Chapter Twelve: The Verdict is in

They arrived at Kelly’s a short time later. She stopped right before the door and turned to look at him. She gave him a small smile. “Thanks… for walking me.” She stated shyly.

He nodded. There was a moment of silence as each fought with what to do next. Finally Courtney broke the silence. “I better go inside… I don’t want to be late.” She turned to leave when he reached out and grabbed her hand.

“Courtney…” He stopped when she turned and their eyes locked. “Is everything okay?”

She stood there for a moment not sure of how to answer. She really wasn’t sure if they were okay… Looking into his eyes she smiled getting lost in him for just a moment and like a flash of lightening it dawned on her… They were okay. He was her man, her first love, and the man that she wanted to love forever. He was the man that would always be there for her and be the one for her. Reaching out she touched his chest. “Yes.” She whispered feeling the overwhelming intensity of being so in love with him. It was scary.

He nodded seeing that she was telling the truth. “I should go.” He said not letting go of her hand.

She smiled as she walked closer to him and stepped into his personal space. They stood there for a second hovering above a potential kiss until Jason leaned in and placed his lips on hers. His hands instinctively went to her cheeks and cupped them intimately bringing her closer to him. She breathed his air and loved every minute of it. Finally they broke apart and their foreheads rested against the other. They stood there in the morning sunshine waiting for their heartbeats to return to normal. Her hands clutched his waist as his still held her cheeks. The love between them was so strong that it was practically physical. She stepped back after a second and smiled. “I really have to get to work.” She replied.

He nodded understanding and letting go of her hand. “Okay.” He whispered staring into her as if he could read her soul.

She smiled feeling so naked around him and loving it. She turned and went inside neither of them aware of the trouble that was ahead of them. He smiled, as he watched her leave. He had her back and everything else just wasn’t that important. As long as they were together nothing could stop them he wouldn’t let it.

The Courthouse…

The courtroom was in a general buzz as A.J. waltzed through the double doors and took his place behind the defendant’s table. He looked over at Miss Davis, his attorney and smiled. No one would ever be the same after this case was over with... he would make sure of it. He turned to watch as Jason, Sonny and Carly came in a moment later and took a seat on the prosecution’s side of the courtroom. Carly rolled her eyes as Sonny simply sighed saying nothing. It was Jason that he watched closely. His younger brother said nothing, just watched him intensely with those ice blue eyes that he had. A.J. winked and smirked at him as he waved enthusiastically. It was Alexis who grabbed his hand and shoved down by his side.

“Listen to me… You would do yourself a greater service if you didn’t make a spectacle of yourself in an open courtroom!” She snapped. She couldn’t believe that she had taken this case. She didn’t even see the point. A.J. had refused to plead anything but guilty but insisted that she be there. The only reason why she agreed was because Jax had asked her to on behalf of his wife, Skye. She had no love for the redhead but she did love the blond. He was her best friend and the only ally she had lately when it came to protecting her daughter from Sonny and now Ned as well. She had stress from all sides and it wasn’t getting any better, now with this case.

A.J. sighed and straightened his tie. If she only knew how great of a service he would do for himself by the time this was all over. He had no intention of going to prison or anywhere near that place in the future or ever for that matter. He had an ace up his sleeve that no one knew about and he was going to play it for all it was worth and he would come out looking like the hero that he was… and everyone would see it… including Courtney.

They watched as the bailiff came in and announced the judge. Once seated they waited as the proceedings began.

“Allan Quartermaine Jr. please stand up.” The judge ordered.

A.J. did as he was told and cleared his throat absently. “You have been brought up on charges for the murder of Luis Alcazar. How do you plead?”

There was a moment of silence as everyone waited with baited breath for his answer because the truth was, no one expected A.J. to plead guilty. He wasn’t the kind. He never owned up to anything that he did nor did he take the blame for his actions. He was a weasel and a liar and a manipulator. He wasn’t a man. He knew that’s what everyone thought of him and he would be damned if they would be proven right. Exhaling deeply he opened his mouth and answered. “Guilty, your honor! I plead guilty!”

There was a general outbreak from all sides as his response echoed throughout the courtroom. His words reverberated over and over in everyone’s ears, as he pleaded guilty to the murder. He didn’t even flinch as he heard his sister call out to him. He didn’t blink as he heard the gavel slam down onto the judge’s wooden desk. He just stood there soaking in the impact of his words and the reaction everyone was having to him finally being what no one thought he could be… a responsible man!

He looked over at Scott Baldwin and saw his triumphant smirk as he believed that he had just solved the case and would get the stardom that he so desperately craved. Then he heard the double doors open. He watched as the tall lanky man walked through and didn’t even halt as he made his way to the bench. Pulling out a sheet of paper he handed it to the judge and waited. A.J. watched with a silent smirk of his own, as the judge’s face faltered for a moment and then recovered with quick grace but A.J. knew what had just taken place. He knew what the judge was reading and he knew that everyone was in for one hell of a shock. He watched the judge hand back the sheet of paper and saw the thin man walk right out.

“In light of this new evidence, I must overturn Allan Quartermaine’s plea and declare him not guilty of all charges in this case.”

“You have got to be kidding me!” Carly’s outburst could be heard clearly throughout the courtroom right before her voice just simply began to blend in with everyone else’s. He watched as the judge slammed his gavel once again to regain order and sighed, as the room grew quiet. There was definitely silence but the tension and energy in the room had changed.

“Your Honor you can’t do this! As the District Attorney I have a right to know what’s going on here! This man just pleaded guilty in an open courtroom!” Scott remarked frustrated.

“ Mr. Baldwin this is my courtroom and I will tell you what I have the right to do and what you have the right to know. If you do not like that I am sure that I can think of a few ways in which to remind you and get you thoroughly acquainted with all of them, now sit down! A.J. Quartermaine Jr. you are here pardoned and cleared of all charges. This court is adjourned!” With that the judge exited his courtroom and didn’t bother to look back.

A.J. simply smirked as he watched Scott Baldwin slam his papers into his briefcase and pack up his things in disgust. “Did you know anything about this?” Alexis asked him quietly. There was an edge in her voice that didn’t go unnoticed by him either. She didn’t like to be in the dark nor did she like surprises when it came to the law. This was her job not a theater production!

A.J. sighed. “Does it matter?”

“For further notice, if you want to play tricks and run a circus in a courtroom don’t ask me to be your lawyer.”

“What is the problem? You should be thanking me! I just gained you a success that you can’t even imagine and you didn’t have to lift a finger and do anything! This is the easiest case and by far the one that people will talk about for years to come. Maybe you should be a little more grateful to me!” He shot back with an edge of his own. Taking a stand his straightened his tie and grabbed his overcoat from off the back of his chair and made his way for the exit. Scott Baldwin stopped him however in mid-stride.

“You must think that you are some piece of work huh? You just murder someone and plead guilty and now you’re going to walk clear of the entire thing! I will be damned!”

“It seems that you are.”

“What is that suppose to mean?”

“Whatever you want it to. I am not on trial nor am I being arrested for anything so guess what? I don’t have to answer to you! You, Scott Baldwin can’t touch me and that must just burn you up inside! I mean here you were on the verge of being known as the best and most renown District Attorney of Port Charles and now… you’re just a joke! After months of going after Jason and Sonny, trying to get them convicted only to have Felicia and Mac Scorpio find me out right under your nose. And then having me arrested only to have me walk, right after an open confessing plea! You couldn’t look more the fool! Tell me, how does it feel?” He taunted with a laugh. He rolled his eyes and walked passed him not bothering to look back.

Before he could make it to the doors once again he was stopped, this time by Carly. “I bet it feels pretty good to get away with murder huh? You probably feel on top of the world! You try and get Sonny and Jason convicted and then because you can’t keep yourself out of the bottle you confess and get yourself arrested and then just when you’re about to pay for it, you do something else to weasel out of it!”

A.J. simply smiled. “Now what makes you think that me confessing was an accident? I mean come on Carly you know me better then that! I don’t make mistakes when it comes to my own neck. I cleared Jason because he didn’t do it! I saved my brother and was willing to pay for it.”

“Because you were guilty!”

He shrugged. “I was guilty of killing a man that deserved to die and we both know that he did. I mean look at what he did to those around us. There isn’t a person in this room whose life he didn’t try and destroy. He went after Courtney and shot her. He kidnapped Brenda and threatened to kill Sonny and Jason. He was a menace Carly. He got what he deserved. I mean let’s be honest. If I didn’t do it I think we are both in agreement that Jason would have.”

She nodded. “Yeah maybe, but he wouldn’t have been so idiotic or vindictive to let someone take the fall for him. They wouldn’t even have known it was you unless you had gotten drunk in a bar one night and confessed! That’s the only reason why you were willing to admit to what you did!”

“I was drunk…”

“What else is new?” She interjected sarcastically.

“We both know that confession wouldn’t have stood up in court and the only thing it did was make me a suspect. They couldn’t prove that I killed Luis unless I made a confession of my own freewill, while being sober… and I did. I did it because it was the right thing to do.” He stated patronizingly. “I am a changed man, Carly. I did the right thing for everyone. Now is it my fault that I was justified and someone out there obviously thought so and pulled some strings for me.” He said with a smirk.

“You must feel really good right now. You just got away with murder after trying to get Jason hanged for it. I bet you think that you’re above the law.”

He took in a deep breath as if savoring the free air sarcastically. “Yeah you know it does feel good. This must be what your husband and my brother feel like. I mean you guys commit crimes all the time and never have to pay for it. I’m just feeling what you guys feel.”

She smiled sarcastically. “That’s fine. Just don’t get used to it! It won’t last because you know what A.J.? You’re a screw-up! You’re a mistake waiting to happen. And yeah maybe you got away with something this time and are walking away scot-free but you’ll make a mistake somewhere down the line and who knows, maybe you won’t be so lucky!”

“Or maybe I won’t need a next time! Maybe this is my time, and if that’s so; what are you going to do about it?” He asked rhetorically.

She shook her head and raised her hand to slap him when Sonny grabbed her and stopped her. “Carly, stop!”

“Why? He deserves it! He put this family through hell, especially Jason. Jason had to abandon his life and Courtney because of this weasel! I want him to go to hell where he belongs!”

“Isn’t that the pot calling the kettle black?” He asked with a smirk.

“Shut-up!” Sonny ordered not in the mood for A.J.

A.J. simply shrugged. “I didn’t come up to you and start talking. I was on my way out!”

“Then get out.” Jason interjected walking up to his best friends.

A.J. turned to him and rolled his eyes. “What? Don’t you want to congratulate me? I mean Alcazar got what he deserved and neither one of us had to pay for it! I even cleared you of all charges and took the wrap! I put myself on the line for you… brother!” A.J. remarked sarcastically. “Don’t you want to thank me?”

“We are not brothers… and we will never be anything alike. You got off so why don’t you get out!”

A.J. shook his head and sighed. “You are unbelievable. I just got you off and happened to get myself cleared. You just can’t stand the fact that I did something right. I came off as the hero and it just burns you up inside doesn’t it? I mean there seem to be two heroes in town. Seems like you have a little competition.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Courtney may not think you’re so untouchable now. She may just see how I helped you when Sonny and everyone else were at a loss. I cleared you when you couldn’t clear yourself!”

“Stay away from Courtney! Don’t bother her. Don’t talk to her. Don’t be around her at all. She is not your concern and she doesn’t want to be with you anymore. You lied to her and stalked her. You were going to take her away from her family just so she could depend on you and only you. You are a sick person and Courtney won’t ever be with you again!”

