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Chapter 9

"What do you think of this one, Elizabeth?"

Sam placed several magazines down in front of the other woman, pages turned back to several samples. However, her finger was on one picture, singling it out.

Elizabeth took the magazine from her hand and looked at the centerpiece display. Sam trusted the slightly younger woman's opinion because her soon-to-be-sister-in-law had an amazing talent. Elizabeth's paintings were beautiful and stirred emotions in everyone who saw them. She didn't turn out paintings like a machine, or have copies produced for mass buying, but when she completed a painting it was always stunning.

They also sold for top dollar, bought by art collectors who competed with each other - sometimes in outrageous bidding wars - for the honor of owning an Elizabeth Corinthos original. It helped her friend be independent, and well-respected in the art world. Sam knew that Sonny's sister was the perfect person to help her plan the wedding, and not just because she was stuck here in Port Charles and needed a distraction. Elizabeth would help her put together a beautiful and elaborate wedding.

A little over a week ago Sonny had come back after visiting Elizabeth's new apartment, and after calling Jason back from his day with his son and insisting Elizabeth come upstairs, they had set a date for the wedding. It was a surprise to Sam to have Sonny suddenly declare they should make plans, since she wasn't feeling like he was slipping away or neglecting her. Elizabeth had been surprised by her brother's behavior, and especially by his insistence that she be there to help them on what, she said, should be their thing.

Both women knew something had happened, something that was keeping Sonny and Jason busy and necessitated all the guards doubling up. But Sonny wasn't saying anything and they knew not to ask questions. They accepted the extra guards if they went anywhere, and they didn't even complain when Sonny asked them to check in more often than they ever had before. Security clearly was heightened and Sonny and Jason were worried, more than Sam had ever seen before.

So Sam and Elizabeth took the restrictions as an opportunity to begin planning. Sam was going to take full advantage of Elizabeth's offer to help, because it would keep them occupied and because Sam was truly grateful for the assistance. She didn't want a huge wedding, but she knew there had to be a certain level of lavishness to it. After all, she was the daughter of the Donnelly Family enforcer, and she was marrying one of the heads of the Five Families. She had to get it right, and Elizabeth would be able to help.

"Well?" Sam asked, her eyebrows raised in anticipation. "What do you think?"

"It's very pretty," her friend said softly.

"You don't like it." She flopped back against the sofa and let her hands fall at her sides dejectedly. "What's wrong with it?"

"Nothing," Elizabeth was quick to say with a shake of her head. "Nothing. If you like it, Sam, then you should consider it. This isn't my wedding; I'm just trying to help however I can."

"Elizabeth," Sam implored her. "You have a great eye for details and color and you know what goes together and what doesn't."

Her fiancé's sister shifted slightly on the chair and twisted her mouth to the side. Sam leaned forward once more and this time she wasn't focusing on wedding samples. She wanted to let the other woman know that she wasn't going to judge her or say anything derogatory about her abilities. Sam knew that Elizabeth was uneasy because of what happened last week with Sonny, and she wanted to put the woman at ease.

"Look," she began, "I know that you see things differently. Sonny's told me a few things, and so have you. I don't...I don't care, Elizabeth. I don't think you're weird or anything else; you just have a different view of the world. I know that Sonny-"

"I don't want to talk about that," Elizabeth interrupted, her voice taking an edge to it.

"Okay," Sam nodded slowly, treading softly. "So when I ask what's wrong with the centerpiece, I really do want to know."

"The centerpiece is pretty, and I think it will work," Elizabeth told her. "But I don't think it will work with your flowers. So do you want your flowers or your centerpiece?"

"I really like my flowers," Sam told her. She had loved calla lilies since she was a child and she always wanted to carry them in her bouquet.

"So then we look at other centerpieces," Elizabeth said easily enough. She reached for the other magazines and looked at the pictures Sam had marked and scrutinized each one, small frowns or headshakes accompanying each selection. Elizabeth started to flip through the magazines, turning down corners of random pages and muttering softly to herself.

