It was amazing how snow could change the world. Not just in terms of blanketing everything in white, but the amazing transformation the frozen substance had on children. Two days ago, her son had been sullen and grumpy as they trudged about their lives. To school, home from school; to work, home from work; stops at the grocery store and the bank; everything was done under a heavy pall of bitterness and a decided lack of cheer. Today, though, the unhappiness had melted away, replaced by the exuberant and blissful little boy he normally was. All because he woke up and saw snow outside today.

If only his mother's mood could be so instantly transformed.

Elizabeth Webber - she'd dropped her ex-husband's name even before the divorce was finalized, and since he never got around to adopting her son they were once again the Webbers together - wanted to be cheerful. She wanted to do her best to provide for her son, to make him happy, to give him everything she could, even though they were no longer a nuclear family. It was just that the same gloom of despair that had enshrouded Cameron had her in its firm grip as well. Because while her son felt the sting of no longer having a father and having to move away from home and go to a new school in the middle of the year, he didn't carry his mother's burdens. And he never would, as long as she could help it.

Having caught her husband playing house with the babysitter and realizing that they would soon be Mommy and Daddy, Elizabeth salvaged what she could of her pride and filed for divorce. Then she packed up her belongings, took the family car and left him the old jalopy, and tucked her tail between her legs and sought comfort from the last remaining family member she had.

Steven had been her savior, and had done his best to help his sister and nephew, something she would be eternally grateful for. He'd pulled more than a few strings to get her hired on a nurse at the hospital their grandfather helped found and where he was currently Chief of Staff; a spectacular feat considering the hospital was in the middle of a hiring freeze due to the economic downturn. There were several individuals who glared at her as they worked part time with limited benefits, and she landed a full time position with a complete benefits package. They figured she was just skating in on the power of her last name and connections, and so she worked twice as hard as everybody to prove that she belonged. Volunteering to work Thanksgiving and the Christmas Eve to Christmas morning shift had helped soothe a few ruffled feathers, and her efficiency in the OR had impressed the finicky Dr. Drake who was now speaking her praises. The fact that he'd lost the Chief of Staff position to Steven but didn't hold that against her and now chose her for his surgical rotation impressed a few people, even if they didn't want to admit it.

But none of that seemed to matter now, considering it had been over a week since she'd seen Steven. Her brother had stopped by her apartment he'd helped her find and said that he wouldn't be at work for a couple of days. A friend had called and needed some help, and he should be back soon. He gave her his proxy to sit in at the next board meeting just in case, but he should be back for it so there really wasn't any need to worry. If she wasn't beyond worried and nearing full-blown panic, she would think that her brother had missed the board meeting simply so that he didn't have to contend with Edward Quartermaine. The curmudgeon had been as pleasant as rattlesnake, and twice as deadly, with his not-so-veiled barbs and threats against her brother's position at the hospital. It appeared that despite his daughter-in-law asking Steven to apply for the position, the man didn't think anyone could ever replace his son, and he didn't like the attempts at modernization Steven was trying to implement.

If her brother didn't return in two days, Elizabeth was going to have to sit in at another meeting, and she really was not looking forward to that at all. She also wasn't looking forward to the questions she was sure to get asking where Steven was. She didn't know, but how could she really say that? It would make him look irresponsible, and that was the last image she wanted to give to someone who was eyeing her brother's position with the intent to take it away.

However, those thoughts were pushed to the back of her mind as she contemplated what she needed to do for the day. With all the snow on the ground, school would be canceled. With Cameron not at school while she was in work she was going to have to find someone to watch him for the day. He went to the after school program for a few hours before she finished her shift, but that would be closed today as well. She figured it was time to call his friends' parents she'd already spoken to for such contingencies and see if one of them would be willing to watch her son for the day when the phone rang and the number on the caller ID came up as the hospital. She really hoped it wasn't Patrick calling to ask her to come in on a surgery because she would be forced to say no unless it was for later in the day; she hadn't even had breakfast or found someone to watch Cameron yet.

She'd barely said hello when her charge nurse's gruff voice carried through the line.

"Nurse Webber, the city has asked all non-essential personnel to stay off the roads due to the snow from last night and the storm system moving in," Epiphany began without any greeting beyond her name. "I've worked out a rotation of the nurses already here; we'll see you tomorrow providing the city's able to keep the streets clear."

Then a dial tone sounded in her ear as she realized her boss hung up on her. Elizabeth slowly hung up the phone, and then a smile formed on her face. Perhaps the first real one in a long time. She didn't have to go to work today, which meant that she'd be able to spend the day with Cameron instead of having to find someone else to watch him. She'd need to line up someone for tomorrow in case the school was still closed, but there would be time for that later. For today, she could enjoy a leisurely breakfast that wasn't instant oatmeal, and then she and Cameron could spend some quality mother/son time together.

She turned around and looked at Cameron who was standing in the doorway of the kitchen and grinned, "That was Epiphany; I don't have to go into work today. Want pancakes and sausage instead of apples and cream?"

Her boy's eyes went wide and he asked, "Really?"

Moving towards the kitchen with much more speed than she would have if she'd been told to get into work immediately, she wrapped her arm around Cam's shoulder and said, "Yep. So...what do you say after we eat we go outside and you see if you can beat your mom in a snowball fight?"