A.J. stood there burning with anger of his own as Jason got to him. “Or maybe… I’ll just get my family back.” He retorted and then walked out.

Jason turned back to Sonny and Carly and sighed, realizing that they most certainly had a new problem on their hands.

Chapter Thirteen: Subtle Manipulations

Courtney sighed as she finished wiping down the counter. She wasn’t really paying attention though. She had her appointment with her counselor in a few hours but even that had slipped her mind as she listened to the news report over the radio about how A.J. was released from his guilty plea in open court. She almost couldn’t believe it but then again it made perfect sense. A.J. in prison was as likely as, Jason going legit. It just wasn’t going to happen. It wasn’t meant to be. As much as she wanted Jason safe she knew that his life belonged beside Sonny’s and her brother’s life was on the wrong side of the law. She just had to accept it if she were going to be apart of it.

Rubbing her forehead she sighed feeling the oncoming headache. Grabbing a seat on a stool she was glad that they had slowed down now that the lunch rush had gone away. She let her head, rest in her hands as her elbows rested on the counter. She felt the comforting hand on her back as she looked up and smiled at Bobbie. “Sorry. I was just taking a breather.”

“I understand. I know exactly how you feel. I was a waitress once too you know… Besides I heard the news report about A.J. Are you okay?”

“I don’t know. I guess it didn’t come as a shock because I never expected him to go to prison. I guess I always believed that he had something up his sleeve and I was right.” She stated practically.

“Well, you know at least Jason is home. That should make you feel better. You guys are all right, right?” She asked sitting beside her neither of them noticing Elizabeth who had walked in.

“Yeah… Jason and I are great. You know I wasn’t too sure of us when he first got back but now… I don’t know how to explain it… I just love him and when you love someone I guess anything is possible.”

“That’s usually how it works.” Bobbie said softly admiring their love.

“You know he came to see me last night and it was just like no time had passed at all.”

“So does this mean I should expect a wedding day soon?” Bobbie hinted.

Before Courtney could answer Elizabeth cleared her throat making it known that she was in the room. Courtney sighed and didn’t reply not sure of how it would effect her friend to know that Jason and her were back together. They had somehow bridged the gap that had come between them when Elizabeth first found out about her and Jason over Christmas… Then again Jason had left town. Now with him back it was a different story. She didn’t want to hurt Elizabeth but she couldn’t hide her relationship with Jason. It was just that simple.

“Hey you guys… have you heard about A.J.?” She asked going behind the counter and grabbing her apron.

“Yeah… we just heard. We were just talking about it. Which reminds me, I better call my daughter and make sure she hasn’t done something crazy like firing in open court at the man.” She said leaving them to make a call.

Courtney raised her eyebrows in question. “What is she talking about?”

“You don’t want to know… So are you sure that you’re okay?” She asked.

“Yeah… I’ll be fine. It’s not as shocking to me as I thought it might be. I always knew that A.J. was up to something. I just didn’t know what it was.” She said softly with a sigh.

Elizabeth nodded absently trying to think of the best way to approach this topic. “Yeah well you know you’re away from him now. I mean you have started a whole new life. You’re starting school and you have your own place. You’re a different person now Courtney. Your old life is behind you. Your old life is over. I feel sorry for him if he thinks that you are who you used to be. I mean anything else would be a step back and that’s not you… right? You’re a stronger person now, you don’t want to go back to who you used to be do you?” She asked knowing that she was planting the little doubts in her head.

Courtney sat there thinking her words over. She was a stronger person now. She wasn’t the same girl that Jason left standing in the rain. She went through hell and came out of it on the other side. She was okay. She was better then okay. She was an independent person with her own life. She couldn’t be that same girl she was before. She sighed. “Right. I am a new person. I am a better person now.” She smiled absently.

Elizabeth smiled knowing that she had done her job. Jason and Courtney were over and it was better for both of them if they had stayed that way. She didn’t think that they belonged together. Jason and her never got their chance and maybe now they could. She just had to show him that she had changed.

Bobbie came back a moment later. “Hey Courtney could you do me a favor and take this order down the street? You can leave for your counselor meeting from there if you like.”

“Okay Bobbie. I’ll do that.” She said standing up and grabbing the food off the counter.

“It’s a regular, so don’t worry about the check… I just put it on her tab. She’s been ordering from us for years. Be careful okay?”

“Okay… see you guys later.”

“Bye Courtney.” Elizabeth called out to her sweetly.

A little while later…

Jason came into Kelly’s looking for Courtney. He didn’t like the fact that A.J. was out walking the streets and knew that it was just a matter of time before he showed up and began bothering Courtney and he wouldn’t let him. He sighed when he saw Elizabeth working behind the counter cutting a slice of chocolate cake for a customer. He grabbed a seat and smiled absently at her when she waved at him.

Once she was done she came to stand in front of him behind the counter and put her hands on her hips. “Hey Jason… glad to see that you’re back in town.”

He nodded. “Good to be back… Have you seen Courtney?” He asked.

She shook her head. “Yeah. She left a little while ago.”

“Do you know where?”

“Yeah she was all excited… she has an appointment with her college counselor to get her classes. She couldn’t stop talking about it. I mean that’s all she’s been talking about. She’s so happy now. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her this happy.” She knew that Jason could always tell when she was lying so that’s why she stayed clear of the reason why Courtney was so happy. She knew that it was because of Jason but she could always make him believe that it was because of something else without actually coming out and saying anything about him.

He nodded. Was she really happy without him? Maybe letting her go and leaving her behind was for the best. Maybe she didn’t want to be with him. Maybe she needed to be on her own and live her own life. He sighed as he stood up. “Thanks.” He replied about to leave.

“Hey… do you want a cup of coffee?”

He shook his head. “No… that’s okay.” He said softly leaving her there.

Chapter Fourteen: Airing the Truth

She sighed as she made her way to her door. Jason was standing outside the door for her pacing back and forth. She smiled when she saw him glad that he was there. She had wanted to meet him after work but she had left early. “Hey there.” She said softly. He looked up and smiled unable to help himself loving the sight of her. “Are you posting outside my door now?” She asked jokingly walking into his arms.

He hugged her close as he laughed slightly at her joke. He took in a deep breath at the feel of her in his arms. He felt her heartbeat as she held onto him. She noticed how tight he held her in his arms and she furrowed her brow. “Jason are you okay?”

He sighed. “Yeah… I just… I missed you today that’s all.” He pulled back a little to look into her eyes. He brushed a few strands of hair from her face. “We should go inside.” He said softly.

She nodded and opened the door for them. He closed the door and she turned to look at him. “Are you sure that’s all it is? You know I heard about A.J. and the verdict is that what you’re concerned about?” She asked truly concerned.

He shook his head negatively. “No it’s not that.” He stood there for a moment taking in the sight of her and realized that they had never truly talked about what had happened in the time that he had been gone. He sighed and rubbed his forehead before he dived right in. “I think that we should talk… about everything.” He said.

She saw the look in his eye and knew what he meant. She wasn’t sure if she really wanted to do this. They seemed so happy at this moment. She just wanted to hold onto it for a little longer. “Can’t it wait?” She asked trying to avoid the unavoidable.

He shook his head and took a seat on the couch. “No… we really need to talk about what happened that night… the night that I left.”

“Why? It’s over with. You left, you came back and now we’re together. There’s nothing to talk about.” She said walking around the couch.

He shook his head. “That’s not all. There are things that you need to hear…” He began but she cut him off.

“Like what? I mean I know that you did what you thought you had to do. I get that. I understand.” She said trying to brush the topic underneath the rug. She was afraid where this conversation would lead. She didn’t want to lose him again and she was afraid of that happening once again.

He could hear the fear in her voice and he needed to ease it and make it go away. They wouldn’t make it another day if he couldn’t erase the fear that he had created. He didn’t want to make the same mistake as Sonny and brush the pain underneath some invisible rug like dust. “I know that you think that you understand… but you don’t. There are things that I need to tell you so that you can really understand what happened that night… we need to talk about it. I need to explain it to you…” He replied looking over his shoulder at her as she stood stationary behind the couch playing with her fingers. “Please come and sit with me.” He requested pleading with his eyes silently. She knew that look well and she couldn’t refuse. Besides she knew that he was right. They needed to talk. Sighing deeply she came around and grabbed a seat next to him.

He stared at her for a moment before slowly reaching out and taking her hands. “I need to tell you what happened that night… I know that you think you know, but you don’t.” He sighed deeply thinking back on the hardest decision that he ever had to make and felt his heartbeat falter and skip a beat as the nervousness crept into him. He stared at her hands unable to look at her as he began. “I didn’t plan on leaving you. I had every intention of taking you with me that night. I was… on my way to get you and I was thinking. I was thinking about everything that had happened to us since that first day in Kelly’s. I thought back to the conversations we had in your house… or at Kelly’s and at my penthouse. You are such a strong person and I sometimes forget that as strong as you are… you’re not apart of my business.”

“Jason…” She began but he stopped her.

“No… wait. I need you to hear me on this.” He sighed deeply before continuing. “You are a very strong person and I look at you and admire your strength but you’re not apart of what I do. I went to that hotel room with every intention of killing Luis Alcazar.” He looked up to see her reaction but she was simply sitting there listening to him not surprised. He didn’t know why he thought she should be; she understood what he did. She knew what he did. “The point is that, that was my choice and everything that happened after that, with the witness and A.J. was my responsibility and my consequence to deal with… it was never meant to be yours, and it never should have to be… So anyway I was sitting in the limo on my way to get you and I realized that I was being selfish. I had a problem in my life with my work and I was making you pay for it with me and it wasn’t fair. You should never have to uproot your life because of the work that I do. I never want that to touch you and I couldn’t live with myself if something ever happened to you because of it. I couldn’t stand to have you hurt because of it. That’s why I didn’t come for you and that’s why I sent Brenda with the message that I sent. I didn’t want you to wait for me… especially if something happened to me. I wanted you to live your life, because you deserve to have a life.” He finished quietly.

She nodded silently feeling his fingers playing absently with her own. She sighed deeply and looked up at him and saw that he was still staring at her hands. She sighed deeply. “So you went away… to protect me? You were trying to take care of me?” She asked.

He nodded. “Yeah. I never meant to hurt you… And I never wanted to leave you. I was trying to give you what you deserve.”

She exhaled deeply. “Jason… I want you to understand that I don’t need you to protect me or to take care of me… I just need you… You say that I deserve a life well you are my life. I don’t have a life if you’re not in it. Everything that I’ve done since you’ve been gone was just me filling time; I wasn’t living, because I don’t know how to live without you.” She whispered feeling the tears come to her eyes.

He looked up and sighed. “But you do have a life. You’re starting school and you have your own place. You’ve made a life for yourself without me in it. I’m not upset about that. I’m happy for you. This is what you deserve.”

“This is what I deserve? I deserve a life where I can’t be with the man that I love? I deserve a life where I have no idea where you are or whether or not you’re okay? Do you have any idea how many arguments Sonny and I got into because he refused to tell me where you were and send me to you? Jason I have this place because I couldn’t stay in the penthouse without you. I decided to take classes at PCU because I couldn’t put in any more time at Kelly’s. I was working so much overtime Bobbie was afraid that I was going to buy her or Luke out as owners. Every move that I have made has been because of you.” She wiped at her tears absently and took in a deep breath to get her emotions back under control. “You know I will admit that I like where my life is right now. I like the fact that I am starting school and that I have a place to call my own… but I also loved my life with you and now that you’re back, I want my life to be with you again.” She said softly but convincingly.