Sam was curious as to what the other woman was finding and was anxious to ask, but she knew the look in Elizabeth's eye so she stayed quiet. Elizabeth was envisioning something, and Sam didn't want to disrupt the flow. Some idea was about to be revealed and Sam couldn't wait to see what her almost sister-in-law came up with.

All thoughts of wedding centerpieces were obliterated though when Sonny rushed into the penthouse with Max right behind him. "Good, you're here."

Sam immediately stood and looked over at Elizabeth who was standing now as well. She saw her worry reflected in the other woman's face and the two of them drifted towards each other, watching Sonny as he picked up the phone and dialed.

"Jason, I need you over here right now."

Sam's eyebrows rose when Sonny hung up the phone after that terse order and then turned towards them. "You two are not to leave this apartment," he commanded. "Johnny will be outside and Francis will be in here. You don't leave."

"We won't," Sam whispered, a bit shaken by the intensity, almost crazy frenzy of his words and gaze.

Elizabeth quickly nodded, her skin a little pale and her eyes wide. "We'll stay here."

"Good," he declared emphatically. Then he turned when he heard the door open and Jason walked in carrying Michael. "Good, Jason."

"What happened?" he asked, bouncing Michael slightly.

"We need to go." Sonny sighed and held up his hands. "I know you have Michael because Carly's with Bobbie in New York, but where's Leticia?"

"I gave her some time off," the younger man said, a little confused and not sounding entirely happy.

"I'm sorry," he sighed regretfully. "You'll need to call her. Something broke with Andrew and Elizabeth's guards. So you'll need to leave Michael with Sam and Elizabeth. They'll watch him 'til Leticia gets here."

"Sure," Sam immediately nodded, stepping forward. She knew that something had worked Sonny up about the guards and she knew the sooner he and Jason could get working on it, the better it would be for him. So Sam wanted to make Jason feel comfortable in regards to his son. "He'll be fine with us."

"Get whatever he'll need," Sonny told him, "then we have to go."

"Wouldn't it be easier for us to watch him over at Jason's?" Elizabeth spoke up calmly, trying to helpfully point something out Sonny might not have thought of in his single-minded focus. "He'd have everything he needs, and he knows the environment. It would be easier on him, make him feel more comfortable with us."

"Does that work?" Sonny asked Jason impatiently.

"Yeah," the father nodded.

"Good." Her fiancé was clearly impatient to leave. "Sam, Elizabeth, get whatever you need and let's go."

Michael Morgan was a very sweet boy. It was hard to understand how he could be so easy going with a mother like Carly, but Elizabeth attributed it to Jason. He seemed like a very involved, and loving parent, and it seemed that his son had inherited his personality instead of his mother's. Thank goodness for little favors.

It had been obvious that Jason hadn't wanted to leave the little boy, but her brother had been almost manic in his desperation to leave immediately. She knew something had happened; either Sonny's researchers had uncovered some information or Sonny had seen something. She strongly suspected the latter because Sonny had that wild, desperate look, fighting for control when he arrived.

Her brother always got like that after a vision. He didn't like his abilities, and he always fought them, which was why he seemed to teeter on the brink of sanity sometimes. Elizabeth felt that if he wouldn't fight them so much he would have an easier time all around. He could channel his abilities and use them to shore up his power base. Because when he fought them, it only made him weaker.

Sam tried to help him, but he worked so hard to keep it hidden from her, harder even than trying to keep it hidden from the sister who had seen it all her life. He had a different relationship with Sam than he did with Elizabeth, and he wanted to keep his image as a man in control in all aspects of his life in tact. Seeing images that came at any time and without warning was not macho, especially for a mob boss. Tony Soprano may have gone into therapy on television, but this was reality and Sonny would be targeted and lose power if anyone found out he had visions.