He rolled his eyes and said, "Of course I'll beat you, Mom. You throw like a girl. I spent the fall playing catch with Uncle Steven; I can throw farther than you can."

"That was a football, Cam," she eyed him. "These are snowballs. You've never been in a snowball fight before; you have to pack the snowballs just right. And for your insolence, young man, I won't show you my tricks. You'll just have to hope you learn fast before you end up with a slush ball in your ear."

He laughed, but didn't look entirely convinced, and Elizabeth began to wonder if maybe, just maybe, the magic of snow might actually work on her as well.

She was freezing as they trudged back towards the apartment from the little park down the street. Her fingers were numb from constantly scooping up snow, and her toes were cold despite the two layers of socks and the snow boots she was wearing. Her cheeks were cold and she had tears frozen on her eyelashes from when she'd laughed so hard at Cameron as he huffed and puffed in indignation that he was being beaten by a girl at a snowball fight.

After several good peltings, she'd offered to show him how to make them, but he stubbornly refused. He was determined to prove he could do it on his own, and for his efforts he ended up with snowball after snowball exploding against him and sending sprays of snow up into his face. She knew he was enjoying himself because of the carefree laughter that rang in her ears, and she would giggle as well as she dodged out of the way of his attempts to get her. They had just declared a truce and were about to head back to the house when her little imp of a son suddenly scooped up a handful of snow, grabbed her jacket and dumped the lot of it down her back.

He then took off while she spluttered in shock and then squealed with fear of retaliation when she took off after him. She was just about to catch him and figure out how to exact retribution when Cameron got an extra boost of energy and dashed off again. He looked over his shoulder and yelled, "It's Uncle Steven's car, Mom. He's back!"

Elizabeth was out of breath by the time she finally made to the apartment and was glad that Steven had apparently used his key and let himself in. She wouldn't have to dig her keys out of her pocket with her frozen fingers, and if she was really lucky, Cameron would have already gotten his uncle to start the hot chocolate and it would be ready that much sooner for her to wrap her fingers around and begin to thaw. However, when she stepped inside, there was no laughter from the kitchen; in fact, she didn't see her son anywhere. All she saw was a stranger laying on the couch and her brother standing beside the man taking his pulse.

"Steven?"

Her voice was sharp and her brother turned his head, but then looked back down at the man on her couch to finish his examination. She closed the door behind her and stood on the mat, dripping snow.

"What's going on?" she demanded. "Where's Cameron?"

"I sent Cam to his room," her brother said, finally glancing back up at her. "I need to talk to you first."

"What's going on?" she repeated, looking at the man under her afghan. He looked pale and she wondered what was wrong with him.

"I need your help, Liz," he said. He tipped his head towards the man on the couch, "The friend I went to help...there was a bit of trouble. I had to do emergency surgery in a dingy motel and I couldn't come straight back here. It's taken us several days but I think they'll believe we're elsewhere."

Staring wide-eyed at Steven she couldn't believe what he was saying. He and his friend were in trouble and they showed up right on her door. Crossing her arms over her chest she arched her brow, "You think? Steven, I have a son. Exactly what trouble did you bring to my doorstep?"

He gestured for her to come closer and when she did and could see the man on her couch clearly she gasped and gaped incredulously at her brother. "Jason Morgan? You brought Jason Morgan to my house? How exactly do you even know Jason Morgan?"

"How do you?" he asked.

"I read the newspapers," she shot at him. "Even though they point out that he's never been convicted of anything, they're quite clear in their allegations that he heads the local crime syndicate. I think it's true because anytime anyone mentions him to his sister Emily Quartermaine she gets very defensive of him...it goes beyond normal 'that's a lie and it's not true' feeling."

Turning away she pushed her hands through her hair. "Steven, how did you get involved in this? Are you...are you repaying a debt? Tell me you didn't turn out like Dad and get involved in gambling and some loan shark of his holds a marker over your head."

"No, Elizabeth," he shook his head, his sincerity of voice causing her to turn around. "He made a donation to the hospital and I didn't want to accept it because I'd heard the same rumors, but the truth was that we needed the new equipment he was offering to help us get. He didn't want his name on a wing, he didn't even want recognition; it was completely anonymous. His mother is Monica Quartermaine and he knows what the hospital needs and any time we're short, he comes and makes a donation. I've spoken with him a few times and he's a decent guy. One who needs a different line of work, sure, but he's a decent man. And he called and needed some help and I owed him one."

"For making anonymous donations?" she wondered. "Look, it's great if he's generous, but that doesn't mean you have to take over a week off from work, miss a board meeting, go on the run with the local head of the mob and perform meatball surgery in unsanitary conditions."

"Your ex showed up at the hospital on your day off," her brother stated bluntly and she nearly stumbled back a step. "He was making threats and one of Jason's men happened to overhear it. I didn't ask him to do anything, but suddenly your ex was back home, the divorce papers were signed and you got an apartment in a secure building owned by one of Jason Morgan's companies. So yeah...I felt I owed him one."

Elizabeth firmed her jaw, but held her tongue. It seemed that the local kind-hearted generous mobster hadn't necessarily done things out of the goodness of his heart. He'd done it to get her brother indebted to him and Steven had fallen for it. But that didn't explain why he was at her apartment.