He looked up into her crystal blue eyes feeling his heart pound in his chest at her words. He was so afraid that he would have to let her go and be the noble Jason that he was known for. He didn’t know if he would have been able to do it though. He reached out and stroked her cheek. “I want my life to be with you too.” He whispered. Pulling her head slightly and gently their lips met in a sweet kiss. She sighed into his mouth as he brought his other hand up to cup her cheeks within his palms. He loved this woman so much that sometimes he didn’t know what to do with himself. When they pulled apart he rested his forehead against hers and took in a deep breath. “I meant to say this when I first saw you but I didn’t get the chance.”

“What?” She asked breathlessly.

“Just that, I missed you. I missed you and I love you so much.” He stated honestly speaking from his heart.

She nodded and smiled broadly showing off her pearly whites. “I missed you too and I love you. I can’t help myself with you.” She moved in to kiss him when there was a knock at the door. She bowed her head as he sighed into her hair.

“Maybe if we’re really quiet whomever it is will think that you’re not here and go away.” He mumbled into her blonde tresses.

She sighed and waited until the knocking came again. “Courtney, I know that you’re in there. You think that just because Jason is back that you can avoid the world…well you can’t! You have responsibilities that can’t be ignored, so open up this door and let me in!” Brenda shouted on the other side.

Jason groaned. “Someone should get her a muzzle for that mouth of hers.” He stated only half-jokingly.

She laughed softly. “Be nice… Brenda’s really great once you get pass the whining and the self-absorbed exterior. Besides she’s my friend and that’s because of you.” She replied.

“Yeah can you tell me how that happened?” He asked.

“Well, to make a long story short… she thought that it was her duty to you to ‘protect me’ and keep tabs on me while you were gone. She practically appointed herself my own personal bodyguard after you left.” She said getting up to get the door.

“Brenda protected you? That must have been a sight!”

“You’re telling me. You should have been around for the catfights between her and Carly. Brenda refused to stop coming around to look out for me because you know how stubborn Brenda can be, and there Carly was claiming that all she was trying to do was break-up her marriage to Sonny. I’m surprised I had time to do anything while trying to run interference between those two.” She said with a smirk.

“Yeah well Brenda can be a pain.”

“Yeah especially when she’s trying to be loyal.” She said opening the door. Brenda waltzed right in like she owned the place much like Carly did with Jason. She looked around at the place and then turned her eyes on Jason and gave him a knowing smile.

“I hope that I didn’t interrupt anything.”

Jason shook his head while Courtney just simply rolled her eyes knowing that was a completely empty statement. “What do you want Brenda?” Jason asked tiredly. All he wanted was to spend time with Courtney. He had a lot of lost time to make up for and he didn’t want to share her at the moment.

“You’re back for one day and already you’re asking questions and interrogating Courtney’s friends.” She remarked sarcastically.

He shook his head once again. “No one is interrogating you. I just asked you a questioned.” He defended.

“Yeah in that tone!”

“What tone?”

“THAT tone!” She mimicked him.

Courtney rubbed her forehead tiredly. “Okay glad to see you Brenda. What can I do for you?” She asked not in the mood for another battle.

Brenda made a face at Jason before turning her back on him and facing Courtney. “Hey… I just wanted to make sure that we were still on for this weekend.” She said.

Courtney nodded knowing that Brenda was just looking for an excuse to come over and see her and what she was doing. “Yes…” She said softly able to read Brenda from a mile away.

“Well, then good.” She exhaled deeply as she looked back at Jason. “So… what are you two up to?” She asked.

Jason simply stared at her as if she were from another planet. Courtney interjected. “Nothing really. I was just going to stay at home and relax maybe rent a movie… How about you Jason?” She asked.

He sighed looking over at her. “I don’t have any definite plans… but a movie sounds good.” He stated.

“A movie? That sounds nice…” She said absently.

Courtney saw what she was waiting for and couldn’t turn her back on her. “Would you like to stay and watch a movie with us Brenda?” She asked.

“Well I don’t want to impose.” Brenda refuted weakly.

“You wouldn’t be imposing.” Courtney reassured her trying to ignore Jason’s obvious disappointment of having to share her with anyone.

“Well… If you insist!” She said excitedly shedding her Jean jacket and grabbing a seat on the couch. She settled herself in and began listing off movies that she thought would be good for them to see.

Jason looked over at her and then back at Courtney who simply shook her head as a response. He wanted to be upset but this was the reason why he loved her. She was always considerate and giving and caring. She put others happiness in front of her own… he smiled looking at her with love in his eyes and saw her blush under his open stare. The moment was broken as Brenda continued with her list.

“You know ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding’ is really funny. Courtney and I have seen that a million times and it only gets better with each time you see it. So you know we could rent that…” She went on not noticing that neither Jason nor Courtney were paying attention.

Chapter Fifteen: The Winds of Change Are Approaching

The night hadn’t gone as bad as either of them had suspected. They watched ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding’ and then turned around and watched some foreign film that Brenda had picked. By the time it was over neither Jason nor Courtney could barely keep their eyes open. Brenda had left some time ago and was now on her way home leaving Jason and Courtney to clean up the mess of ordering out. Courtney was now cuddled close to Jason in the crook of his arm. He sat there drifting in and out of sleep while he absently stroked her hair. Leaning in, he kissed the top of her head and sighed deeply as she snuggled closer to him. She reached out and wrapped her arm around his midsection. “I thought that Brenda would never leave.” She mumbled against his body.

He nodded in agreement. “I know… But she’s gone and we’re alone now.” He whispered.

“Mmm I like the sound of that.”

“Yeah me too.” He replied hugging her body closer to his own.

She sighed. “Do you know that this is the first time that I’ve ever felt so relaxed in months… You know right after you left… I laid in our bed and I just… I couldn’t get comfortable and I thought back to that first night that you slept in my bed… and all I could do was wish for that feeling again, because it felt like…my other half was missing. I just… I wasn’t complete without you.” She whispered.

He nodded and kissed the top of her head again. “I know what you mean. I felt the same way. I would stay the night in a motel or sometimes in a train cargo cart and I wouldn’t sleep… I would just think about you. I would think what you were doing right there in that moment and whether or not you were asleep and if you were, then what were you dreaming about?”

“I didn’t sleep very often and when I did, I dreamed about you and I prayed that you were okay because I didn’t know.”

Jason sighed hating that he had caused her so much pain. “I’m sorry that you were hurt because of me… but I can’t tell you that I would have done it differently because I’m not sure that I would have. I was trying to save you the only way that I knew how.”

She nodded. “I know… I do. It just hurt Jason. I know that you don’t want your life to touch me but it will and it does. It touches me everyday that you walk out to go and do something for Sonny. You are my life and therefore what you do becomes my problem if something goes wrong because it affects us.”

Jason sighed knowing that she was right. “I know.”

She pulled back to look at him. “I need you to promise me something… I need you to promise me that if something like that happens again, that you’ll give me the choice to go with you. You won’t just pack up and leave me without even a good-bye because I need you in my life… And if something is trying to take you away, I want to have the choice of being able to be with you and to help you and fight with you. I love you. So please… promise me.” She pleaded with him.

He sighed. “I want to make that promise to you, but I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“Because… there is more to consider then just what we want. I don’t want to rip you away from your family.”

“You’re not ripping me away, Jason. I am asking you to give me the choice. I want to be able to make the decision. I don’t want it made for me. I’m a big girl I think I can handle it.”

“It’s not like that Courtney. Emotions are in the way and you don’t think clearly. At the time when everything is happening, you’re feeling in the moment, not thinking. I don’t want you to make a decision and then regret it. I don’t want you to resent me for taking you away from your family.”

“Don’t you get anything that I’m telling you? You, Jason, are my family. I love Sonny, and I love Carly, and Michael and my dad… but you are who I want to be with. You, Jason are my home.” She said repeating his earlier words to her.

Jason smiled and reached out to stroke the side of her face. “I know… and I promise you that I will give you the choice.” He said loving her more everyday.

“So what is this about you staying in train cargo carts?” She asked with a curious smile.

Meanwhile across town…

A.J. stood on the docks waiting… A moment later the petite blond walked up and stood beside him. She smirked at him and ran her hands through her hair. “So Mr. Quartermaine, how does it feel to be a free man?”

He didn’t even bother to turn and look at her. “It feels damn good. But it would feel a hell of a lot better if Sonny and Jason were locked up where they belong.” He replied.

She laughed softly. “Don’t worry. Our time is coming. Everyone that Sonny cares about will pay and you’ll get everything that you ever wanted. You’ll get the respect and the honor and the dignity… you may even get the girl.” She whispered.

He sighed. “Not may… I will certainly get the girl.” He smiled unable to help himself. This was his time and he was going to grab it and run with it.

“So when are you going to thank me for getting you off?” She asked suggestively stepping into his personal space and blowing gently in his ear.

He turned to her so now their faces were just inches apart. “I’ll thank you for getting me off… when I’m satisfied.” He replied lowly.

She pulled back with a sarcastic laugh. “Now you have complaints… that’s not being grateful.”

“If you want to see gratitude, then let’s get working on getting what we want. You want Sonny’s territory and I want my wife and my kid back.”

“And we’ll get all that… one way or another. We just need to pull our resources together and we need a scapegoat. Someone who can cause a few problems and not even know that they’re doing it.” She sighed as she let her mind go over the possibilities. “How about Brenda Barrette? She’s known to cause her own set of problems and she’s a woman who always needs something especially when it comes to Sonny.” She said softly.

But A.J. shook his head. “No that ship has sailed, for now anyway. The way to get to Sonny isn’t through Brenda. He’s already somehow managed to curb his desire for her. He’s too stable with Carly, if you can believe that… No, the best way to break down Sonny is through my brother.”

“And the best way to get to your brother is through his little girlfriend.”

“No! We don’t touch Courtney.”

“A little defensive aren’t we?” She taunted.

“I’m not kidding. You go after Courtney and I will not only sever ties with you but I’ll make sure that the Quartermaines come after you as well. Trust me if you think Sonny’s bad wait until you see my Grandfather at work; he has no qualms about fighting dirty, especially when you mess with his family and he loves Jason. He loves him about as much as he loves Lila and Emily and that’s saying a lot and he knows that Jason loves Courtney. Not to mention that her and Brenda have become quite close lately.”

She shrugged. “Well, then he wouldn’t want me going after Corinthos.” She stated.

“You don’t understand. My Grandfather hates Sonny. He hates him because he thinks that Sonny stole Jason away from us and hurt Brenda beyond repair… but Courtney is a different story. He knows how sweet Courtney is and he may insult her and tell her that she’s not good enough to be a Quartermaine but that’s just his way of testing her. He knows how strong she is and he admires that, and even likes her a little. It’s the same with Carly and Alexis; my Grandfather may put you down but he respects strong women who take care of themselves. And if he finds out that you’re going after Courtney, someone who doesn’t have the resources to retaliate then he’ll make those resources available to her and trust me Faith, you won’t stand a chance. He would even throw in with Corinthos himself to take you down.” He replied knowing his grandfather and the lengths he would be willing to go to protect those that he deemed fit to needing protection.

Faith sighed. “Fine! You don’t want to use Brenda or Courtney then what do you suggest? We could go after Carly but she’s a spitfire in her own right and I doubt you want to use your kid. So what do you suggest?”

