"I need to see you, NOW." The voice on the other end demanded.

Courtney's face grew cold and Jason instantly knew who it was on the other end.

"Fine." Courtney stated through gritted teeth. "When and where?" She asked coldly.

"The docks, tonight." A.J. demanded.

When Courtney returned the phone to its cradle, Jason spoke up.

"What did he want?"

"He wants to meet with me." "Jason, I'm scared."

Jason knew from past experience that A.J. was a dangerous man and decided he wouldn't let Courtney go alone.

"I'm going to have you followed." Jason stated genuinely concerned.

"But Jason, I…"

"No, no 'buts' Courtney, I will not have you going to meet with him alone."

"Okay, okay." Courtney resigned herself to the fact that Jason would not give in. He was worried and she knew it, so she just had to go along with whatever he suggested for now at least.


*******************3 Hours Later********************

Courtney had been released from the hospital at 4pm and was set to meet with A.J. at 6. She and Jason had gone back to the loft and were discussing how she was to handle the situation if it started to go badly.

"If he gets too close or you feel threatened in anyway you just say "NO!" And I will be around the corner in a matter of seconds alright?" Jason told Courtney real fear for her safety showing on his face.

"I don't think he'll do anything stupid Jason." Courtney rolled her eyes at Jason's obvious overprotective statement.

"Courtney you don't know my brother the way I do." "I know you were married to him once but you said yourself you didn't know him as well as you thought you did." "Well I'm telling you now.....he will do something stupid, he always does."

It was now 5:30 and almost time to go.

"Okay Jason look I don't want to fight about this." "I just want to get it over with so can we get going?"

Jason reached for Courtney and held her tight for several moments before saying "yeah I guess" into her hair and then opening the door for her.


**************At the Docks********************



A.J. stood furiously tapping his foot on the hard wood of the docks and looking around for any sign of his ex wife.

"Where is that lying little tramp?" He asked not really to anyone in particular.

As if on cue Courtney appeared from behind one of the buildings.

"Alright, A.J." "I'm here now so tell me what you want."

"I want you Courtney." A.J. stated with an evil look in his eyes.

"You ARE crazy A.J."

"I told you, we will never be together ever again!!!"

"Fine, but If I cant have you, neither can my brother! A.J yelled and then reached for Courtney.

Courtney became frightened and remembering Jason's words yelled. "NO!"

Hearing this, Jason dashed around the corner and lunged at A.J throwing him to the ground and began beating him with a fury he'd never known.

"Courtney Go!" Jason yelled from the ground.

Not wanting to get in the middle of the fighting Courtney did as Jason asked and walked around the corner and stood silently waiting.

She became worried when the fighting stopped and then she heard Jason's chilling words to A.J.

"If you ever and I mean EVER come near Courtney or attempt to hurt her in anyway, I will kill you!"

With that Jason appeared from around the corner, grabbed Courtney's hand and walked off in the direction of the awaiting car that would take them back to the loft.



********Meanwhile at the Penthouse***********

"Sonny, listen, I know you love your sister but she's not a baby anymore." Carly looked at Sonny knowing what his response would be. She waited.

"I know that Carly!" Sonny screamed.

"But she's still MY sister and I do NOT want her involved in my business." "My businesses will NEVER touch my sister." Sonny stated truthfully.

"Fine, you tell her that." Carly stated sarcastically.

"You tell her that she has to give up Jason." "Woops" Carly thought.

"Wait, wait, wait, just a minute."

"What do you mean give up Jason?" Sonny stated with anger in his eyes.

"Look I didn't want to be the one to tell you this and maybe Jason should be, but he and Courtney have been seeing each other lately and they planned on telling you…but I…."

Carly was stopped when Sonny's cell phone began to ring.



"Yeah." Sonny barked into the phone.

Carly could tell by the look on his face that it was business and rolled her eyes as he hung up knowing he'd say he had to go.

"Don't even say it" Carly remarked sarcastically.

"I've got something to take care of."

"We can discuss this later."

"Okay, Sonny."

He kissed her hurriedly and rushed out of the penthouse slamming the door behind him.

*************Back at the Loft***************

Jason and Courtney are sitting on the couch talking about what happened back at the docks.

"Jason, I'm so afraid for you." Courtney said with real fear evident on her face.

"Courtney I will be fine."

"I always am." "

"Deep down I know that Jason but I don't want to lose you."

"You won't." Jason insisted.

Just then his cell phone rang.

"Yeah" Jason stated annoyed.

It was Monica.

"Okay, I'll be right there."

Jason made an excuse about running an errand for Sonny and told Courtney he'd be back as soon as he could.

Satisfied with his answer she kissed him and watched him walked out of the loft in a hurry.


*****************At the Hospital***************


Jason knocked on Monica's office door hoping that she had some news on the test results from earlier that day.

"Come in." Monica's voice came from the other side of the door.

Jason entered and immediately searched her face for any kind of answer as to why she had called him there so late.

"Jason, I'm glad you're here, please sit down." Monica said.

"Well, what is it?" He said taking the seat directly in front of her desk.

