--his job, and that means that he will do whatever Sonny tells him...eventually Sonny will tell him not to see you, his sweet innocent little sister. And Jason will leave you...

...He's nothing but an obedient lap dog. Sonny told him to leave you so he did. I never, would have left you, though...you're such a sweet blonde piece of tail...

Courtney would have cried, but her tears turned into steam. She tried to take comfort in the fact that she wasn't alone. She had a baby to protect...

She ran her hand over her stomach, but suddenly she realized that her baby wasn't there anymore...

My baby! Where's my baby?! I want my baby!!

Courtney screamed as she tried to search for her baby, but there was total silence. Even her words were being swallowed up by the silence the very moment that she spoke them and they came out of her lips...

"My baby!" Courtney gasped as she woke up from the drug-induced dream she had because of the anesthetics given to her during surgery. She tried to sit up, but the pain in her shoulder stopped her from moving. It brought tears to her eyes. She felt completely disoriented and it panicked her. Something didn't seem right!

Sonny was immediately at her side. He smiled at her gently. "Don't worry. You're baby is fine. It was touch and go there for a while, but you both survived." He reached out a hand to stroke her brow.

"Thank, God!" she cried out. She let the tears just overflow. She couldn't stop them, she didn't want to stop them; she was just so relieved. "Thank, God!" She placed her hands over her stomach and just caressed it. "My baby's really going to be all right, Sonny?" she looked up at him with hope and gladness in her eyes.

"Yes, Dr. Meadows is a good doctor. She fought hard for both you and your baby."

"I'm so grateful to her. I don't know how I will ever be able to repay her for the life of my child. How do you repay someone for that kind of gift?" Courtney questioned.

"I don't know."

"Can I see her?"

"I'm sure Dr. Meadows will be in here to see you shortly, now that you've woken up."

"How long was I out?"

"21 hours."

"It was bad wasn't it?"

Sonny sighed. "You scared me half to death. But now you're okay. That's all that matters. You're okay and you're going to be okay. Dr. Meadows wants you to stay in here for a while so she can monitor you at all times. Then once she releases you she wants you to have complete bed rest for the rest of your pregnancy because of the trauma you've already had to endure." And probably so that you can't get shot at again, Sonny thought to himself. "She also doesn't think a big move is a good idea."

"So I have to stay in Port Charles for the health of my baby?" Courtney felt somewhat relieved that because of doctor's orders she wouldn't have to think about packing up her life and starting over again somewhere new. But then she remembered why she had chosen to move in the first place...

Suddenly Courtney remembered why she was in the hospital...because she had been in a shoot out with Jason. "Where's Jason? Is he all right? Is he hurt? Oh, God, if anything happened to him--" she gasped.

"He's fine."

"Then where is he?" Courtney asked. She could tell by the look on Sonny's face that he didn't like that she was questioning about Jason. But she really wanted to see him. She knew that she had told Sonny that it was best if she stayed away from him. Getting shot should have proved that point to her, but she still wanted to see him and make sure that he was all right. And she hoped that he would want to make sure that she was all right as well. She hoped that he still cared a little about her, and she hoped that he was worried about their baby.

"Jason isn't here because he doesn't want to be here. He saw what kind of damage he could do to you so he's decided that he is going to stop seeing you altogether."

"What?"

"He thinks it's best if he never sees you again."

"He never wants to see me again? What about our baby? Doesn't he even care that our baby could have died?? Doesn't he even care that I almost died??"

"Courtney, you need to calm down. Getting upset isn't good for you or the baby."

Courtney tried to calm down her heavy breathing, but she couldn't help herself. She became hysterical. "Why isn't Jason here?? Why does he hate this baby so much, that he won't even come here to visit me? Why--"

"Shh...shh..." Sonny tried to soothe her, cupping her face in his hands. "Don't think like that. What's important is that you think about getting well and having this baby. It's just best if you don't think about Jason at all."

"But how do I stop thinking about the father of my child? The man that I love? How can he break my heart this way?"

"Shh...shh...Courtney," Sonny whispered to her, as he pressed the call switch for a nurse. When one came in he told her that he thought Courtney should get some sedatives to help her sleep.

"No! I don't want any sedatives. I want to see Jason! I want Jason to tell me to my face why he isn't here!"

The nurse nodded at Sonny's suggestion, seeing how irritated she was and that she could be harming herself and the baby. She went to get Dr. Meadows who came in to administer the medicine. "Courtney, I know you're a little disoriented and upset. You've just endured a traumatic experience, but it's really important that you try to stay calm. You wouldn't want to accidentally harm your baby, would you?"

Courtney shook her head as the drugs immediately took affect. "I just...I just miss him..."