Elizabeth worried about him, especially since he wouldn't say anything to Jason. How could the younger man truly understand the situation and keep her brother safe if Sonny his something this big from him? Jason had to be confused by the sudden nature of the requests, and the insistent urgency of the demands. How was he to know the time sensitive nature of the vision and that's why Sonny got so panicky and overbearing that things had to happen now?

She knew Jason was loyal to Sonny, but how could he fully protect her brother if he didn't understand the situation? And why couldn't Sonny understand that it could help him if would just fully trust the people around him? They could all help him when he had these episodes instead of worrying he might spin out of control into a dark place. She had seen her brother in those moments and she never wanted to go through it again.

"So where's Carly at?" Elizabeth asked in an attempt to distract herself from her worried thoughts about her brother.

Sam shrugged, her smiling face not masking the disgust in her eyes. Her voice was calm and bright, making Michael smile despite what was being said. "I don't know. I think Jason said she's off with her mother in New York City. No doubt it's supposedly some conference or convention for Bobbie - she's a nurse - but Carly's using it as an excuse to shop. Jason gives her an allowance, beyond what's needed for Michael's care and Carly uses every last cent of it. Sometimes I know Jason's given her more."

"Does she work?" she asked.

"Are you kidding?" her brother's fiancée laughed. "Carly Benson did her job; she gave birth to a rich man's son and now she's set for life."

"You really don't like her, do you?"

Sam put the 14-month-old boy down on the floor and gave him some crayons and a giant pad of paper Elizabeth had given up for his enjoyment. Then she moved closer on the couch to the chair Elizabeth was sitting in.

"I try not to fight with her because it just makes things difficult for Jason," Sam sighed, lowering her voice and darting a look over at the little boy engrossed in his scribbling. "It doesn't always work; we clash like Ike and Tina. But no, I don't like her because she uses Jason and treats him horribly. She uses this little boy to control him and one day she's going to lash out in a stupid, desperate attempt to hang onto him or punish him or something equally dumb, and she'll hurt him or send him to jail. She hates Sonny and will probably end up hurting him or sending him to jail."

That was enough to make Elizabeth hate the other woman, because she would fight against anyone who was a threat to her brother. But there was something more to this situation that Elizabeth didn't understand and didn't like. She didn't know if she was right, but as she watched Michael scribble on the paper and noticed the colors he was producing - beyond the actual hue of the wax - she was struck by what she saw.

Michael was an adorable little boy, and she could see some resemblance with Jason's features, there was something else. As she watched the different colors dance on the paper, she noticed they were different from the hues she'd seen Jason produce. She'd noticed family members produced complimentary colors, but not always. So did it really mean anything that Michael's colors didn't seem to match Jason's? That while seemingly similar, there was enough clashing and discordancy with them to make her question. After all, the little boy was just barely over a year old; maybe he hadn't fully developed his colors yet.

But with everything Elizabeth knew about Carly Benson, a horrible thought hit her. What if Michael wasn't actually Jason's, but Carly had claimed he was simply to get his money? That was not only disgusting and a horrible thing to do to Jason, it also made Elizabeth uneasy. If Carly was dishonest about her own child, then what was to stop her from being dishonest about other things? Could she be a threat to Sonny?

She wondered if her brother had ever felt the other woman was a threat to organization and that was part of why he didn't like her. If her brother had seen something but hadn't said anything because he was ignoring it or because he was afraid of telling Jason and not having the younger man believe him, then they all could be in danger right now. If a rival mob faction was behind the guards' treachery, then they could be in bigger danger than they realized if an insider was helping out. What if Carly and her child were a plant and were working a connection to Jason?

Elizabeth bit her lip and looked at the little boy who had abandoned the paper and crayons and was now playing with a small plush set of safari animals. He was innocent in all this and she certainly couldn't blame him for the threat his mother might be. Besides, this was all just conjecture. Michael might not be Jason Morgan's son, and if that was true then it was all just guesswork that Carly was a threat poised to betray them or already doing so. There was no proof, and she could just be letting her one bad encounter with the mother color her thinking.