He thought about it for a moment as if going over all the options in his head. He first thought of Jax and pitting him against Sonny but that didn’t work for a number of reasons. First there was his sister and he feared that Jax might end up dead or worst going against Sonny and he didn’t want Skye caught in the middle of that. He knew that his sister was deeply in love with the Australian native and he didn’t want to hurt her. Not to mention that if Jax got involved then Brenda was surely to step in and that meant his Grandfather wouldn’t be too far behind and he knew he couldn’t take on the old man. Then he thought about Luke, but then thought better of it. Luke Spencer was probably the most dangerous out of all of them. And he was most likely the smartest and the most ruthless. He wasn’t a man to be toyed with unless you thought you had nothing to lose and A.J. wasn’t gunning for a suicide mission and messing with Luke would most certainly be. He sighed running out of options and then it hit him.

“I know exactly who to use… and how to go about it.”

“Well do share Mr. Quartermaine.” She said.

“The best way to get to Sonny is through my brother and other then Courtney the only way to get to my brother is through his other greatest weakness… his need to save the damsel in distress, to protect the helpless girl.”

“I thought that you said we couldn’t use Courtney.”

He rolled his eyes and shook his head. “Courtney isn’t helpless. I told you how strong she is. You see you need someone else who can’t really take care of herself. You need someone who is used to leaning on Jason and calling on him when she’s in trouble. You need someone who can cause a rift in Jason and Courtney’s relationship. In order to break down Sonny is to get Jason distracted long enough so that you can move in on Sonny. And the best distraction is Courtney and losing her trust. We make Courtney begin to doubt Jason and he in turn will begin to focus on her and how to fix what’s happening between them and the second he loses focus on his job is when we strike.”

“Well who are we going to get? What girl would call on Jason?” She asked completely lost.

He chuckled softly and shook his head. “You know I’m hungry… are you hungry?” He asked. He only smiled broader when she furrowed her brow with questions. “The food there is great and there is this waitress that I am just dying for you to meet.” He said leading her away towards Kelly’s.

Chapter Sixteen: Trust and Truth

Brenda sighed as she pulled her suitcase down the steps and practically tripped over herself on the way down. She banged the leather case into her knee and bit back a swear word as there came a knock at her door. She rolled her eyes and brushed her straight brown tendrils from her face. Shaking her head and exhaling deeply she opened the door with a forceful tug anger and frustration evident in her eyes. The look quickly faded as she stared at the man on her doorstep. She smiled unable to help herself as Sonny stood before her in one of his finely tailored Italian designer suits.

He saw her hair in slight disarray and smiled unable to help himself. “Packing for the trip huh?” He asked already knowing.

She rolled her eyes at how well he knew her. “Do you want to come in?” She asked stepping aside. He stepped over the threshold into her home and smiled absently at how bright it was... This cozy home with a garden in the back and huge glass windows. This was her home… a place that they always wanted, a place that always eluded them whenever they tried to have it together. Now they both had different homes. Hers was here and his… well his was with Carly and Michael at the penthouse. He sighed as he turned to her as she closed the door. She came down the steps and met him at the sofa. “So what are you doing here… as if I don’t already know.” She remarked.

“What’s that suppose to mean?”

She shrugged absently. “It means that you’re here obviously to make sure that I keep tabs on Courtney.” She stated knowingly.

He sighed and let a small chuckle escape him at how right she was. She laughed back as a response. “I’m right aren’t I?

He shook his head. “I know how protective you are of my sister and I appreciate it.”

She nodded. “I love her. She’s become one of my best friends.”

“Yeah… I know. She’s a good girl and I want to make sure that nothing happens to her, and she seems to think that she can take care of herself.”

“She can.” Brenda interjected.

Sonny sighed. “I know but that still doesn’t mean I want her out there without protection. I know how she is about having bodyguards but I also know that you realize how necessary they are. So you know… just don’t let her get creative while you guys are out of town and think about trying to lose them and whatnot okay?” He sighed knowing how sometimes his family didn’t really understand just how dangerous his enemies were. Brenda nodded understanding all too well. “She uh… well she’s the only sister that I have and well you know she means a lot to me.” He muttered still not comfortable with expressing his feelings.

Brenda smiled seeing how he struggled with his words. He was still so protective of his emotions and his feelings. She knew that he loved Courtney. She knew that he cared about his sister more then he could say. “I promise you that I won’t let anything happen to Courtney while we’re out of town.” She said empathetically. She had watched over Courtney while Jason was away because inside she felt as if she owed him for all the great things that he did for her. Also she felt responsible for whatever heartache Courtney endured because of what she told her about Jason’s leaving. She knew what it felt like to have your heart broken and your trust and faith shattered. She never wanted anyone to feel that way or suffer the way she did. So she made it her personal mission to be there for the blond and somehow Courtney had managed to become someone that she loved like her own sister. They had come to confide in one another and be there for each other, not that the road had been easy. Courtney didn’t lash out at Brenda like she did with Jason but the younger girl did deal with her grief silently… much like Jason. She closed off and hid her pain as though it didn’t matter. She even refused to believe at first. But eventually she came around and just stopped fighting it. And the whole time Brenda had been by her side not letting her go through it alone. It was a hard road to friendship especially with Carly around not trusting Brenda for a second. The fights those two women had been in would surely go down in the books. But somehow even they managed to put their differences aside and do what was best for Courtney. They were still enemies and that would probably never change. Brenda still loved Sonny and still wanted him in her life and Carly was still determined to keep her family together. It was a complicated way of living but they managed.

He nodded. “I know… You know everything that I just said applies to you too right?” He said with a smile.

She shook her head. “Oh please you don’t tell me what to do!” She remarked laughing.

He shrugged absently. “Yeah no one tells Miss Barrette what to do. She’s her own woman and answers to no one.” He remarked semi-sarcastically.

“That’s right. I am in control of my life and the way I live it.” She replied.

“Right… but I still want you to be safe. I lost you to death once and was lucky enough to get you back; I don’t want to tempt fate again.” He whispered in that tone that always made her eyes water.

She smiled. “Don’t worry. I don’t plan on leaving you Sonny.” She replied softly letting the unspoken meaning hang in the air for him to grasp.

He looked up and their eyes locked letting her know that he got the silent words that she didn’t say. He cleared his throat knowing that he should leave before he did something that he couldn’t take back. “Yeah… so you guys are just leaving for the weekend right?” He asked.

She nodded. “Yeah. Just a girl’s weekend together in Virginia you know.” She said with a wide grin.

He shook his head. “So what you guys are going to do the mud baths and those… avocado facial things?” He questioned scrunching up his face at the thought of it.

She laughed outright. “Something like that…” She said. She sighed and grew serious a moment later. “I heard about A.J on the news… is everything okay?”

He sighed. “On the surface it seems that way… but you know how it is. What lies beneath is always waiting; I just have to be patient for it.”

“Do you think that it’s a good time to leave right now?”

“Yeah… I don’t see anything wrong with it. In fact right now is probably the best time to get out of Port Charles. I don’t want Courtney anywhere near A.J. and I don’t want him anywhere near my sister. She’s been through enough with that punk.” He craned his neck from side to side to work out the tension that talking about A.J. always invoked.

“Well you know that Jason isn’t going to let him do anything to hurt her.” She licked her lips and took a moment before asking him the next question knowing that he may not answer. “It’s… it’s not over is it? I mean this is just the beginning of it isn’t it?”

He looked up and stared at her for a moment wondering if he should tell her how right she was. Normally he would just brush it off not wanting to bother her with it. Their biggest problem was always his belief that Brenda just wasn’t strong enough to live in his world. She would always be this woman in his life that he had to protect and shield from the horrors that was his entire existence. But somehow, somewhere along the way of the past seven months or so, she had shown a greater strength that he didn’t know she possessed. Maybe that was something living with Luis taught her or maybe it was the way he hurt her that forced her to become stronger. He wasn’t sure. He exhaled deeply. “It is just beginning and it’ll probably get worst… much worst before it gets better. A.J. is a pain on his own but whomever he’s working with seems to be able to do a lot more harm then I thought.”

She furrowed her brow. “What’s going on?” She asked without thinking.

He shook his head letting her know that he couldn’t get into it. This time it had nothing to do with strength just business. She nodded understanding. “I should go.” He said walking toward the door.

“Sonny…” She called out to him stopping him in his tracks. He turned to her. “Thanks… for being honest with me and trusting to tell me the truth.” She replied.

He nodded. “Don’t pull a muscle hauling those bags out there.” He remarked.

“Yeah I was thinking that maybe you might want to help me with these.” She suggested with a grin.

He shook his head and came back to help her. “You know… I heard that a weekend was only two days… not two weeks.” He joked and she rolled her eyes.

“Yeah, whatever!”

The Loft…

Courtney sighed as she finished packing. Jason watched her with interest, a smile on his face. She was so beautiful and she was his. He rubbed his hands together absently as he came and helped her with her duffel bag. “Are you ready?” He asked picking up the bag and throwing it over his shoulder.

She sighed and brushed a few tendrils of hair from her face. “Yeah… I think that should do it for the weekend.”

He looked over at the bag and smiled. She was the only woman that he had ever encountered that didn’t pack as though they were traveling for seven people. He knew Brenda probably had at least four bags. “So you and Brenda are just going for the weekend right?”

“Yeah.”

He nodded absently. “So she has what… fourteen bags?” He asked jokingly.

She laughed. “No… she’s been doing better lately… twelve is more like it.” She answered with a grin. “So are you going to miss me?”

He hesitated as if he were thinking it over and chuckled when she hit him playfully in the arm. “Yes.” He answered honestly. Reaching out for her hand he pulled her into an embrace and kissed her intimately in the crook of her neck. “I love you.” He whispered in her ear.

She smiled widely blushing a deep red. “I love it when you say that.” She remarked just as softly.

Taking in a deep breath he breathed in her scent as if she were his very air and in a way she was. “Will you be my wife?”

He waited patiently for her answer and felt her hold him tighter within her arms. She rubbed her cheek against his shoulder and he listened to her shaky breath as she inhaled. “…No.” She whispered brokenly…

Chapter Seventeen: Two Paths, One Choice

He pulled back slightly to look into her eyes. He thought that maybe he heard her wrong but when he saw the sad look on her face he knew that he didn’t. “What?”

She swallowed hard and sighed deeply. “I said… no.” She took a step back and reached down to hold his hands in her own.

“You don’t want to marry me anymore?” He asked softly.

“It’s not that I don’t ever want to marry you; I do. But I think, that maybe we should take some time you know?” Sighing deeply she fought with her emotions. “You know the first time that we were together… everything happened so fast. I mean I found out about A.J. and then I moved in with you and before I knew it we were together and then we were engaged; everything just seemed so rushed the first time. I don’t want that to happen again. I just want to take things a little slower this time… a lot slower actually.” She corrected herself.

“I didn’t realize that I was rushing you.” He remarked.

She shook her head. “It’s not you… and it’s not like that. I just want to do things that we didn’t get to do the first time…”

“Like what?”

“Like… date. I want to go on a date with you. I want you to call me and ask me out. I want to ask you out…” She laughed slightly and saw him smile. “I want to be sure that the next time I put this ring on that it’s the last time… because I don’t plan on ever taking it off again.” She finished softly. He sighed. “Please tell me that you understand that.” She pleaded.

He knew what she was saying and he did understand to a certain extent but at the same time there was this doubt in his head that there was something more that she wasn’t telling him. “Is that all this is? Is it really that you just want to take it slow or is it that you just aren’t sure about us anymore?”