"I can understand that," Dr. Meadows replied with a soft, quiet voice.

"Please, I just want to see him...one last time..." she whispered before the drugs overtook her and she fell into a deep slumber.

Sonny watched Dr. Meadows as she checked Courtney's vital signs. Then once she had left, he returned to watching over Courtney sleep. It was more important now than ever to keep Courtney and Jason apart and he knew he'd do whatever it took to accomplish his goal.

He began to form a plan in his head, and even though he found the idea of lying to his best friend distasteful, he knew he had to do it. First, though, he needed an ally, an accomplice, so he called Ric.

Sonny met Ric outside of Courtney's hospital room.

"Is Courtney all right?" Ric asked with concern.

Sonny nodded. "She's all right for the time being, but I want you to make sure that she stays that way."

"What do you want me to do?"

"How far along have you come with her divorce from AJ?" Almost as soon as she had asked him for help Ric had gone to Sonny to let him know that AJ was still bothering Courtney.

"It's in the bag. I managed to get her divorced from AJ without his consent, but there is no way a judge could be forced to contest it."

"That's good. So is there any way he could come after my niece or nephew?"

"No. He could try, but it won't work."

"Good. Now the only other person I need you to protect her from is Jason."

"Jason?" Ric was confused by this. He knew that Sonny trusted Jason with his life. And even though it seemed as though Jason was the reason Courtney had gotten shot, based on the evidence, it seemed as though Fowler would have gone after Courtney no matter what.

"Courtney doesn't want to see Jason anymore. She blames him for getting shot."

"So this is what Courtney wants? Not to see Jason, I mean?"

"Yes, make sure he doesn't see her. And if possible make sure he doesn't even want to see her."

"How do I do that?"

"I'm sure you can think of a way. And if you bend the truth a little, or even break it, so be it," Sonny told him. He looked at Ric to make sure that he got his meaning.

Ric understood loud and clear. He nodded. "I'll make sure that neither AJ or Jason ever bother Courtney again."

"Good. I also want you to make sure that Jason doesn't get prosecuted for killing Fowler. Can you handle it?"

"It's definitely a clear cut case of self-defense. I also have a few friends who can pull some strings. Don't worry about Jason." He'll be back to being your number one goon in no time, Ric thought wearily.

Then Sonny told him that he was going to return home, but that he'd be back later, and if he needed him he should just give him a call.

~*~

AJ was stunned when he heard the news. He hadn't even realized how much the thought of losing Courtney scared him until it had almost happened. Even his anger at her for choosing his brother over him--just like his family always had, just like she had promised him over and over again that she would never do--could not shake the fear that gripped him. But with his fear also came his anger, his anger at Sonny for turning his sister into a target and leaving her vulnerable to getting hurt.

AJ knew that a part of him would always love her, even when she was with someone else. Sometimes he loved her more because she was with someone else, because she was unattainable and that was one of his vices, hungering after the unattainable.

He hoped that her injuries would be the catalyst to an eventual reunion with her. He hoped that now that she had been hurt and almost lost everything, she would see the truth as he had always told her--that his brother was dangerous, and that she should be with him.

When he first heard that Courtney had been shot he had almost hoped that her baby had died. His first reason was because he hoped that such a loss would have showed her exactly what was at stake with her involvement with the her brother and Jason. Also, though, a malicious, scornful, jealous part of him hoped that her baby died because it was also his brother's and the thought of Jason having a child was distasteful to him. He quickly pushed those thoughts aside, however, when he found out that both she and the baby had survived. He knew that it would be difficult for him not to picture Jason and Courtney together every time he looked at the child, but he was hopeful that one day he would get the chance to call that child his own and be the kind of father that Jason, Sonny, and Carly never allowed him to be, and one that he had never had himself.

With all these thoughts in mind he stopped by the hospital gift shop and picked up a bouquet of flowers to give to Courtney.

The receptionist had told him what room she was in when he had first arrived at the hospital. He was familiar with the layout because as the son of the Chief of Medicine he had been in there often. He had also been in there various times because of injuries caused by his drunken behavior or retaliation from Sonny and Jason. AJ hoped that he wouldn't have to come to the hospital again for those reasons.

He quickly found his way to Courtney's room. He practiced over and over in his head what he wanted to say to her--how sorry he was that she was hurt, that he was so happy that she was alive, that her baby was alive, and how her brush with death had made him realize how much he still loved her despite the fact that she had cheated on him with his brother--but he never got a chance to say anything to her. He never even got a chance to talk to her because Sonny had left his newest guard dog to protect her. Anger flared up within him, just like it always had when Sonny tried to keep things from him.