The real problem was, how could Elizabeth ask whether Michael was actually Jason's son? If he didn't know, how could she be the means for him finding out that the little boy he loved and was raising wasn't actually his? How could she hurt someone who had been so kind to her and supported her in this situation with Sonny? She didn't feel completely at ease with him, they were only starting to get to know each other, so how could she ask him something so potentially life-altering just based on a worried feeling she had?

"Elizabeth?"

She blinked and looked over at Sam who was watching her in question. "Yes?"

"What is it?" the other woman asked. "You've been staring at Michael for minutes."

"Nothing," Elizabeth shook her head. "Nothing."

"You sure?"

Standing up, she walked over to the little boy and sat down on the floor beside him and his toys. He picked up a lion and a zebra and handed them to her before climbing onto her lap. Looking over at her friend she nodded, "Yeah, I'm sure. I was just thinking about Sonny; worrying."

"Sonny and Jason will be fine," Sam said, trying hard to sound convincing. "They've been doing this for years and know how to take care of themselves."

Smoothing her hand over the little boy's red hair, Elizabeth forced her smile to match her friends. "Yeah. So I'll just keep reminding myself of that."

Then, she wrapped her arms around the child's sides and made the animals run up and down his legs eliciting giggles from the toddler. Maybe if she distracted herself by playing with Michael, she could put all her doubts and questions out of her mind. It may not be entirely successful, but at least she'd have fun in the process.

"What's his name?"

Jason punctuated his question with a punch to the soft tissue under the man's ribs. For the past five minutes he had concentrated his attacks there and Andrew was gasping for breath as he struggled in pain.

Sonny circled the room malevolently, fire burning in his eyes. "You know the thing about Jason, Andrew? He has endless reserves of endurance, especially when it comes to business matters. You're not looking so good, Andrew, and Jason's barely broken a sweat. He keeps focusing on that spot and pretty soon you'll have internal bleeding, if you don't already. It's a painful way to die, Andrew. Can take hours.

"Now," Sonny adjusted the cuffs of his shirt, "we know that you weren't contacted by anyone from Moreno's organization. He's gone, so's Sorel, and Jason here has delivered the word quite efficiently that we are in charge of his old territory. We're cleaning up those few holdouts who don't know which side is winning. Your backer is too smart and organized, not to mention financially well off, to be one of them."

"So who is it?" Jason asked as he once more sank his fist into the much-abused flesh. Andrew coughed and red-tinged spittle collected in the corner of his mouth. Sonny knew the man had to be hurting.

Jason growled and grabbed Andrew's shirt, pulling him close. "I can go for hours," he promised. "And I haven't even begun the real pain yet, like when I break your fingers one at a time and dislocate your shoulders."

To give a preview of future pain, the enforcer grabbed the traitor's arm and twisted it roughly. Sonny heard the grinding of bone against bone and heard Andrew yell out. Jason let go and sank his fist into the man's side again, then grabbed him once more and pulled him up out of the chair.

"The name," he commanded.

"Al..." Andrew coughed again and blood trickled down to his chin. "Alcazar. His name...Alcazar."

Sonny smiled at Andrew whom Jason released to fall into a heap, missing the chair, and smiled. "See how easy that was?"

Chapter 10

Jason's tramp had been around her son. How dare Jason have his bed buddy anywhere near Michael. Carly knew that Jason claimed they were no good together, but she believed that in time he would come to see things her way. Besides, even if he didn't really want her, he wanted Michael. She knew he would do anything to keep her little boy as his son, and Carly knew that she was now going to have to implement her plan.

Leticia hadn't said anything about someone being over at Jason's penthouse last night, but then, Carly knew that when Jason planned to stay in and spend some time with Michael he would let the nanny have some time off. Sometimes Jason was entirely too indulgent with the woman; giving her more time off besides her one day a week. Because Jason was kind and because he paid her salary, Leticia wouldn't tell Carly anything.