"Well I've got the results of the DNA tests here."

Jason looked worried when he noticed Monica's face expressionless.

"I've got some good news and some bad news." Monica stated somberly.

"The good news is, the baby is yours." Jason's face went from one of sadness to one of pure joy.

"Well what's the bad news then?"

"Well, you're not going to believe this, but it's possible that baby may be in danger." Again Jason's face fell.

"What kind of danger?" He asked nervously.

"Well, upon examining Courtney's blood sample a second time, we noticed a defect in the genetic make-up." "Now it could be nothing, but it looks to me like it could be a problem if it's not treated right away."

Jason stood and began nervously pacing back and forth and Monica worried he'd fall apart right there and urged him to sit.

"It could be nothing Jason we just have to run some more tests to be sure, okay?"

Jason stopped pacing and sat long enough to let his mother finish.

"So what's next?" He asked in a worried tone.

"Well we'll admit Courtney again as soon as possible for further tests."

"Okay, whatever it takes to protect Courtney and my child, I'll do it." Jason stated seriously.

"I was hoping you'd say that." Monica said with a slight smile.

"Have her back here early Monday morning and we'll start the tests right away."

Jason nodded in agreement and then looked at his mother one more time. "Thanks, Mom."

"You're welcome son." Monica said.

"I'll see you Monday, then." Jason said and left her office in silence.

The entire ride back to the loft Jason was feeling a mixture of happiness and extreme worry for Courtney and the child she was carrying, his child, their child."

He had never been much of a religious person but as he looked out the window of the limo he prayed silently to God to keep Courtney and their unborn child safe.


END CHAPTER 4



***********************************************************************


Upon returning to the loft Jason noticed Courtney silently snoring away on the couch with the television blaring and the sliding door wide open. It was freezing in there and his thoughts immediately went to the baby.

He shook her lightly in the hopes of waking her up.

"Courtney?" He asked more than stated in a low voice. She stirred a few seconds before her blue eyes fluttered open.

"Jason you're back." She breathed a sigh of relief.

"Yes and I've got some news for you."

Jason smiled before continuing. "Do you remember the paternity test you had scheduled?"

Courtney thought for a second before saying "Oh yeah I remember, what about it?"

Jason grabbed both her hands in his and held them tightly before saying, "Well I knew you didn't want to wait so I arranged for Monica to take my blood and have it done sooner and that's why I left earlier….the results came back."

Courtney's face fell for a moment wondering why he didn't seem excited about the news he was about to give her. "Well what did the tests say?"

Jason paused for several minutes looking deeply into Courtney's eyes and wondered how he was going to tell her he was the father but that something may be wrong with their baby.

**********Meanwhile back in the Corinthos Penthouse*************

Sonny walked into his Penthouse assuming Carly was going to be there, instead Max told him that she'd taken off in a hurry, making an excuse about needing to get out for a while.

"DAMMIT CARLY." Sonny screamed slamming his fist onto the desk in anger.

Getting an idea he called Jason's cell to see if he knew where she'd gone.
However, no one answered Jason's phone and now he was even more worried.

"Fine, I'll just sit on my thumbs until she gets back," he thought with an almost devilish glint in his eyes.

Running upstairs he got Michael ready and asked Leticia to drop him off at Bobbies for the night hoping to plan a surprise for Carly.


***************Back at the Loft*****************


Courtney knew that look in Jason's eyes well and immediately grew worried.

"J…Ja…Jason what is it?" She stammered.

He sighed heavily before tucking a stray strand of her hair behind her ear and wrapping his arms tightly around her.

"Court, the good news is….the baby IS mine…. He smiled brightly and then his face went back to one of fear. ….the bad news is there's something wrong with our baby."

Courtney immediately began to sob uncontrollably for several minutes before wiping her eyes and looking to Jason for an explanation.

"Courtney listen to me," Jason began "I will not let anything happen to our child, if he/she needs surgery than so be it, I promise you, our son will be fine." Jason smiled.

"Our son," Courtney question with a laugh.

"Well, yes if it happens to be a strong handsome boy like his father," Jason laughed and stuck his chest out like a male chauvinist.

Punching him lightly in the arm she snuggled closer to him before asking the question she knew wouldn't have a good answer.

"Jason, what's wrong with our baby???" She practically yelled at him.

"Shhh, Courtney calm down please." "Monica and the team of doctors won't know until they run more tests, it could very well be nothing."

Suddenly Courtney's eyes widened in anger. "Jason, how the hell could it be nothing?" "There's something wrong with MY baby!" She yelled and then bowed her head and began to sob into the soft material of Jason's shirt.

Lifting her chin up so she was looking in his eyes he very calmly said, "First off Courtney," while placing his hand on her still flat stomach, "this is my child too and I'm just as worried as you are but we have to stay positive."

"Okay, so when do we leave for the hospital?"

"Tomorrow morning."

"Okay." She said yawning.

Taking her hand Jason led her upstairs to their bedroom to attempt sleep, both unsure of the coming days events and how it would affect the rest of their lives.

END CHAPTER 5