"I'm here to see my wife!" AJ exclaimed when Ric stood up to greet him.

"Courtney is no longer your wife," Ric told him. Then he handed him some papers.

"What are these?"

"This is a certificate of divorce." Ric opened up the file on top and showed him the statement of divorce. "And this is a restraining order," he said pointing to the other file.

"What? This can't be right. I never signed any divorce papers."

Ric smiled. "Well, that's not what this paper showed."

AJ sneered. "You forged my signature."

"You have no way to prove it. And if you even tried to contest it Sonny would put a more permanent end to your marriage to his sister."

"Are you threatening me?"

"I'm just giving you some advice."

"Sonny won't get away with this!"

"He has and he will. Now AJ, I suggest you leave before I call the police. You are in violation of your restraining order."

AJ knew he had no choice, and he really did not want to start anything in the hospital. But he vowed to himself that this wouldn't be the end. He still had revenge to exact from Sonny and Jason and if at all possible he was going to win back Courtney as well. He snuck a quick peak through the window of the hospital room and saw that Courtney was sleeping. Then he turned around and left.

"One down, one more to go," Ric whispered to himself as he watched AJ leave. He suspected that he hadn't seen the last of AJ. Ric knew his type. They never gave up, especially if they felt that they were owed something. And Courtney had become something to be owned to him. However, AJ he could handle. AJ he could see coming a mile away. Jason would be the difficult one to manipulate into doing what he wanted. And he wanted Jason to stay away from Courtney because Sonny wanted them apart, and Ric just wanted to make himself useful to Sonny.

Ric turned to gaze into the hospital room through the windows and he too saw Courtney as she lay there sleeping. There was just something about her that made him feel protective of her, and that made it easy for him to understand why Sonny felt the same way. He could tell that she and Sonny were close--one big happy family. And Ric didn't want anything to come between them, especially not Jason.

~*~

"Jason!" Courtney gasped as she woke up. She had broken out into a cold sweat, and still she was shivering. Her back ached and she felt really thirsty.

Courtney had another nightmare. They were always about the same things. That her baby had died, and that Jason was gone. But the comforting sound of the fetal heart monitor always reminded her that it was just a dream and she would reach down to pat her belly, and let her baby know that she was loved.

But Jason was gone. She didn't know where, or when, and she could only guess why.

"Are you up for a visitor?" Carly asked smiling softly, shaking Courtney out of her dismal thoughts.

Courtney tried to return her smile. "Sure, if you could get me a cup of water. I'm really thirsty."

"No problem," Carly said as she went over to the table where a pitcher of ice water and some cups sat. She picked one up and poured water into it, then handed it to Courtney.

Courtney slowly sat up, and winced a little at the pain.

"Courtney, are you hurting? Should I call a nurse?"

Courtney shook her head. "I'll be all right, just as long as I don't move too much." She took the cup that Carly was still holding and then took a long swallow. It felt cold and sweet as it soothed her dry throat.

Carly watched her drink. "You know, I'm sorry I haven't come by sooner. I did come by when you were still in surgery, but I didn't want to get in the way...and...I didn't want to see or run into..."

"And what?"

"Well, I don't know how to say this, but I...I left your brother, Courtney."

"When?"

"The night my club opened. I just couldn't stop thinking about what I saw...and it just made me realize that I didn't trust your brother. And I can't, and I won't let him break my heart anymore."

"So it is true? Sonny kissed Brenda?"

"Yes."

"But I thought he was going to explain to you that it was just a goodbye kiss--"

"He did try...but whether it was a goodbye kiss...or more...I still can't trust him."

Courtney could see the tears welling up in Carly's eyes and could feel the same happening in hers. "Carly, I'm so sorry..."

"No, no, Courtney, don't worry about me. I know this is for the best. I'm a little sad, but I know that eventually I'll get my bearings back--but Courtney, the reason I came here today was you, because you are the one whose life just took a major turn, and I want to be here for you. I know it's only been twenty-four hours, but how are you?"

Tears began to fall from her eyes in earnest. "Carly, I feel just awful! My back is killing me and I have this overwhelming fear that something is going to happen to my baby, and Jason won't even come to see me."

"Jason hasn't been here to see you?" Carly asked incredulously. Carly couldn't understand what possible reason Jason had for staying away. It showed a lack of concern for both the woman who she knew that he loved, and also the baby that she carried.

"Sonny said he didn't want to see me because he was afraid of hurting me. But why can't he understand that he's hurting me by abandoning me?"

"I don't know, Courtney," Carly said sitting on the bed next to her and wrapping her arms around her for a loose hug, sensitive to the fact that Courtney had been shot in the shoulder. "I know Jason, and I know Jason wants to protect you but he wouldn't deliberately hurt you."