"So now I need your help," he continued. "I need you to nurse him for a while. I'll say you're sick and need some time off. Then I'll take Cam with me; I'll take him to school and if you give me the names of his friends' parents I'll make arrangements with them if I need to. But Elizabeth, I need your help. He needs your help. And nobody can know that he's here."

All of Elizabeth's plans for Jason Morgan healing quickly and getting out of her house so she could have her son return home evaporated like smoke when the mobster came down with an infection. Steven had done his best with the make-shift surgery before they reached her house, but the blood loss, non-sterile conditions and immediate travel had worked against the criminal and he'd begun running a fever mere hours after her brother left with Cameron. They'd been prepared for this contingency and Elizabeth gave him the antibiotics her brother had left and she put all her considerable nursing skill to use, but things did not improve. It was so bad that after thirty-six hours of a high fever and no improvement with the medicine, Elizabeth was forced to call her brother at work and claim to be in such bad shape that she needed him to come over.

While Cameron was at school and her co-workers were concerned for her because the normally healthy nurse was sounding like she wouldn't be back to work anytime soon, brother and sister performed surgery on the mobster to clean out the infected wound and hope to make an improvement. Thankfully it had worked and they'd saved the man's life, but because they didn't want to rouse suspicion by bringing blood to her apartment for transfusions, it was a slow recovery for the man who had so far remained unconscious while he was at her house. Now that he was finally making an improvement, Elizabeth began to relax and actually get more than a few minutes' sleep at a time.

However, she was beginning to despair that her houseguest would ever leave. He'd been here for five days already and she knew he was in no condition to leave even if he woke up within the next hour, but she was feeling agitated and restless and desperately missing her son. And it was because of the man currently sleeping in her bed. If Elizabeth hadn't already been predisposed to not liking the man, the fact that he had ruined her sheets by bleeding all over them and was keeping her from Cameron - even if he was completely unaware of it - left her disinclined to have any charitable feelings towards him. He was a job to her; nothing more, nothing less. And when he regained consciousness, she was going to tell him exactly what she thought about him making donations to the hospital and then forcing her brother to help him because of them.

It was very unfortunate that as Elizabeth was working herself up to a frothing boil of righteous indignation that her patient woke up. Gone was Florence Nightingale; in her place was Nurse Ratched.

Elizabeth Webber was nothing more than a harpy. And someone who, if Jason had any strength and was able to actually stand up and go to the bathroom without assistance, would make him rethink his personal credo about never hitting a woman. She was never overtly rude or impolite, but Elizabeth Webber made it perfectly clear that she did not like him, she did not like him being in her house and she did not like having to take care of him. She was frosty and prickly and if he hadn't heard from Francis about Elizabeth's ex-husband showing up at the hospital and being belligerent, rude and saying some remarks that the guard actually blushed to repeat he would have thought the man had walked out on her just to get away from her stellar personality.

Precisely on schedule, Elizabeth walked into the bedroom after a brief, brusque, cursory knock on the door and declared it was time to take his medicine. She plunked a glass of water down on the nightstand, set a wooden tray down on the bed, and then reached into her pocket and pulled out his pill bottles. Jason looked at the thoroughly unappetizing meal of dry toast, oatmeal and juice and frowned. He didn't eat breakfast but she declared that he needed to have something in his stomach when he took his pills and he needed to eat to get his strength back, but he needed bland food so that in case he got sick from the medicine, it wouldn't be such an unpleasant experience if he threw up.

"Here you go," she said perfunctorily. "Your antibiotic and your pain pill. Now I expect you to actually take it this time and not spit it out like you did last night. I could hear you shifting around in here because you were in pain until you finally fell into a restless sleep. Didn't you recognize the fact that you slept better when you actually took the pill in the middle of the night?"

"I'll take the antibiotic," he conceded, "but I don't need the pain pill. I don't like the way it makes me feel. I always fall asleep after I take it and I never feel fully functioning. I don't want to take it."

She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him while arching a brow up towards her hair. "You will take it, or so help me I'll have my brother write a prescription and I'll give it to you in a shot. You fall asleep because your body is weak; you lost a lot of blood in case you hadn't noticed and you underwent surgery twice in a short amount of time and we weren't able to give you much blood because we didn't want to draw attention to the fact that you're hiding out in my apartment. Sleep helps your body heal, you need to recover and you won't do it if you're pulling some stupid, macho crap about how real men don't take pain meds."

Taking a deep breath her voice rose as she continued on, "I'm your nurse and I'm telling you to take the medication. If you don't, I will force it down your throat and if you happen to choke on it, well then who freaking cares?! Just because you think you own my brother for your contributions to the hospital and what you did in regards to my ex-husband and me getting an apartment in a building you own doesn't mean it's actually true! You're a conceited, rude, arrogant, prick who we're hiding out and could get into enormous trouble not just with your enemies but with the police and the state medical board...but does that matter to you? Of course not. We're just your pawns to order around and command to do your bidding."

She flung a hand against her chest and he actually winced at the force and the loud smack that echoed through the room. "I have a child that's been forced out of his home so I can take care of you. I have to lie to him, I have to tell him to lie to other people all for you, and you're whining like a little baby about having to take some medicine because you don't like that it makes you sleepy. Well, boo hoo for you. I like it when you're asleep because then I don't have to deal with you."