She took a step back and shook her head. “That’s not it. I love you.”

He nodded. “I know and I believe you but that’s not what I’m asking you. I’m asking you are you sure about us? Do you still believe in us the way you once did or… or did I wreck this when I left?” He asked needing to know.

The knock at the door prevented her from answering his question. “Courtney! Hey Courtney are you ready to go?” Brenda called out on the other side of the door.

Jason sighed, frustrated. He knew now for a fact that Brenda had the worst timing in the world. Courtney smiled slightly and made her way to the door. Opening it, Brenda came right in. “You ready?” She asked completely oblivious to the tension in the room.

Courtney took a moment looking at Jason who simply stared back at her. “Yeah… let me just get my bag.” She said walking over to Jason. She stood in front of him and stared into his eyes. “We’ll talk about this when I get back?” She asked softly.

He nodded. “Yeah.” He answered.

Reaching up she touched his cheek. “I love you.” She whispered.

“I love you too.” He said leaning in and kissing her. She closed her eyes and let his lips brush against her own. The feeling was bittersweet. She knew that feeling well. She had it the last time they kissed when she was in the hospital right before everything changed… and she had a premonition that it was about to happen again. When she pulled back he sighed. “Be careful.”

“You too.” She replied grabbing her bag from him. Turning she followed Brenda out.

He stood in the center of the room after she left staring at the door just thinking.

The Penthouse…

Sonny poured himself a drink absently thinking. He had never been a patient man and waiting for A.J. to make a move was driving him crazy. He had to admit though, that the weasel had definitely surprised him with that little stunt in the courtroom the other day. He had never imagined that he would be able to pull that off. But Sonny understood what that was all about. The whole pleading guilty in an open courtroom where everyone could hear him was nothing more then a power move. A.J. made it a point to make an open display of how guilty he was and how not even the law could touch him. It was a silent message to Sonny and Jason from A.J. and his mysterious no-face partner. Sonny sipped the brandy letting the liquid burn the crevices of his mouth as he thought about who that silent partner could be. It wasn’t Edward nor was it Ned. Neither one of them had those type of connections… but then again Edward might. But then he would have never let A.J. attempt to hang Jason for the crime no matter how badly he wanted Sonny behind bars or dead. Sonny knew that in Edward’s on way, he loved Jason. He loved him more then he would ever love A.J. But then who was A.J. in league with and what was his plan?

The questions were creating a monumental headache for him. Gulping down the rest of his drink he began to pour himself another when Carly came through the door. He noticed the long cylinder canister she had in her hands and he raised his eyebrows.

“What is that you got there?” He asked as she walked over to him and kissed him briefly on the lips before turning away and going over to the desk.

“Blueprints.” She called out over her shoulder as she shed her black jacket and flopped down in the chair.

“Blueprints, of what?”

“Of where I’m going to build me new club.” She said resolutely as she opened up the canister and pulled out the rolled up sheets of paper. Spreading them out over the desk she admired the floor space that she would soon be planning on.

Sonny came to stand behind her and looked over her shoulder at the lines and numbers that were sprawled out before him. “You’re starting a new club?” He asked.

She nodded. “Yeah, you know I’ve been thinking about it for the last few weeks. I liked club 101. I mean it was my creation and it was a complete hit! I did that. I mean that was my dream and look how great it turned out. If I can do it once I can do it again. All I needed was the space, which is right here beneath Kelly’s. And some creative ideas of what it will look like and that’s where Courtney and I come in. You know that girl has some really cool ideas.” She remarked with a grin. “As soon as she gets back from that weekend trip with that twit Brenda we can get started.” She said absently.

Sonny simply smiled at his wife unable to help himself. She would never let go of her jealousy against Brenda and in a way he liked it a little. Not that she had anything to worry about, at least not at the moment.

“And well, you know I need money…” She said looking up at him with raised eyebrows.

He nodded knowing exactly where this was going. “Ahh! So that’s where I come in. I knew it was coming up sometime.” He stated.

She sighed. “Look, I am a good business owner. I mean I have the mind for it. Look how successful club 101 was, it was fantastic. The money that Jax put out for that place he made back within the first six months. How many people can do something like that? Not many!” She boasted knowing that she had a point.

He walked back over to the couch and took a seat and she followed him cuddling close to him. He laughed at her antics. “So you want me to give you money…”

“Invest! I want you to invest baby!” She cajoled. Moving she began to place to kisses all over his face seductively. “You know that I can make it worth it.” She whispered.

“Oh really… how are you going to do that?” He asked suggestively.

Before she could reply there was a knock at the door. She groaned as it opened and Jason walked in. She shook her head at her best friend’s timing. Jason had to have the worst timing in the world.

“Hey.” He remarked looking at Sonny and Carly cuddled together on the couch.

“Hey… what are you doing here?” She asked sitting up.

He shrugged absently as he took a seat in the armchair.

“It’s good that you’re here. Carly wants to start another club.” Sonny remarked.

“And she wants you to give her money?” It was more of a statement then a question.

“INVEST PEOPLE! I want him to invest!” She halfway screamed in frustration at the two men in the room. She cut her eyes at Jason. “And you know shouldn’t you be out doing something productive? You know like planning a wedding or something!” She rolled her eyes at him when he laughed slightly.

“Wedding? What about a wedding?” Sonny asked seriously.

“Jason and Courtney’s wedding. They are engaged Sonny.” She turned to Jason. “Have you guys decided on a theme yet?” She asked.

“No…” He hesitated. “We’re not planning a wedding.” He stated softly.

“Oh please don’t tell my you got Elton to plan it because I mean I love the guy but he’s a little high strung to say the least.”

“No we didn’t… we didn’t hire Elton.” He interjected trying to explain.

“So who did you get? And please don’t tell me that you got Brenda! That girl couldn’t plan her way out of a paper bag! I would be truly insulted if you got her to plan your wedding when you have a competent and professional decorator right here.” She remarked.

“Carly please…”

“I really don’t think that a wedding is right at the moment. I mean you just got back into town and she’s about to start school.”

“What does that have to do with anything?” Carly asked hotly.

“I’m just thinking about my sister and what she needs.”

“What she needs is Jason! He’s the man that she loves and the one she’s going to spend the rest of her life with.” Carly retorted defensively.

“I understand that but she’s also got other things on her plate right now.”

“And none of it is as important as Jason and their new life together!”

“Would you both just stop!” Jason demanded coldly making both heads whirl around to face him. His head was spinning with all the words and thoughts. He just needed a moment to think and these two weren’t helping. Exhaling deeply he took a moment before speaking. “Courtney and I… aren’t planning a wedding because there is no wedding. We aren’t getting married.” He remarked softly staring at the coffee table feeling his heart begin to ache within his chest. The words were killing him and for once he didn’t know what to do or what to say to make it better.

Meanwhile across town…

Elizabeth sighed as she made her way back to her art studio. Her feet ached after pulling a double shift and all she wanted to do was sit back and paint. It was the best way that she knew how to relax. Opening her door she turned to flick on the light and stopped dead in her tracks at the sight before her a silent scream on her lips.

Chapter Eighteen: Advice from the Peanut Gallery

Brenda and Courtney sat silently in the airplane. Courtney hadn’t said a word since they had left and it unnerved the brunette tremendously. “So… I was thinking when we get to Virginia you know once we drop off our bags that we could get something to eat. Maybe you know go shopping and then hit a movie or something.” She remarked trying to fill the silence.

Courtney nodded absently. “Yeah… yeah sure Brenda that would be great.” She said distractedly.

“And you know then I was thinking that we could not stay in our rooms but sell ourselves on the street as high maintenance hookers.” She threw out.

“Sure, whatever you want Brenda.” She said softly. It took her a moment before she realized what the brunette said. “What?” She turned to her.

“Yeah, that’s my question exactly! What, is going on with you?”

Courtney sighed deeply. “Nothing.” She muttered.

Brenda stared at her for a moment and shook her head. “Okay you know what? This is so typical!” She remarked frustrated fighting with her seat belt absently just to keep her hands moving.

“What is typical?” Courtney asked watching her with raised eyebrows as she battled with the confining belt as though it were fighting back.

“Just… that…” She gritted out between yanks and pulls. “You know we were pretty… close and then… Jason blows back into town… and it’s good-bye Brenda! And you know… I knew that… that it was coming!” She still fought with the seat belt as though it were physically attacking her. “And that well… you know it’s so obvious… that this was… going to happen. I mean hello, it’s Jason right?” She asked losing patience fast with the seat belt. “He’s the love of your life and who can compare with that?! And you know I am going to scream in about two seconds if I can’t get this thing off of me!” She yelled frustrated. With an anguished cry she tore the seat belt and took a stand. Breathing heavily she began to pace the confining compartment of the airplane. She ran her fingers through her thick brown tendrils as Courtney watched her.

“Okay what is wrong with you?” She asked truly lost.

“I told you that I hate to fly.” She threw out still pacing.

“…Yeah over water Brenda. We are flying to Virginia; there isn’t an ocean in sight. Would you just calm down please!” She retorted.

“Well, I feel suffocated okay? There’s no air in this place. I mean how can you breathe?” She asked rhetorically. Exhaling deeply, she began to fan herself.

Courtney furrowed her brow. “What is wrong with you?” She watched her pace for a moment before coming to her own conclusions. “You’re jealous!” She stated with a smile. “You’re jealous of Jason!” She remarked.

“Oh please! Give me a break. I am not so desperate as to be jealous of mister ‘I can’t hold a conversation with more then one syllable words!’” She threw out sarcastically rolling her eyes.

She sighed knowing that Brenda would never admit to what she was feeling. She took a moment before speaking. “Jason asked me to marry him again.” She remarked and watched Brenda turn to look at her as she continued to pace. “And…I told him no.” That stopped her in her tracks. She waited with baited breath for Brenda to say something… anything but there was nothing but silence. “Okay… I’m waiting!”

“… I know, but I don’t know what you want me to say. I mean I can tell you what you probably want to hear or I can tell you the truth as I see it.” She remarked honestly.

“Well what is truth as you see it?” She asked.

Brenda shrugged as she took a seat beside Courtney. “I think… that you made the right choice by saying no. I don’t think that you should marry Jason.”

“Why not? You said it yourself, Jason is the love of my life. Why shouldn’t I want to marry him?”

“You tell me… you’re the one that said no.” She answered softly.

Courtney sat there for a moment. Taking in a deep breath she got up and began to pace herself this time Brenda watching her. “I just… I know that Jason loves me. I know that he would do anything for me and protect me…” She trailed off.

“But?”

She sighed. “But. He left me Brenda. He just walked out on me and it hurt me. And I just… I’m scared. I mean we were so close to happiness the last time; I don’t think I’ve ever been that happy and then it just all went away, just like that. And I know that he did what he had to do but… what if he feels he has to do that again? I couldn’t take it if he walked out on me again. I just couldn’t stand it.” She whispered softly.

Brenda sighed. “Do you think that he would?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know. I didn’t think that he would the first time. You were there… you remember? I refused to believe that Jason would just… leave. I thought that I knew him better then that… and I was wrong… again.” She sighed deeply as she flopped down into an empty seat and ran her fingers through her hair. “I am so sick of doing this. Just when I think I have a handle on my life something goes wrong. I mean… I have to be the worst judge of character when it comes to men.”

Brenda groaned. “No… I have you beat there. Have we forgotten about Luis?” She asked.

Courtney looked up at her and there was a moment before they both laughed outright. Courtney nodded. “Okay, right. When it comes to men you suck!”