"Well, he is hurting me, whether it's deliberate or not." Courtney pulled away from Carly's embrace. She folded her hands into her lap and looked at them. "It hurts me so much that he doesn't want to be with me anymore. Whether it's because he wants to protect me, or he just doesn't love me anymore..."

"You don't believe that! I saw the way Jason looked at you. Even after he broke up with you I could tell that he was totally heartbroken. He loves you, Courtney."

"I just can't believe it anymore. I keep hoping that any moment I'll hear his footsteps walking down the hallway, or hear his voice, or see his face, but I never do. He's gone, and I just have to accept that he's gone for good. Just like he said he would be."

"Courtney--"

"No, Carly. I know it. If he loved me at all he'd be here. And even if he didn't love me, if he loved this baby at all he'd be here." Courtney placed her hands on her stomach. She couldn't express the heartache that she felt or the sadness because Jason didn't want their baby.

Carly closed her eyes. "I haven't spoken to Jason. I haven't seen him in days." It had been the longest time that she and Jason hadn't spoken since he'd come back to Port Charles. Carly just hadn't wanted to see anyone that reminded her of Sonny, which was the reason why she had put off visiting Courtney. She opened her eyes again before speaking. "I have no idea where he is, but I will find out, and when I do, I'm going to chew him out for the way he's been treating you."

"No, Carly! Don't! Please," Courtney begged, staring Carly straight in the eyes. "Don't do that for me. It's Jason's decision not to be with me and I don't want you to force his hand. I couldn't bear it if he came back only because he felt guilty, but not because he wanted to." Courtney shook her head to plead with her.

"All right, I won't. But only because you asked me to."

"Thanks," Courtney replied. "It means a lot to me." Courtney sighed and then slowly lowered herself back down onto the bed.

Carly nodded, but she wasn't sure that she was doing the right thing. She could tell how much Courtney was hurting, and she knew the only one who could dispel that pain was Jason.

Carly noticed that Courtney's face seemed flushed and she was frowning. "Courtney are you sure you're all right? Should I call the nurse?"

Courtney began to shake her head no, but then she worried about the baby. She didn't think anything was wrong but she didn't feel right either. She hadn't felt like herself in weeks.

Carly pushed the call button and a nurse came in. "Is there something wrong?"

"I don't know," Courtney responded. "Could you please get Dr. Meadows?"

"Is it the baby? Do you feel any cramping?" the nurse asked.

"No. Yes!" Courtney shouted when she felt a sharp pain in her abdomen. "Something's not right!"

Courtney looked up at Carly with complete fear written all over her face. Carly felt her own stomach cramp, remembering the fear and helplessness she felt when she had miscarried. She took Courtney's hand. "Nothing's going to happen to your baby."

"Please, Carly, please let it be so!" a frightened Courtney responded clutching Carly's hand tightly, as the nurse called Dr. Meadows.

~*~

They had taken him to jail. They had locked him up. Jason had been in jail plenty of times before, but never had it been so nerve-racking. All he could think about was Courtney. He kept seeing visions of her bleeding in his arms.

After the doctors had checked him out, Jason had tried to see Courtney, but they wouldn't let him near her. Then Taggert arrested him and sent him to jail. He hadn't even gotten a chance to talk to Sonny.

48 hours he spent in that tiny jail cell. Praying that Courtney lived. Not wanting to hope that the baby had survived also because he knew what kind of trauma a gunshot could cause.

The hope was there nonetheless. He tried to imagine how differently he would have behaved if he had known that Courtney was pregnant. How he never would have left her. How she wouldn't have been kidnapped, and then on the docks as a target to a shooter. He would have stayed with her, and loved her, and never let her out of his sight. He would have made sure that she ate three meals everyday because he knew she like to skip meals if she got too busy. And if she got sick he would sit with her in the bathroom and wipe her face, and then just hold her and tell her how happy he was that she was carrying his baby because he didn't realize until he found out that he could lose that child just how much he wanted one of his own. He already loved that baby and it just killed him that he might have already lost it.

Then suddenly, after long days and nights of torture, he was released. He didn't ask any questions, he just hopped on his bike and flew to the hospital. He practically ran to the nurses’ station and once he found out what room she was in he ran there too. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Ric.

"She doesn't want to see you," Ric told him immediately, stopping his advance.

"Then she's all right?" Jason whispered, and said a little prayer of thanksgiving softly to himself.

"She's doing as well as can be expected, considering the circumstances."

"What circumstances?" Jason asked feeling a knot forming deep in his belly.