The nanny would say that she wasn't there to spy on Jason for Carly, and as long as Michael wasn't hurt by him, she wasn't going to comment on how he spent time with his son. Apparently Leticia didn't see anything wrong with Jason letting some other woman take her place in her son's life. Well Carly had a problem with it. She wasn't going to let Jason cozy up to some woman and let her play mommy to Michael. She could see where that would go; pretty soon the new woman would tell Jason he should sue for custody and Carly would be on the outside looking in.

She would not stand for it. And Jason would soon learn the penalty for thinking he could get away with something like this. Carly would make him pay, but first she had to clean up Michael. Wash off all traces of the tramp's perfume from her son, get rid of his clothes that smelled like her and the toys that she'd tainted. Then she'd deal with Jason.

"Elizabeth?"

"Hi," she smiled. "I wasn't sure if you'd be home, but I was hoping you were."

"Is everything okay?" he asked, opening the door for her to come in.

"Everything's fine," she quickly said. There was no problem for him to fix and she didn't want him to worry.

Jason looked over at Francis who had accompanied her upstairs. "Francis, why don't you take a break? I'll walk her over to Sonny's if she's going there or she'll call you."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes and laughed at the thought that Jason was actually going to walk her across the hall to Sonny's, when she could see the door from here. Somehow, though, she thought Jason was really serious; he would deliver her personally to Sonny's penthouse like he was taking her home after her junior prom.

"You do realize that I can walk across the hall by myself," she said with a smirk.

"He would want me to make sure nothing happened to you."

"There's no arguing with you on this, is there?" she asked.

"No," he shook his head with just a hint of a smile. "So why did you come by?"

"This is going to sound odd, but I think I left a scrap of paper here," she said with a bit of embarrassment.

"The art book you left with Leticia for Michael?" he asked, turning for the closet.

"No," Elizabeth shook her head. "He can keep that; I have a lot of them."

"Thank you," he said. "But you're sure? It seems expensive just for a toddler who scribbles."

"Jason," she laughed, "I'm sure. I have probably a dozen of them and I can easily buy more. He was enjoying coloring and he's never too young to start out on the right equipment as opposed to lined paper from your desk."

Tucking her hands into her pocket, she shrugged, "You could probably even get him some coloring books. They have them of all the animated kid movies and they have words, tell the stories of the movies; so you could even read to him from them. Reading's important."

She could tell he was listening intently to what she was saying, and somehow she felt Jason Morgan would be buying coloring books soon. He seemed to be so involved, even though Michael and his mother didn't live with him. It made her wonder once more if Jason really was Michael's father. It also made her a bit sad, because he seemed so diligent, so caring; it would be wrong for him to be hurt if he wasn't the little boy's biological father.

"I'll look into that," Jason said, confirming her impression of him. "Ask Leticia what his favorite movie is right now. So if it wasn't your art book, what are you looking for?"

Elizabeth grinned ruefully as she walked towards the chair. "I had a scrap of paper in my purse and I think it may have fallen out last night. It's either here or at Sonny's, but I don't remember getting anything out of my purse over there."

She looked on the floor by the chair and the coffee table, and then circled around to look by the couch. "It had this great color on it that I was going to try to match this morning while I was painting, and when I went to get it out, it was missing."

Not seeing it, she now knelt down so she could peer under the furniture easier. She was a bit embarrassed to be crawling around on the floor like this, but she really wanted the paper. The cherry red business card with silver and black accents was nothing spectacular; it was the handwriting on the back that she didn't want to lose.

The store clerk who had been helping her had grabbed a business card to write down the name of a brand they didn't carry in the store, but she swore would be exactly what Elizabeth was looking for. As she watched the woman write, Elizabeth had been struck by the beauty she'd seen. What on normal paper would have probably been a yellowish hue had combined with the red paper to create a gorgeous peachy orange. It would go perfectly in the painting Elizabeth had started after moving to Port Charles.