Grabbing his hand she slammed his medication into his palm and huffed out, "So take your medicine when I tell you to, and don't give me any grief about it. Or I will take great delight in giving you a shot each and every time I have to administer it. I know how to make them painless and I just as easily know how to make them painful. Guess which treatment you'd get?"

Without a word, Jason opened his mouth, tossed the pills into them, and took a drink of the water. When he swallowed he actually opened his mouth to show her that he wasn't hiding anything. She nodded and then pointed at the breakfast tray before walking out of the room. Despite her probably walking across the entire length of the apartment and stepping into the tiny pantry in the kitchen to muffle them, nothing hid the sound of her sobs as she then burst into tears.

"I didn't donate to the hospital to make your brother feel like he had to help me."

Elizabeth stubbornly kept to her task of taking her patient's blood pressure, changing the dressing on his wound and refused to answer or even acknowledge that he spoke.

Jason sighed and continued, "I help because my family works at the hospital; I hear enough to know that things are needed and I'm in a position to help out. I spoke with your brother because he's the chief of staff and I wanted to remain anonymous. And I didn't help out with your ex-husband to make you or him feel like you owed me...it's because my man heard what your ex said and nobody, not even you, deserves to have someone threaten them and say things like he did."

Picking up the thermometer she shoved it in his mouth and when it beeped to signal it was done with the reading, she left it there simply to keep him quiet. Finally the man she was ignoring removed it himself and said, "ninety-nine point three."

She wrote it down, retrieved the thermometer and intended to leave when he gently took hold of her wrist. She could have left, she wanted to leave, but instead she stopped and looked at him.

"I'm sorry," he began.

"For what?" she shrugged indifferently.

"For the fact that your son isn't here," he answered and she stiffened and jerked her hand away. "When I was hurt, I didn't know who I could trust; things happened with people who worked for me and I didn't know if I could count on them. I found your brother's card in my wallet and I knew that he didn't really like me, but I sensed that he would help me. I really didn't make the donations to the hospital in order to have something to hold over his head."

There was something so honest and open in his tone that Elizabeth found herself believing him. Even though she really didn't want to. She swallowed and said, "Fine...I believe you."

"But you're still mad at me because of your son being gone," he continued on. "I didn't know that Steven was bringing me here...I was pretty out of it once he found me. I really am sorry that he's not here and you've been kept away from him for over a week. I didn't ask your brother to do that."

"It's probably safer," she replied. "I hate that I've already had to tell him not to mention the fact that he saw you here before Steven sent him to his room. And he knows I'm not sick, but he doesn't know your name and he doesn't know who exactly I'm helping. I just..."

"You miss him," Jason said softly and she sighed heavily as she nodded.

"Then tell your brother to bring him home," he told her. "I'll contact one of my men; hopefully he'll be someone I can trust."

"Are you trying to guilt me?" she wondered, peering at him as she tilted her head. "Saying you hope you can trust him so that I'll insist on you staying?"

"I know you don't really trust me," he stated, "but I'm not doing that. I'm saying I realize now that you and your brother have both stuck your necks out for me and I hadn't really thought of it before. I don't want either of you to get into trouble and I'm really grateful for you taking care of me, but I think it's time for me to go. It would be better for all of us."

Days ago she wanted him out of her house, and suddenly she felt reluctant to let him go. It would be safer for her to not have the head of the mob hiding in her apartment, and she did desperately want to be with her son again. But she couldn't deny the fact that she was now suddenly worried for Jason Morgan and felt horrible about him leaving and her not being there to give him the proper medical care.

Once Jason knew precisely what was bothering Elizabeth Webber, he was determined to leave. She was a single mother and he'd forgotten that. He'd gotten the report on her, knew that her ex-husband had shown up at the hospital angry and upset about her filing for divorce and sole custody of her son that he'd never actually adopted, and yet he'd forgotten as he lay in her bedroom recovering. It was why he hated pain pills; they dulled his memory and thought process and that was not something he needed in his line of work.

The fact that her son was staying with his uncle, unable to come home or spend any time with his mother because she was taking care of a mobster did not sit well with Jason. She should be with her child, not missing work and having to take care of him. It wasn't fair to either of them for her to put someone else's needs above her child's. And so it didn't matter that Jason still was healing and he knew he wasn't strong enough to fight off another attack if more of his men turned on him; he knew that he had to leave. He was not going to be the person responsible for her not being with her son.

Not normally a person prone to hopes and wishes, Jason couldn't deny the fact that he'd held his breath when he called one of his guards. The man was normally loyal, but Jason knew that even the most loyal employee could be bought. It was how he'd ended up walking into a trap; his most trusted bodyguard had led him straight into it. He could only hope that Francis wouldn't turn on him, or pretend to be loyal but instead finish the job off when he knew Jason was in no position to defend himself.

It was just a chance he was going to have to take. Because he had encroached on Elizabeth Webber's life long enough and he wouldn't do it anymore. It was close to Christmas and there were no decorations in the apartment. There was no tree and who knew if the nurse had gotten a chance to do any shopping for presents. If Francis didn't kill him, he'd have to get a present for all three Webbers. Not to buy them off, but merely to express his gratitude for all that they'd done. Elizabeth was correct when she said they'd gone above and beyond anything that he deserved.