“I wouldn’t say that I suck exactly.”

“I would.” Courtney interjected.

“Okay wait a minute, I have had some good guys.” Brenda defended.

“Like who? And if you say Jason I will shoot you.” Courtney remarked.

“Jason? That was a huge mistake… There was Jax! Jax was great for me.” She remarked.

“Jax? Okay Jax is okay.”

“Okay? What do you mean okay? There are about a zillion women who want Jax.”

“Yeah if they want that fairy tale life!”

“And what is wrong with that?”

“Don’t get me wrong. Fairy tales are nice and they’re sweet but there’s always something missing in fairy tales you know? There’s always something lacking like… I don’t know. I can’t put my finger on it.”

“Passion…” Brenda answered softly.

Courtney looked over at her and sighed. “Exactly. I mean white roses on your wedding day and sunshine in the morning is great but let’s be honest Brenda, women like us… we don’t want that; not really. We want the things that make our hearts beat wildly inside our chest. We want the exhilaration and excitement. We need it.” She remarked.

Brenda nodded. “The same things that we love are the things that will probably get us killed…” She laughed slightly at the irony. “You know it’s funny, because for a long time I told myself that I didn’t want that life. I convinced myself that I didn’t want to be apart of that life but the truth is… it’s the only life that I want… because it’s his life.”

There was another moment of silence. “You know… we should have just dated musicians!”

Brenda raised an eyebrow as she smiled. “Musicians?”

“Yeah you never have to worry about bullets flying at you with musicians.” Courtney remarked jokingly.

“No… but there are groupies and they’re a pain in the ass.”

“How would you know?”

“I’ve dated a musician! Trust me I know.”

“You’ve dated a musician? When did this happen?” Courtney laughed thoroughly interested.

Brenda sighed heavily thinking back to what she deemed a lifetime ago. “Well his name was Miguel… Sonny and I had just broken up, and he was dating this girl, Lily and I was doing everything in my power to get him back. I was saying anything that I could to antagonize her. I was showing up anywhere that I believed he would be… I went so far as to go to his club with Miguel and dance with him right there on the dance floor while Sonny sat there watching me. And I knew that he was watching me…” She trailed off with a reminiscent laugh.

“So what happened?”

“Well… he came over to me and took me by the arm and ‘asked’ me to come outside. When we got out there… well it got ugly! He lost it and I lost it. We both said things to hurt the other. It was always that way with us.”

Courtney furrowed her brow. “I have to ask… if it was so bad being with Sonny, then why do you still want to be with my brother?” She asked.

“Because… I love him and he loves me. And I know for a fact that no one will ever love me the way that he did. The reason why Sonny had the power to hurt me so much is because he knew me better then anyone has ever known me. He always has.” Taking in a deep breath she sighed. “You know for a while I kept telling myself that he didn’t know me at all. I tried to convince myself that he wasn’t the one but deep down I knew… I knew in my heart that no one would ever come close to Sonny.” She wiped at her tears absently thinking back on their moments together. “He’s my soul mate… and once you find that person, you can’t let them go.”

Courtney sat there thinking about her words while Brenda sat across from her lost in her memories.

The Penthouse…

There was a general tense filled silence that ensued as no one knew what to say. Jason was the first to get up and walk over to the unlit fireplace and stare into the darkness. Carly sighed and shook her head. “How do you know that Courtney doesn’t want to get married?” She asked.

“Because I know.”

“Okay… is this ‘I know because I’m Jason Morgan and I know what she thinks’?” She asked sarcastically.

He shook his head. “No! I know because I asked her!” He stated frustrated.

“Okay… and what did she say?”

“She said… no.”

Again there was silence. “Well, then there must be a reason why she said no. Maybe she said no to right at this moment. I mean summer weddings are pretty bad. There’s the heat and the humidity. Then you have to debate on an inside wedding or an outside wedding and what is worth more to you. The bright sunshine and birds… or the cool air-conditioning and nice pristine pews…” She went on.

“Carly… shut-up!” Jason said. “I asked her to marry me and she said no… she said that she wanted to take things slow. She needs time.” He replied quietly.

“Well there you go!” Carly said resolutely as she took a stand. Pulling on her black form fitting tank top to straighten it out she walked over to her desk and began to look at her blue prints again.

Jason turned to look at her and then looked at Sonny who only shook his head as though he too was at a lost. “What do you mean, ‘there you go’?” He asked.

“It’s not that she doesn’t ever want to marry you… she needs her time. What is wrong with that?” She laughed slightly. “You know I don’t know who’s worst you or Sonny. I mean Jason you were the one that used to be patient and Sonny was the anxious one and now it seems that you guys have switched places.”

“What is that suppose to mean?” Sonny asked getting defensive.

She sighed heavily as she stared at the blue prints. “Well, at first it was always you who had to have everything done right at this very moment. Nothing could wait and Jason was the one that would take things slow. He was the one that always waited and stood by patiently with that look on his face. And now it’s Jason who acts as if there is some race that has to be won and a prize waiting at the end of the road. Courtney said she needed time right? So give her time. Trust me Jason if she waited this long to be with you, she’s not going anywhere.” Carly said resolutely.

Both men stared at the blonde who seemed thoroughly engrossed in the layout before her eyes. Jason tried to keep himself from smiling. “You know for once Carly… you make sense.” Jason remarked walking over to her and standing behind her.

Looking over her shoulder at him she scoffed. “For once? What planet have you been living on? I always make sense!” She stated.

He shook his head. “Yeah okay.” He said sarcastically. Reaching out he turned the blue prints right side up and she gave him a look. “Wouldn’t want you putting the tables on the roof or anything.” He replied with a laugh.

She rolled her eyes at him. “Just get out!” She ordered with a smile as she leaned into him and kissed his cheek.

“Oh Carly…” Jason groaned wiping the kiss away.

“You’re worst then Michael!” She laughed.

Before he could reply his phone rang. “Hello?”

There was a moment of silence on the other end before she spoke. “Jason?” Her voice was small filled with fear. “Jason… I need you.”

“Where are you?” He asked already knowing the voice.

She let out a shaky breath as she looked around at her surroundings. “I’m at my studio.”

“I’ll be right there.” He hung up and was met with stares.

“Who was that?” Carly asked nervously. “Was that Courtney?”

He shook his head. “No… I’ll check in later.” He said to Sonny before leaving.

“Be careful.” They both called after him as he left.

Once the door closed both heads turned to stare at one another. “What do you think that was about?” Carly asked.

Sonny shrugged as a response. “Whatever it is… He’ll take care of it.”

Fifteen minutes later…

Jason pulled up to Elizabeth’s studio and cut off his bike. Jogging he made his way up the steps and to the front door of Elizabeth’s studio. He stopped for a moment noting that the door was wide open. “Elizabeth!” He called out. Reaching to the back of his pants he pulled out his gun preparing himself for whatever might happen. Stepping over the threshold he sighed at the scene that was before him. There was paint splattered across the walls. Paintings were broken and glass was shattered and in the middle of the room there was Elizabeth crouched on the ground holding the broken pieces of one of her paintings in her hands. Looking around to make sure they were alone he walked over to her and crouched down beside her. “Elizabeth…” He called out to her softly but she didn’t reply. She just sat there rocking back and forth as though in a trance.

Reaching out he laid his hand on her shoulder gently and exhaled deeply. “Elizabeth can you hear me?” He asked.

“Everything… everything that I’ve created… destroyed.” She whispered brokenly. Her vision blurred with tears as she stared at the broken pieces in her hands.

Sighing deeply he reached out and took her hands and extracted the broken wood from her hands. “Hey let this go. Come on.” He coaxed helping her up. She stumbled slightly as they stood up. “Are you okay? Did someone hurt you?”

She nodded. “No.”

“Okay I need you to tell me what happened here.” He stated calmly.

She took in a deep breath to steady herself trying desperately to control her shaking hands. “I uh… I was on my way back from work and I thought that I would release some stress by coming to my studio and painting… and I came up here and this is… this is what I found.”

He nodded as if he understood. “Okay… was the door opened when you came?”

She shook her head. “No… it was closed I think… I mean I used my key.” She answered.

“And you didn’t see anyone while you were here?”

“No… the place was empty. I thought that it was just vandalism until I saw the message on the wall.” She remarked pointing to the big red spray painted letters.

Turning around he read. ‘It’s just the beginning.’ Looking back at her she stared into him with watery eyes filled with fear. Swallowing hard he knew what he had to do. “You’re not safe here… Come on.” He said beginning to lead her out the door.

“What… what’s happening? Where are we going?” She asked.

“To my penthouse. It’s the safest place I know to take you.”

She stopped in mid-stride and turned to him. “What about my studio?” She asked weakly.

“It’s not safe for you to be here. Elizabeth you can’t stay here. Just… trust me okay?” He asked.

She smiled slightly. “I do… I do trust you, Jason.” She remarked reaching out she hugged him.

He stood there for a moment not sure how to react and finally closed his arms around her waist seeing that she needed the comfort unaware of the silent observer watching them from the building across the street binoculars in hand

Chapter Nineteen: Clearing the Air

Jason sighed as he leaned over the pool table and took a shot. The white ball slid across the felt and cracked hard into the striped six. It ricocheted across the table and fell into the corner sinkhole. He looked up when he heard the clapping from the stairs.

Elizabeth stood there dressed in a pair of black sweatpants and a royal purple tank top. “You’re up early.” She stated.

He shrugged absently. “I couldn’t sleep.” He replied.

She nodded as if understanding. “Me either… I tossed and turned all night. I just kept thinking about last night… I mean why would someone do that?” She asked softly, walking over to the table and standing on the opposite side that he was on.

Stretching out his back he sighed. “I don’t know… but I plan on finding out. I’m going to meet with a few people in about an hour to check on some things. You know to see who came in and out of the building while you were gone and stuff like that. Maybe it will give me a lead.”

She shook her head. “What do you think that message means? It’s only the beginning.” She repeated the words she had read earlier.

Again Jason shrugged. “I don’t know… but I’ll do whatever I can to make sure that you’re safe.” He promised.

She smiled. “I know… I know that you would never let anyone hurt me. I’m always safe with you Jason.” She stated softly.

He smiled trying to break the tension that had settled over the room. “I better go and get ready.” He said placing the stick on the table and beginning to make his way toward the stairs. As he passed her she reached out and took his hand making him stop to look at her.

“Thanks… for doing this. Thanks for helping me.” She whispered.

He stared into her with innocent blue eyes. Didn’t she know that he would do anything to make sure that she was safe? “We’re friends Elizabeth; this is what friends do.” He remarked with a reassuring smile. He gave her hand a gentle friendly squeeze and then walked away leaving her alone in the living room.

A little over an hour later in Virginia…

Courtney stood before the mirror as Brenda applied the last bit of the avocado to Courtney’s face touching up the green mask. “There you go… beautiful!” She stated with a grin.

Courtney rolled her eyes as she felt the mask begin to harden as the moments passed by. “Tell me again why we’re doing this.” She muttered through the small opening that had become her mouth.

“Because… it opens the pores in the skin.” Brenda replied although her words came out jumbled.

Courtney nodded. “Opens pores? How is that possible? I feel like my face is being suffocated.”

Brenda shook her head. “That’s how you know it’s working!”

Courtney turned to the mirror and stared at her reflection. She didn’t know how she had let Brenda sucker her into this. As if being prodded and poked at that damn spa wasn’t bad enough; now she was in her hotel room letting Brenda inflict the torture on her. So far they had been through an intense yoga session, had their limbs stretched, and taken an Italian mud bath. She had never felt so dirty after a bath in her entire life. And now here she was putting fruit on her face and waiting for it to harden.