"Well, let's see...because of you she was kidnapped and shot. You know, she's very lucky to be alive," Ric stated pointedly.

"I know." Jason took a deep breath, then let it out. "What about...the baby?" Jason asked, afraid to hear the answer, dreading what it most probably would be.

"The doctors did everything they could...but eventually nature took its course," Ric stated simply.

The words hit him like a ton of bricks. Jason reached out to grab onto the wall for the support after hearing the devastating news. Eventually nature took its course... Jason felt the knot squeeze tighter until he could hardly breath with the pain. His one chance at happiness--of having a family--was gone. "You mean...the baby...didn't make it? Is that why she doesn't want to see me anymore? Because she blames me for our baby dying?"

"How could you blame her if she did?"

Jason knew he couldn't. He couldn't stop blaming himself. His baby was dead. Their child was lost. A life had been snuffed out even before it was born.

Ric saw the emotion on Jason's face. It struck him because it was so raw. He even began to doubt the sagacity of keeping Jason away from Courtney as per Sonny's orders because it was obvious that Jason loved Courtney deeply. But even the intensely pained exterior did not make him forget that Jason was Sonny's hit man and Courtney would be a lot safer without him, and that was the bottom line.

"I just want to talk to her."

"She doesn't want to talk to you, Jason. She's dealing with a major loss right now and I think it would be best if you just let her be."

"But maybe I can help her. It was my baby, too! She isn't the only one who lost that child! I deserve the right to comfort her and expect her comfort in return! I'm going to see her!" Jason said with determination. He took a step towards Ric when he saw him signal behind him. That's when Jason saw Max and Giovanni, who had been sitting in chairs guarding Courtney's room.

Max spoke first. "We have been given orders not to let you in."

"What are you going to do if I refuse? Throw me out?"

"We hope it doesn't have to come to that, Jason," Giovanni chimed in.

Jason looked at them both and then at Ric who was looking at him with a smug half-smile on his face. Jason felt like punching his face in, but didn't want to start anything outside of Courtney's room.

He felt defeated. His child was dead. Courtney blamed him. Her brother didn't want him to see her anymore and had even posted guards to make sure he never did. And what good could he have done if he went in to see her? Would he just remind her of what they almost had, but he had been unable to protect? Jason knew it was a lost cause so he just turned around and slumped away.

Max and Giovanni let out a collective sighs of relief that neither of them realized they had been holding.

Ric left them standing there and went into Courtney’s room where he found her stirring.

“I thought I heard Jason’s voice…” she told him quietly.

“It must have been a dream. You should go back to sleep. You need the rest.” He stroked her hair and watched her until he could tell by the even rise and fall of her chest that she was asleep again.

~*~

“Jason.”

Jason didn’t say a word as he brushed past Sonny into the penthouse.

“I’m glad to see you out of jail. I knew Ric would have you out in no time.” Sonny’s initial anger at Jason had dissipated once he realized that his sister was going to be all right. And with knowing that she was okay, and that Jason would now do everything he asked out of guilt, Sonny could forgive Jason.

Jason stopped, and then turned around to face Sonny. He didn’t even seem to notice that Sonny wasn’t mad at him anymore. It didn’t even process with him that Sonny could have a good reason to be mad at him and want him dead. “I’m leaving.”

“I thought you might leave.”

“You were right,” Jason told him brokenly. “I’m dangerous for Courtney, and it took her--our--” Jason choked on the words. Jason didn’t continue.

Sonny saw the pain in Jason’s features, but knew that Jason wasn’t one to talk about his emotions. “I think it’s for the best. And I think the timing is right as well. You are still in danger of going down for Fowler’s death, so I think it’s best if you get out of town. I’ll get someone else to take care of Faith.”

“If anyone should eliminate her it should be me,” Jason replied in a soft and angry voice.

“No. It’s too personal. I have something else I need you to do.”

“I’ll get on it right away,” Jason replied without looking up.

“Good. I need you to go to Columbia. Your contact is Manuel Calavera. He will give you the details.”

With that Jason left.

After Jason left, Sonny went to the wet bar and poured himself a drink. He felt confident that his plan had worked. Jason would now do anything that he wanted him to do, and his sister was safe. All he had to do was make sure that Jason stayed away until after the baby was born. Then he could send Courtney away and Jason could return. In the mean time, while Jason was gone, he would give Ric a chance to prove himself a reliable and good worker. The only part about his plan that saddened him was that he knew that his sister was hurting. That’s why Sonny vowed that he would take care of her and never let another bad thing happen to her.

And the only person who could feel the void in his heart--Carly--had left him. And he couldn’t blame her if she never returned.