Now, all he needed to do was tell the young nurse that he'd contacted someone who would be coming to retrieve him tonight. And then he had to figure out a way to bury the feeling of regret that swamped him when he vowed to himself that this would be the last time he had any personal contact with Elizabeth Webber. Because Jason knew that he was nothing but trouble, and that was not something she needed in her life. His Christmas gift to her would be his absence. Forever.

"I need you to watch Cameron for me," Elizabeth stated when Steven opened the door to his apartment.

Her brother blinked at her. "Wh-what? What's going on?"

"I need you to watch Cam for me," she repeated, giving her son a gentle push on his back to propel him forward. Steven stepped back before he really thought about it and by that time his nephew was inside the apartment holding his backpack and Elizabeth was still in the doorway.

"Why?" he asked, his voice a little sharper. "Liz, I just got off a long shift. Chief of Staff, or not, I was gone for a while and the board's on my case so I've been putting in long hours so that every time Edward Quartermaine just pops by he sees me there hard at work. I'm tired."

"Yeah, well so am I," she said, arching her brow at her brother. "I've been pulling double shifts and getting all the crap overtime assignments to make up for all the sick hours I took that went beyond what I had accumulated. Even my brother, the chief of staff, vouching for me doesn't make up for the fact that my paycheck would have been cut otherwise if I hadn't pulled down some extra hours. So I'm tired, I've been taking care of Cameron and making up for all the time I wasn't with him, helping him with homework and I've got shopping to do."

"Shopping?" he asked in an incredulous voice, even though he'd looked chagrinned at her mentioning being away on sick leave and having to pull overtime.

"Steven," she sighed in exasperation. "What's in two days?"

He thought for a moment and then realization dawned and his chagrinned look became all-out guilt and even a tint of shame. "Christmas."

"I can't exactly take Cam with me on this shopping," she said. "So please, Steven, I need you to watch Cameron for me."

"Of course," her brother immediately nodded. "Absolutely. Take all the time you need. Treat yourself to a dinner that you didn't have to cook and that doesn't come with a toy. And if you want...since this big guy doesn't have school tomorrow and I don't have to go in until a surgery in the afternoon, he could stay the night. We'll have a little sleepover. Roast some marshmallows over the stove, drink some hot chocolate. Stay up way too late practicing our hand/eye coordination."

Elizabeth smiled, and only felt mildly bad now for her plan to trick her brother. "Thanks, Steven. Actually...he's got some things in his backpack. I'll call you, though, if it looks like I've got to take advantage of the stores' late hours and he should just crash for the night."

Then before Steven could really respond, she blew a kiss to her son and headed down the hall to the elevator. Once she was outside and walking to her car, Elizabeth pulled up a number she'd recently programmed into her cell phone and took a deep breath before pressing the send button. It rang a few times and then a voice she'd only heard once before answered.

"Yeah?"

"Hi," she said and then swallowed her nervousness. "This is Elizabeth Webber; we met when you came to pick up Jason. I really need to see him."

Jason turned away from looking out the terrace doors at the falling snow when he heard a knock on his front door. Francis opened it a moment later and stepped partially inside. The trusted bodyguard had an odd look on his face that Jason understood the moment he opened his mouth and announced, "Elizabeth Webber is here to see you."

He shook his head at Francis, wondering what the other man had been thinking and said, "She shouldn't be here."

"Well that's really too bad," the nurse said from behind the guard and pushed her way past him into Jason's penthouse. "I'm here and I'm not leaving."

Jason closed his eyes and let out a slow breath while hoping for patience and a calm demeanor in dealing with the woman. When he opened them again he saw her setting a bag down on his coffee table and opening it to pull out a stethoscope that she placed around her neck. The mobster looked at Francis and gave him a nod of resignation so the guard would step outside and close the door. Stuffing his hands in his pockets and not moving from the doorway he asked, "Why are you here?"

"I came to see how you were doing," she answered, turning to face him. "I know you said you were fine and you had someone who could examine you, but that's not good enough for me. You were my patient and while I don't know you very well, I think I know enough about you to deduce that you're a stubborn man who won't admit he needs help or that he's in pain. So you probably haven't had your doctor come examine you, you probably haven't taken your pain meds, it's dubious as to if you've taken your antibiotic, you may have changed your bandages a few time, but you probably haven't had the stitches removed."

When Jason remained silent and stared at her, she crossed her arms over her chest, lifted her brow and cocked her hip to the side. Jason clamped down immediately on the thought that she was stunning while she looked at him in that manner. Her brow rose slightly higher and she said, "Tell me that I'm wrong."

He rubbed the back of his neck and she nodded. "Just as I suspected. So come here."

Jason stayed by the terrace doors, but when she began to walk out from behind the couch, he moved to keep the pool table between them. She paused, lifted that perfectly arched brow of hers again and smirked. "Seriously? We're going to play this game? Jason Morgan, I am a nurse. I take my job very seriously. I did not think you were healed enough to leave my apartment and..."