She flopped down on her bed and looked over at Brenda who sat there watching her. “So… is this where we have the talk?”

“What talk?” Brenda asked.

“You know… the talk… the talk about what I’m going to do about Jason?”

“Okay not that I don’t love you but I mean do you really want to talk about Jason at the moment? We went the whole day without him! That’s a great thing in my book.”

“The day just started. It’s not even 8:30!” She shook her head and sighed. “Why do you do that?”

“What?”

“Act as if you don’t like him? Jason is the one person in this world who has never let you down. He’s the one guy that you can always depend on. So why do act as if you hate him when you know that you owe him?”

Brenda rolled her eyes. “I’ve never been good with thanking people… I mean I haven’t liked Jason since the first day that I met him… I only put up with him because of Sonny and I don’t know… I mean yeah Jason’s been good to me and you love him but as for being friends with him…well see I have this rule. I can’t be friends with anyone who can’t talk to me in more than one syllable words!”

Courtney shook her head. “You are classic!” She would have laughed but the mask muffled the sound. “Can I take this stuff off now?”

Before she could answer the door opened. “Ms. Matthews there is a package here… Eeewww!” Marco trailed off as he looked up at their faces. “What the hell is that stuff?” He asked grossed out and yet thoroughly intrigued.

“It’s an avocado mask! And don’t you ever knock!” Brenda asked.

“You mean real avocado?” He asked ignoring the latter question.

“No imitation avocado… yes real avocado Marco! Now would you give me the package.”

“Hey Johnny come here and check this out! You won’t believe what I’m seeing.” He called out over his shoulder.

A moment later Johnny appeared in the doorway. “What happened? What’s going… Eeewww!” Johnny chimed in looking up at the two women.

Brenda threw her hands up in defeat and shook her head. “Okay here we go again!”

“What is that stuff?” Johnny asked.

“An avocado mask.” Marco answered as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Johnny looked over at him with a questionable stare. “Can we eat it?” Marco simply shrugged. Johnny rolled his eyes and turned back to Brenda and Courtney. “So what… you women use this stuff all the time?”

“It would explain a lot.” Marco answered.

“Like what?”

“You know… why they spend hours in the bathroom all the time. This is what they’re doing. Putting fruit and junk on their faces.”

“It’s not junk! It’s an avocado mask to cleanse the pores.” Brenda defended.

Marco stepped further into the room and stood before Brenda staring intensely at it. “So it cleanses the pores?” He asked. Brenda nodded impatiently. “So I mean like what does it feel like?” He reached out with a fingertip about to touch it when Brenda instantly swatted his hand away.

“Stop that!” She ordered.

“Stiff! Extremely stiff!” Courtney managed.

“Feels like plaster to me.” Johnny said as he practically pawned Courtney’s face who was desperately trying to push his hands away.

“Get off…” She laughed out.

“Hey look! It’s beginning to chip off.” Marco shouted as though he were a kid. “Man this stuff is better then play-dough.”

“Okay you know what I think? I think that you guys need to stop gawking at our faces! And you know I think that you’re a bit too interested in this stuff.” Brenda said a wicked gleam coming into her eyes.

“Yeah well you know…” Marco said absently.

“So I think that you guys should experience this stuff first hand.” She remarked.

“Hold on! Wait a damn minute.” Johnny said backing up toward the door. But he wasn’t quick enough as Brenda shot around Marco and slammed the front door.

“Oh no, don’t get cold feet on me now boys! Courtney go get the avocado cream.” She said locking the door.

“Maybe we should talk about this.” Johnny stuttered out as he watched Courtney jump off the bed and head for the bathroom. “I mean Marco and I have jobs to do. We can’t sit around here while you girls do those… you know… women… things!”

“It sounds to me like you’re… chicken!”

“Okay no one is chicken. We are bodyguards! We don’t get chicken! Right Johnny?” Marco stated looking at Johnny who seemed to be a lot more fidgety since they first stepped into the room. “Right Johnny?” He asked again a little louder this time.

“Yeah… yeah man.” He answered still watching the bathroom for Courtney.

Brenda shrugged as she raised her eyebrows. “I’ll give you credit when it comes to bullets and bombs! But we mention a few women tricks and… seems like you’re getting cold feet!” Brenda challenged.

Marco stood his ground. “Okay fine… Bring it on. You want to put a mask on our face that’s fine! Hell why don’t you go for the juggler and pull out the wax treatment as well. You women cry about waxing your legs and I think you’re just being wimps! We can take anything that you can and more!” He stated.

“Waxing? What do you mean wax? I never said anything about wax! Can we talk about this please?” Johnny tried to pipe in.

Brenda nodded, as her grin grew wider. “Okay… we’ll see what you’ve got!”

“You know I’ve always been partial to hairy legs.” Johnny said meekly making one last attempt. When he saw Courtney come back he knew that it was too late.

Port Charles…

Jason sighed as he watched the surveillance tape over once again and he found the same thing he did the first time… nothing. There was no one that came into the building at least not anyone that had passed the security cameras. This only meant one thing, that it was a professional job. But who would want to come after Elizabeth and why? It just didn’t make any sense. Why would someone make her a target? Running his fingers through his hair he sighed tiredly. “What do you make of it?” Asked one of his associates.

Jason shrugged. “Someone went through a lot of trouble to go to her place and trash it. They had to have researched the building and studied where the cameras were. They had to know how to pick a lock and be careful enough to not leave fingerprints. This isn’t just some random hit in the night. Someone who knows his or her stuff came to that studio. I just… I don’t know who would want to do that.” It was the first mystery of many for him.

The Penthouse…

Elizabeth sat silently on the bottom step of the penthouse thinking when she heard the knock at the door. Before she could get up to answer it Carly waltzed in. “Hey Jason have you seen my…” She trailed off when her eyes set on Elizabeth. “What the hell are you doing here?”

Elizabeth shook her head in disbelief. “Well hello to you too Carly!” She threw out sarcastically.

“Oh just cut the pleasantry crap pick your twiggy behind up and get the hell out!” She ordered opening the door wide.

“Do you always just barge into people’s houses and order them around?” She asked taking a stand but walking over to the couch and folding her arms in front of her defensively.

“First of all Jason is my best friend and if anyone has the right to barge in it’s me! Second of all you don’t belong here!”

“I don’t belong here?” Elizabeth asked with a sarcastic laugh.

“Did I stutter!” Carly retorted, licking her lips. “I’ll ask you one more time before I physically throw you out… what the hell are you doing here?”

“That’s really none of your concern. Whatever business I have with Jason is personal and between us!” She replied.

Carly shook her head as she slammed the door and turned to Elizabeth and taking deliberate slow steps toward her she replied. “First of all you don’t have any kind of business with Jason, personal or otherwise. And second of all, don’t try to be coy and cryptic with me because it doesn’t work. I can read you from a mile away little girl.” Stopping right in front of her she cocked her head to one side. “Third… if you think for a second that I’m going to let you come in and disrupt Jason’s life again… you have another thing coming. You can’t go toe to toe with me, so don’t even bother to try.”

Elizabeth let a short sigh escape her as she took a step back and walked around Carly not liking the closeness of the older woman. Making her way over to the desk she began to fiddle with the paper clips and pens. “Look Carly, I don’t want to fight with you and I don’t want to cause trouble.” She began.

“Oh please. It’s a little late for that don’t you think?” She asked sarcastically facing the brunette and folding her arms across her chest.

“Jason is just… well, he’s helping me okay? He’s protecting me from…”

“Oh I get it now! You see now it’s starting to make sense!” She cut in shaking her head. “I can’t believe that I didn’t put it together before. That was you on the phone yesterday… You were the ‘big’ emergency that Jason had to go and see about.” She laughed sardonically. “So what happened Elizabeth? Did you get a hangnail and call Jason to come over and clip it for you? What fantastical story did you spin on him to get him to rush over to your little place? I mean you knew that he would with Courtney being out of town…” She trailed off. “This must have seemed like the perfect opportunity for you.” She continued her words growing harder and colder as she spoke.

“Okay look Carly, I don’t know what kind of person that you take me for but…”

“The kind of person that would do anything to get what she wants. You lie and you manipulate and worst of all you’re weak. I mean you pretend to be what Jason needs and then when push comes to shove, you bail! You are nothing but a small time weak little girl who can’t hold her own and you have no place in Jason’s life! I take you for the exact person that you are!”

“Jason is just protecting me Carly. It was his idea to bring me here not mine.” She tried to defend but Carly was past listening.”

“Yeah, just like you knew that he would because you know that’s the kind of guy that Jason is. He would do anything to help anyone. He’s that sweet and that nice. You see you play the innocent girl routine for all it’s worth and that may work with Jason and Sonny and even Lucky but not with me. I know who you are and I’m here to tell you that if you hurt Jason or Courtney or try and mess with their life together… I will personally make sure that no one will have to worry about protecting you again. Do we understand each other?” She asked quietly locking eyes with Elizabeth.

Before the brunette could answer the door opened and Jason walked in. Looking up he could feel the tension in the room. “Carly… what are you doing here?” He asked.

Chapter Twenty: Unfair Burdens

She took a moment before answering making sure that her point had gotten across to Elizabeth. Finally she turned to Jason. “I came over to see if you had seen Michael’s jacket. He thinks that he left it over here when you took him to the park.” She said.

Jason sighed. “Yeah… it’s in the closet.” He replied knowing that she wasn’t telling him everything. Turning to Elizabeth he took in her frazzled state. “Are you okay?”

She looked to Carly and then to Jason. “Yeah… I’m just a little tired. I think I’m going to go upstairs to lye down.” She remarked quickly before making a hasty exit.

He watched until she was out of sight before turning to Carly. “What did you do?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know what you’re talking about Jason.”

“Carly…”

“What? I didn’t touch her… promise.” She answered with a small smile. “I mean can I help if she’s a weakling?” She asked.

“Carly stop. You don’t even know what’s going on.”

“I don’t care Jason. How do you think Courtney is going to react when she comes back a little Miss Webber is rooming with you?” She questioned cocking an eyebrow.

He shook his head and rubbed the bridge of his nose where a headache was developing. “Carly just… let it go.”

“You know she may claim that she’s in some big trouble but the truth of the matter is… she wants you. She wants to be with you Jason and she’s going to do everything that she can to get you.”

Jason shook his head not wanting to believe her. Going to the closet he retrieved the jacket. “Here you go Carly. Now will you please leave?” He asked handing her the little boy’s jacket.

“I’m not kidding Jason. She’s going to try and get you back and she doesn’t even have to succeed in order to mess up what you have with Courtney.” She continued honestly.

“ No one can mess up what Courtney and I have except Courtney and I. Besides, what would you have me do? Leave her in her studio to whatever is out there coming after her? I can’t do that!”

“Fine! Send her to the police. They can take care of it.” She answered.

“You know as well as I do that the PCPD are no good in this town. They would file a report under vandalism and forget about her!” He shot back.

“And how do you know that’s not what it was?”

“Because I know my job. I know a professional from an amateur.” He replied honestly.

She shook her head knowing that she couldn’t argue with him about that. “Fine… You know your job I believe you and you don’t trust the cops… I don’t blame you. But why do you have to be the one to take care of her? Why is it always you?”