Now, though, she couldn't find the paper, she couldn't remember the clerk's name, and it would be a huge hassle to try to get another sample. So she really wanted to find the business card. Not able to spot it under the chair she'd been sitting in last night, she swiveled her head to look under the sofa.

"Ahah!"

"Did you find it?"

"Yes," she beamed, leaning forward. "It's under the couch."

Stretching out her arm, she reached for the cardstock, but only brushed her fingertips against it. Suddenly the sofa end was raised and Elizabeth darted her hand forward, retrieving the thick paper. Clutching it in her hand, she quickly got to her feet, realizing she'd probably already made an odd impression on him by being on her hands and knees on the floor.

Jason settled the couch back into place, not looking strained at all by its weight. Sonny would have been red in the face, or would have simply called a guard before making the attempt. It reminded her that Jason was part of the muscle in the organization and that he was certainly fit.

"Got it?" he asked, slipping his hands into his pockets.

They stood on opposite sides of the couch and she flipped the card over, smiling when she saw the handwriting still held color. She smiled and nodded at him as she tucked the card into the back pocket of her paint-splattered jeans. "I got it. Thank you."

"Sure." He looked at the couch and then back at her. "So did you want to go to your brother's then?"

"Not particularly," she stated simply. She sensed she might have surprised him with that pronouncement, but Jason was good at covering his reactions. "All I wanted was the card 'cause I was working on a painting. I was actually hoping it was here and not over there."

"Why?" he asked. "I thought...I'm sorry. It's none of my business."

She took a step back and sat down in the chair she'd sat in last night and slipped off her worn flip-flops, pulling her feet up onto the cushion and hugging her knees. Jason slowly walked around the couch and sat down. Elizabeth picked at the worn threads on her knee, not looking at Jason as she sighed and propped her elbow on the armrest.

"Elizabeth?"

"Things are better with Sonny," she said. Then she dropped her head into her hand. "Somewhat. He apologized and I forgave him, but...the reasons it happened are still there. And I'm worried about my brother."

Her eyes darted towards Jason briefly and then she looked away, staring at the fireplace. "He tells me I don't need to worry, but I do. Because I've seen this before and I've seen him crash and I've had to help him pick up the pieces. The first time...it scared me so much. I didn't know what to do; there was nobody I could call. I...I wasn't supposed to be with Sonny; I'd run away from home and my mom and Deke were looking for me."

Her throat tightened and her eyes stung as she clenched her hands into the denim. "Sonny hid me; I hid from everyone. Our mom, from Deke and his cop buddies, and from the guys Sonny hung out and worked with. Joe Scully's crew wasn't like this one. I was Sonny's kid sister, but I was almost sixteen; plenty old enough, some of them figured."

Jason made a disgusted sound in his throat as he understood her meaning and Elizabeth picked at flecks of paint on the fabric and on her hands. "He kept me safe, and when...when he started slipping and had a small episode, I hid it from everyone. I told them he'd been hurt and I'd take care of him but he needed to lay low for a while. I took care of him and he got better and then..."

She stood and paced restlessly across the room. Agitated and upset, she went to the fireplace, but soon began circling the pool table. Sonny had been confused, embarrassed, and afraid. Not for himself, but for her. He saw the broken furniture and the smashed dishes and he knew it had only been luck and her quick reflexes that had kept her safe.

He sent her to the market one day and when she got back their mother was there. Sonny had called her to take Elizabeth home. He told their mother that she needed to stand up to Deke, protect herself and Elizabeth and if she wouldn't do it then he would. Elizabeth had cried, she had screamed, she'd even begged, and when Sonny wouldn't let her stay she'd slapped him. Told him she hated him and she never wanted to see him again.