She let out a breath, her shoulders dropping and she stopped at the corner of the pool table, looking down as her fingertips rested on the wooden railing. "Look, I get why you left. I laid into you about my brother and me and my son not being home. You took on a guilt complex that I don't even think I could match and left. I wasn't very nice to you and, yes, I did want you gone when you were first there. I didn't really care whether you were healthy or not. But...but I rushed to judgment on you; I wasn't very nice to you and I realized it only as you were about to leave. You left simply so my son could return and didn't care that it might still be dangerous for you."

When she lifted her eyes to meet his, he was struck by how deep they were with feeling. Feeling that was directed at him. What had he done to her to inspire such emotion?

"I've been worried about you," the nurse continued on, her voice softer, less confrontational. "I tried to go on with my life. I've been working overtime to make up for all the time I was gone, and I was finishing up school projects with my son and I've been sneaking out on my lunch hour to buy presents and I fall into bed exhausted every night, but I can't stop thinking about you. I scan the newspaper for any mention of you, I listen to the gossip around town, and I lay in bed at night thinking about how you used to sleep there and I wonder how you're doing. Are you healthy? Are you in danger? Are you sick and nobody's there to take care of you? And I just...I need to know that you're okay.

"So, please," she pleaded with him. "Let me examine your wound. Take the stitches out; make sure you don't have a lingering infection that isn't going away."

"You don't need to do this," Jason shook his head, his voice low before he cleared it.

"I'm here," she told him. "And I want to do this."

There was something so different about examining Jason in his penthouse. It was different from taking care of him in her apartment where she'd seen him in definitely less attire than he was currently wearing. But now...now it almost felt intimate, as she removed the stitches and gently pressed against the healing wound with her fingertips to see if it was infected. Leaning over, examining his side as he sat on his leather couch left her cheeks flaming in a way she hadn't felt in a long time.

She had dealt with patients that had flirted with her, some that she'd even found attractive, but she'd always been professional with them and never crossed the line. It was why she never dated former patients who just happened to run into her at her favorite coffee shop, and never dressed up like Naughty Nurse for Halloween. She wanted to be professional and taken seriously. Right now, however, professional was really hard to hold onto.

Jason Morgan was an attractive man; there was simply no denying that. However, it was more than that. The way he'd spoken to her after her diatribe against him hadn't been resentful or manipulating, it had been tender and regretful. She'd tried to get him to change his mind, to give it another day or two to continue healing before he left, but he always shook his head and told her that he'd inconvenienced her long enough; she needed to be with her son again and he wasn't going to stand in her way any longer. When she talked with her brother and this time really listened to the things Jason had done for the hospital and was rumored to have done around town - donations to the free clinic by the docks, the women's crisis center, and every year the Marines received a semi truck full of toys while the homeless shelter received monthly donations of food, clothes and supplies - she knew that he was a kind and generous man who wasn't trying to buy himself salvation or goodwill with the people of Port Charles. Everyone knew who was behind the anonymous donations, but he never sought notoriety. He was helping because he could and he felt it was the right thing to do.

If it wasn't for his profession, Elizabeth would be wondering how she could meet the man, even while believing she was way out of his league. Even with his chosen profession, she was finding it hard to stick to reasons why she shouldn't just throw caution to the wind. While she'd claimed that she had to see him to make sure he was taking care of himself, she'd given into her desires because she couldn't, and didn't want, to stop thinking about him. No matter how many times she told herself that she was better off staying away, she found she simply couldn't.

Yet, now that she was actually in his home, examining him and being so close to him she could smell the clean simplicity of his soap and feel the heat radiating off his skin, she wondered what exactly she was going to do now. She wasn't the kind of woman to throw herself at a man and just kiss him impulsively. Cameron's father had been someone she'd been seeing; she wasn't the type of woman who had no name one night stands. Except that in this instance she was wishing that she was.

The thing that kept her from completely embarrassing herself was that she simply couldn't muster up the courage to take that final leap. At least not yet. Getting here had been her act of bravery; she was rapidly trying to gather her nerve, but so far it was eluding her. Besides, what would a man like Jason Morgan want with someone like her? A nurse, a single mother, someone who was happier sitting at home relaxing and actually gaining control of the remote once her son went to bed instead of dressing up and hitting the latest hot spot. She wasn't beautiful or alluring or someone that men moved mountains to be with. Her ex-husband had proven that fact by cheating on her with the babysitter.

Just when she had so thoroughly squashed her foolish thoughts with self-castigation and was thinking of how quickly she could declare him healthy and flee, she raised her head and had her breath stolen by the look in Jason's eyes. It was everything she'd ever dreamed of seeing as a woman, and had never received from anybody. There was doubt and confusion on his part, warring with yearning and desire so strong she no longer felt the chill in the air; it was no longer two days before Christmas...it was some warm, sultry, humid summer night and all she could think was that if Jason Morgan didn't kiss her, she might just find the courage to make the first move.

She shouldn't be here, and he shouldn't be thinking the thoughts he was, but as Elizabeth Webber's fingertips danced lightly over his bare side, Jason could only think about how this moment could be so much better if they were upstairs in his bedroom with only a fire to light the moment. He didn't want to just use her and toss her away for his own selfish pleasure; he was simply so humbled and awed that this woman who had every reason to dislike to him, to stay away from him, to shun any and all interaction with him, was here in his house and treating him with such tenderness that he ached for this moment to continue.