He looked up at her and sighed. “Because… it just is. When Sonny needs help who does he call, me? When you get into trouble and can’t get out; where do you go? You come to me. When Brenda needed someone to save her and marry her; who did she ask, me. This is just how it is. This is who I am and it’s what I do. When someone needs help or someone gets into trouble they always come to me because they know… they know that I won’t turn them away…even if they don’t trust me; they depend on me.” He replied softly. He looked away from her as he realized how much he revealed and took a seat on the couch.

Carly watched him silently with caring brown eyes. “Everyone… except Courtney?” She asked. When he didn’t reply she knew that she was right. Sighing heavily she knew that she had to handle this carefully. It was rare that Jason ever showed he was vulnerable. He was always the strong one. He was always the one that held it together for everyone else. He was the one that everyone ran to for reassurance… always. And he never complained. She understood now. Walking over she took a seat on the arm of the couch. “Do you ever get tired of being the one? I mean do you ever get tired of being that one person that everyone turns to… that everyone counts on?” She asked sincerely.

He sat there for a moment thinking over her words carefully. “… No I just… I know that’s who I am and that’s never changed Carly… until that night.” His mind traveled back to that night where it was so vividly stored away. “She was waiting on me… she needed me to be there, and I wasn’t. I walked away because I thought that, that was what I should have done. Protecting her from dying seemed worth more then her losing faith in me. I thought that was the right thing to do. But the truth is, there was no right thing. There were only two wrongs and I just…” He struggled with the words that plagued his mind for over seven months. “I was trying to choose the lesser of the two wrongs and I just don’t know if I did that.” He sighed heavily. “And ever since that moment… something in my life hasn’t been right. I just don’t feel right inside… That’s why I need to do this Carly. I need to help Elizabeth to prove to myself that I’m the same guy that people can depend on and rely on and believe in.” His words were passionate and filled with an empathy that she hadn’t heard in a long time. “… Because that’s the man that Courtney loves and… I need her in my life.”

“I never knew… how lonely it must be for you. To be the one that everyone counts on to make the decisions when no one else can… especially when they’re hard. Like when you took care of Michael… you gave him a home and you got him christened. You gave him more then a name Jason, you gave him an identity.” Her voice broke with the emotion and tears escaped her eyes as she looked over at him. “When you left Port Charles so that I would have to depend on myself because you knew that… you knew that I couldn’t make that choice, I know you did that for me… and Michael.” She exhaled deeply as she brushed the tears off her cheek and laughed slightly. “You’ve put Sonny’s life back together more times then he can count. You even saved A.J. even though you can’t stand him but no one would expect anything less from you. Because that’s the kind of person that you are.” Reaching out she took his hand in her own. “I didn’t know how lonely you must be knowing that no matter what in the end you’re always the one that has to make the hardest choices for us all… and that’s not your fault. It’s just the position that we put you in.”

"I don't want you to think that I'm looking for pity here. I chose this life remember?"

She shook her head. "Pity? I would never pity you. You know that. I may yell at you and throw things at you. I will cry on your shoulder and maybe even capsize your life... but I will never pity you. And I don't know what you need me to do or to say but whatever it is... just tell me and I'll do it. I will help you anyway that I can."

He sighed as he looked down at their hands that were clasped together in true friendship. "What I need is for you to let me do my job. Let me figure out what's going on and let me fix it. Can you do that? Can you just let me work for a change?" He asked looking over at her teary face.

She exhaled. "It's going to be hard and I can't promise you that I will always be nice to that..." She bit off an offensive remark that made Jason raise his eyebrows. "... But I will try... for you I will try." She promised.

To Be Continued...

Chapter Twenty-One: Things Beginning... Other Things Ending

Virginia Resort…

“There we go. How do you feel?” Brenda asked looking at the two men as they limped toward the front door.

“I’m… good. Never been better.” Marcus managed stopping for a moment wincing from the pain that shot up through his leg. “How about you Johnny?” He asked.

His partner merely gave him a scathing look and shook his head. “You know I’ve seen and done a lot of horrible things in my life, things I wouldn’t dare to talk about in the presence of women or children… But none of it compares to what I’m going to do to you to pay you back for the torture that we just went through for the past hour.”

Marco sighed as he reached out to grab his shoulder. “Oh come on it wasn’t that bad…” He began when Johnny put up his hand in protest.

“I so wouldn’t touch me right now! I am prone to do something extremely feminine at the moment and possibly smack you right here in this very room!” He countered raising his head regally and walking toward the door

“Oh come on Johnny. I said I was sorry. But just think about it, now you have a pore cleansed face and silky smooth legs. And I swear I’ve never seen you glow like that in my life!” He called after him trying to soothe his friend’s anger.

Brenda and Courtney merely watched their banter with extreme amusement. “They’re like a couple those two. You know if Johnny wasn’t married I would swear those two had a thing!” Courtney stated with a wide grin.

Before Brenda could respond Johnny came back in with a manilla folder. “This was on the doorstep for Ms. Matthews.” He stated handing her the package.

“Thanks Johnny… and you know I think Marco was right… you really do glow.” She giggled as she opened the folder and pulled out the contents… She stopped in mid-laugh.

Brenda noticed her change of facial _expression. “What’s wrong?”

“Johnny tell Marco to pack our things and call the jet because we’re going back to Port Charles. This vacation is over!” She remarked seriously staring at the black and white photo in her hand.

Brenda coming around behind her looked over her shoulder and stared. There in black and white was Jason holding Elizabeth within his arms looking mighty comfy and cozy. “Courtney…”

“Don’t tell me to calm down or tell me that there’s a reasonable explanation for what I’m seeing. I don’t want to hear that.” She stated trying to remain calm.

“I was just asking did you want to stop and pick up a bat to whoop her butt or just do it with your bare hands?” She asked with a small smile.

Courtney looked over at her friend… “I think Carly is starting to rub off on you.”

“Don’t insult me!” Brenda shot back.

Kelly’s Diner…

Elizabeth wiped a thin film of sweat from her forehead as she bussed an outside table at Kelly’s. Looking over her shoulder she gave her bodyguard an apprehensive smile as he watched her through his dark shades. Grabbing a seat she raised her eyebrows. “Can I ask you something?”

He gave her a questionable face but nodded. “Did you always want to do this?”

“Do what?”

She motioned with her hands. “This. I mean did you say to yourself that when you grew up that you wanted to be a bodyguard for a mob boss?”

“What mob boss?” He retorted.

She rolled her eyes. “You know what I mean. Is this what you wanted your life to be? You never wanted to have more?”

“More like what?”

She shrugged. “Oh I don’t know… maybe a family a house a few kids. That kind of thing.”

“I have those things. I have two kids a beautiful wife… and a dog named Cheeks. So what more could I want?”

His answer only puzzled her more. “So you have this great life and you work for Sonny Corinthos? What does your wife think about you putting your life in danger for someone whose name is marked with at least ten thousand bullets in this city? Any one of them could hit you. Don’t you ever wake up and think that that day may be your last?” She questioned.

He stared at her for a moment. “Do you believe one man’s life is worth more then the next? Come here.” He instructed. She walked over to him and he pointed inside to where there were dozens of people sitting at various tables. “You see that man over there in the corner?” When she nodded he continued. “Do you think that somehow my life is worth more then his or his more then mine?”

She looked over and stared into his face. “No.” She answered.

“And that woman right over there… is her life worth more then mine? If it came down to whose life should be spared and whose should be sacrificed how would you decide?” When she didn’t answer he sighed. “You would make a choice correct? You would look at her and wonder what she would be leaving behind. Did she have kids… well so do I right? Did she have a husband and a mother? I have those things as well… so how do you choose? You make the choice… You decide whose life is worth saving… and you may not think that you do but you do it everyday. You would sacrifice your life for someone that you loved… that you cared about because you made the decision somewhere that their life was worth more to you then your own. That’s what I do for Sonny. I made the choice to forfeit my life for his because I know that if I should die… my family would be taken care of. Because providing for my family is more important to me then my life and I don’t think there is anything wrong with that. I don’t feel ashamed. I don’t feel like I’m wasting anything or risking too much… because for them there is never too much.” He remarked looking down into her eyes trying to convey just how far some are willing to go for those that they loved.

“Elizabeth?” She snapped back to attention when she heard her name. Turning she frowned.

“Hey.” She remarked looking at A.J. “What can I get you?”

He sighed. “Just a moment of your time if that’s all right.” He stated motioning toward the empty seat of the table.

“Actually I’m kind of busy A.J.” She stated.

“I promise it will only take a moment. I just need a message delivered to Courtney and you are the only person that I know of she still talks to that doesn’t hate the sight of me… so please.” He pleaded with his eyes.

Going against obvious judgment she relented and sat at the edge of the seat across from him. “What do you want me to tell her?” She asked.

“What’s with the human blockhead by the door? Does he belong to you?” He asked.

“A.J. I really don’t have time for this.”

He shrugged. “Sorry. It’s just that he looks like he belongs to my brother or Sonny and I just hate to think of you getting mixed up with him again after… everything you know?” He remarked.

She rolled her eyes. “If you must know… someone broke into my art studio and trashed it the other night. And I was a little shaken so I called Jason.”

He nodded. “Of course… when in danger don’t call the cops… or batman… call Jason!” He threw out sarcastically.

“I thought that you had a message that you wanted me to give to Courtney!” She snapped.

“Right! I just wanted to know if you could tell her that I got a notice that we still had some boxes in storage and wasn’t sure if she wanted to take them of you know have them thrown out… I would hate for her to lose something important to her.” He stated quietly.

Elizabeth stared at him for a moment not sure of what he meant but knew that there was a hidden meaning. She opened her mouth to speak but never got the chance.

“What are you doing now? Harrassing all the locals in town?” Carly asked waltzing up to the table and standing between the two seated patrons.

“Carly would you please…”

“Shut-up! I don’t even want to hear any of your lame excuses A.J. I just want you to get up and get out of here right now!”

“I can’t have a cup of coffee and talk to a friend.”

“You don’t have any friends and the cup of coffee, you can get it somewhere else. Why don’t you try Jake’s? I hear that they have something there for everyone including a loser like yourself!”

Taking a stand he sighed. “Now is that really necessary? I mean we’re practically all family here aren’t we? I mean you are the mother of my son… Elizabeth over here rooming with Jason. And then there’s Courtney… as matter of fact what does Courtney have to say about that?” He asked reaching out to put his hand on her shoulder. Just as his fingertips brushed the silk material of her spaghetti strap white top, he was reminded of the bodyguard standing off to the sidelines.

He was on A.J. and had his arm behind his back within moments. Bending it at an unnatural angle he was only a sharp thrust from breaking it. “Don’t ever… lay a hand on Mrs. Corinthos… or you won’t have time to think about the pain when I break your arm.” He whispered in his ear before releasing him with a push.

“I’ll sue you!” A.J. shouted back.

“For what? I didn’t see anything… did you?” Carly asked looking over at Elizabeth.

She simply shook her head. “No. Not a thing.”

Carly smiled at the bodyguard and then turned back to A.J. “Now get out of here before you take an accidental fall… off of a cliff!” She snapped.

He stared at the three for a moment. “This isn’t over!” He remarked walking away. “Trust me… this is far from over.”

Once out of sight Elizabeth was able to take a normal breath. She wasn’t used to something like this and seeing someone’s arm almost broken was new to her. Turning to Carly she smiled. “Thanks so much… I don’t know what his problem was but I am glad…” She began when Carly rounded on her.

“Now do you want to tell me what the hell you thought that you were doing!” She snapped.