With her he wasn't the feared mobster who ran the city, he was a man who had the wondrous gift of a beautiful woman looking at him and seeing his shattered soul and staying at his side anyways. He should be strong and tell her to go, that he wasn't interested in someone like her simply so she wasn't dragged down into the ugliness of his lifestyle, but he couldn't. When she lifted her head and he saw her self-doubt shining in her eyes, he wanted nothing more than to erase it all and make her feel as beautiful as he found her to be. She froze, her hands resting on his chest, her face inches from his and her eyes darkened with undeniable desire. Giving in to her siren's call, he lifted his hand and buried it in the tresses that he'd longed to touch and caress. Then, with a gentle tug on her neck, he stopped thinking and propelled her forward and covered her lips with his own. The feeling was better than he could have ever imagined.

"Are you sure about this?"

Jason smiled tenderly, and patiently, as Elizabeth asked him the same question that she asked with increasing frequency the closer the deadline came. It was another reason that he loved her; she wanted him to be happy just as much as he wanted her to be. She wasn't demanding or selfish, she didn't expect him to make all the concessions in their relationship and she had never once asked him to be someone that he wasn't. He knew that she may not always like his choices, especially his career path, but she never turned away from him because of it. Even when she saw the repercussions of his life close up.

With infinite patience and love, he turned to face her and reached up to tuck a piece of hair back that had escaped from her ponytail. Then he swiped his thumb over a streak of dirt on her cheek and watched as a blush colored her skin. When he was sure she was looking at him he replied, "I'm sure, Elizabeth."

"I just...I don't want you to regret this, Jason," she pressed, the skin between her brows creasing and she pulled her bottom lip in between her teeth before he used his thumb to free it.

"I don't want you to regret us," she confessed on a whisper.

"Never," he growled fiercely. "I have never been more sure of anything in my life."

"I just...I know that you're worried; that there's some danger," she continued on.

An icy finger of fear reached into him and he swallowed hard and then said, "Are...are you scared? Do...do you not want to-"

"No," she cut him off firmly. "No, Jason. I am not backing out because I'm scared. I...I'm a little nervous, but I trust you. I don't know anything about this, only what I've picked up from you, but I trust you. If I didn't, I wouldn't have gone beyond that kiss before Christmas last year."

The ice immediately melted as the fire that she lit in his soul immediately flared to life. He would always remember that day; he'd been so sure that when he left her house that would be the last time he saw her except for an occasional glimpse at the hospital. He certainly wouldn't seek her out; he wouldn't put her or her son at risk because of an association with him, but she'd surprised him - in a wonderful way - by coming to his house. She'd felt the pull just as much as he had and though Jason tried to fight it, there were some things he knew were simply bigger than any one person and should not be tossed away. Elizabeth and her son's love was one of those things.

It was also why Jason had quietly begun the process of working to extract himself from the mob. While he could never completely get out or be guaranteed impenetrable safety, he could work on measures to minimize his involvement and ensure that he, and especially those he loved, would be safe in a life away from the danger. He hadn't mentioned it to Elizabeth at first because he didn't know how successful he'd be, or how long it would take, but when he finally began to realize that it would actually be possible instead of just a hope, he'd told her everything and together they'd waited, and began planning for when possibility became reality.

Together they'd faced the comments and backlash as others learned of their relationship, and together they made plans for their future. A future that only a few people knew about. After Christmas the three of them were leaving town. It wasn't Jason whisking Elizabeth and Cameron off to some warm, tropical vacation to get away from the snow once family visits were over; they were intending to leave town for good.

Jason had worked hard to divest himself of his illegal holdings and turn them over to a man in his organization who had worked hard and proven himself capable of taking over the territory. He still held legitimate businesses, but it wouldn't affect the companies, or the products, if the headquarters relocated out of Port Charles. There were men who were going to accompany them to ensure their safety, taking positions in Jason's business to keep them close, but also gainfully employed. It would be tense at first, he hadn't hidden that from Elizabeth, but Jason had made deals with people to ensure they understood he was out and wouldn't step back into the life. Hi second who was taking over would make it clear that Jason, and especially his family, was off limits, and Francis and the Giambetti brothers would make sure that they were safe.

Elizabeth had already quit her job, had already withdrawn Cameron from school and was homeschooling him, all so that it would be easier to never return. Many in town believed Elizabeth's actions were all in a precursor move to her becoming his wife instead of just his kept woman. If they only knew she already was.

They had returned from his island not only with summer tans and his exit from the mob worked out, but they had returned a family. Elizabeth was his wife, Cameron was his son, and they had only told her brother Steven and his mother Monica. The rest of the Quartermaines looked at her with a mixture of disgust and calculation; certain that they could somehow use her to further their cause with Jason, even if they didn't actually like that she had taken up with the mobster. She saw through their transparent actions, and had readily agreed with him keeping the rest of his family at bay.

Jason was certain the Quartermaines would splutter and claim they were hurt and should have been told about his plans once they discovered he left town permanently, but he didn't care. Elizabeth and Cameron were his family now and he was doing what he had to do for them. He'd asked Johnny to ensure that the Quartermaines were protected so nobody tried to use them for retaliation, but that was the only concession he was making to them. They had never tried to accept him, they had spoken about Elizabeth and Cameron without respect, and they would simply have to learn to deal with the fact that he'd left them behind just like everybody else. The only people who would be allowed to visit would be Monica and Steven.

Jason was focused on his family, even if no one knew about the marriage. He had never liked the looks Elizabeth received, or the comments he heard made about her, but it was Elizabeth who would talk him out of saying something. Not because she was embarrassed to be his wife, but because she declared it was nobody's business. It would also keep people from sticking their nose into their plans. People would feel the need to drop by to offer congratulations, or believe that Elizabeth and Cameron were a way to get at Jason even more than they already were. They had a timeline to keep and needed the freedom to talk about things and plan, and if people stayed away because they thought that she was just some foolish woman who had given up her perfectly good life to become a kept mob mistress, well then that was fine with her. They wouldn't see the people of Port Charles again, so what did it matter what they thought about her?

She was more focused on the future. Where they were going; where they'd live, what they'd do, and the fact that she and Jason would be able to openly live as husband and wife and Cameron would be their son who might one day have a sibling or two to play with. She did her best to help Cameron understand the changes that would be happening, and she flourished in being able to stay home with her son and expand her artistic side that Jason had discovered after they began dating.

And now they were ready.

The jet was in the private hangar at the airport, guards keeping a twenty-four hour watch on it to make sure that nobody tampered with it. Their suitcases were packed, their belongings that they wanted had already been quietly sent ahead, and the presents for their family and friends were wrapped and sitting under the Christmas tree. Monica and Steven were spending the night to get as much time with them as they could before they left, and both Jason and Elizabeth were grateful that the two doctors were supportive of their decision, even if they were saddened by it.

Tomorrow they would open presents, spend the day making memories with family, and then the day after Christmas they would leave for the island. Once there, they would transfer to a charter plane that Jason was qualified to fly, and they would begin the process of leaving their old life behind while traveling to different places. With each stop, they would slip further into their new identities, while also doing their best to show Cameron interesting sights to keep him occupied and help him adjust to all that he was being asked to leave behind.

New Year's Eve day they would arrive at their final stop, and that evening they would ring in the New Year in their new home. Jason had done all he could to make sure that Elizabeth and Cameron felt comfortable in their new place. He knew that they were making sacrifices and for as much as Elizabeth didn't want him to regret his decision, he never wanted her to regret hers.

He watched her as she readied for bed, exhaustion clear after all her activities of the day. She'd cooked dinner for them, stayed up after Cameron went to bed to finish wrapping presents, fill the stockings and help him finish assembling Santa's present to Cam. As she stepped out of the bathroom she gave him a smile that never failed to stir his blood and make him grateful that they hadn't messed up their budding relationship last year. He quickly finished changing so that he could hold her in bed before she fell asleep.

As he stepped out of the bathroom he was surprised to see her sitting on the edge of the bed; he'd half-expected to see her asleep under the covers. He looked at the wrapped box in her lap and smiled as he reached into his drawer and pulled out a black velvet box with a bow on top. Her eyes widened at the sight of it and her cheeks blushed.

"You didn't have to get me something," she said in soft embarrassment as he sat down beside her on the bed.

"Neither did you," he told her. "But I saw this and I wanted you to have it. I...I wanted to give it to you tonight."

She took the box from his hand and opened the hinged top, gasping at the necklace within. "Jason," she whispered. "It's beautiful."

It wasn't large, he wanted her to have something that she would feel comfortable wearing every day, but he wanted her to know that he loved her and was committed to her. As he took the necklace and prepared to put it around her neck he said, "I want you to know that I love you, Elizabeth, and I...I can't believe that you're my wife. I know it wasn't easy for you at times, and it may not be easy in the future, but I...I promise I will do everything I can to make you happy. I...I don't want you to-"

"Shhh," she said as she turned to face him and placed her finger lightly on his lips. "I don't regret this, Jason. And I won't regret leaving here and starting a new life with you. Our last name doesn't matter, and it certainly doesn't matter where we live or what kind of house we have. What matters to me is that you're there with me. And I don't need a necklace to be reminded of your love."

Then his wife smiled impishly up at him, "Although I certainly won't object to it. I will cherish it and I will always remember why you gave it to me and I will feel your love with me every day. You are my husband, and you will always be my husband."

She handed him her gift and said, "And you are the father of my children, and I couldn't have asked for a better one."

Jason lifted the lid on the box and saw a plastic stick in a Ziploc bag, the word pregnant clear in the display window. He stared at it for a moment and then raised his eyes to look at Elizabeth, needing her verbal confirmation as his heart set off on a wild beat in his chest. Her eyes filled with tears as she looked at him and nodded.

"Yes," she whispered in a thick voice. "Children. Next year will bring lots of changes for us, and as long as you're there with me for them all, I don't care what comes our way. That's all I need to hear from you, Jason; that you'll be there."

"I will," he answered, his voice heavy and raspy. "I will, Elizabeth. I'll be there for you and our family."

"Then we'll face whatever comes our way," she vowed as she leaned towards him and captured his lips. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, deepening the kiss. Yes, they would face whatever happened, and they would face it together.