Their mother had taken her home, and taken a beating from Deke for the trouble. Elizabeth had kept her head down, tried to stay small and out of the way, and kept her mouth shut. No matter how much things bothered or offended her, she just ignored them and pretended all was well. But Deke had been looking for an excuse, and looking for just the right time and then he exploded.

What happened after that changed everything. Lives were lost or forever changed, and Elizabeth once again relied on Sonny. But she also knew she couldn't burden him, and he could decide to send her away again without a moment's notice. So she'd learned to fend for herself and she knew that things might work for a time with her and Sonny, but it was never a good, full-time situation.

She would always worry about him, but he didn't like his baby sister taking care of him. Not when he was supposed to take care of her. He'd failed her once, he wasn't going to let her down again. He just didn't seem to understand it wasn't just physical strength and protection she needed, she needed emotional stability as well. And when he got like this, teetered on the brink and shut her out, it hurt worse than anything Deke had done to her and made her feel like that fifteen year-old-girl who'd been shoved aside by the person she wanted most.

"E-Elizabeth?"

She jumped slightly, startled by the sound of Jason's voice so close behind her. She looked over her shoulder and saw him standing by the pool table, concern etched on his face. Turning away from him, she hastily wiped away the few tears that had escaped and tried not to focus on the reflection of him she could see in the terrace doors.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

Jason shook his head. "There's no need to be sorry. I can understand; you care about Sonny."

"I do," she nodded.

"I do, too," he admitted. "But I've seen his episodes before and the dark places he goes. I'll be here to help keep him from going there, and to help pull him back in case he does."

She pulled her bottom lip into her mouth and swallowed roughly. "Thank you, Jason. I...I just want to go back to my apartment."

"I'll call Francis to meet us there," he told her. "And I'll walk you back."

This time she didn't even try to fight him or tell him it wasn't necessary. The memories had left her drained and she tiredly nodded her head in thanks. All she wanted was to go home and sleep, she didn't have the energy for anything else.

Jason was wary as he stepped into Jake's. Carly had called him and said she wanted to talk about Michael and then insisted she wanted to meet at Jake's. It was her unwillingness to meet anywhere else that set him on edge. Why wouldn't she want to talk about Michael at her house? Why at a bar?

Especially this bar. This was where Jason had been living when he met a sexy blonde he was more than willing to spend time with. In time, their relationship changed, but Carly didn't want to give up their fun at Jake's entirely. Any time she wanted to meet at Jake's she'd try to rekindle their past. An innocent get together for drinks and a game of pool invariably turned into a plea for them to slip up to his former room for old times' sake.

Which was why he suspected something was up when she'd called him. Michael was just a ploy, and Jason was upset she was using her son to try to lure him to the bar. He wasn't going to let her play him and think that she could get him to come whenever she demanded it. So Jason hadn't rushed over to Jake's, he had made her wait.

When the door closed behind him, Jason's eyes struggled to adjust to the dim interior from the bright afternoon sun. He scanned the room for Carly, but didn't immediately see her. He did see Jake at the bar who seemed to be trying to catch his eye. Once she saw he was started her way, she looked pleased.

"Hey, Jake," he greeted her as she took a seat at the end of the bar where he could continue to scan the room.

"If you're looking for Carly," the bartender said as she set a bottle of beer down in front of him, "she's over with some guy in the corner."

Jason turned his head and searched the smoky room's depths until he saw the blonde in a corner booth, a guy leaning close and looking down her low-cut top. A moment later, Carly lifted his head and kissed him. Turning away from the spectacle and taking a drink of beer, Jason met Jake's gaze. This was probably a show for his benefit; it was clear the older woman thought so.

"She been here long?"

"Long enough for me to find out she's mad at you," Jake told him. "She thinks you've got a girlfriend you've been letting hang around Michael. So my guess?" she said with a tip of her head towards the corner, "is that little show is about payback or designed to make you jealous."

Jason didn't say anything, even though he agreed. Although he was confused about why Carly thought he had a girlfriend. It was a common complaint with her, simply because he wouldn't spend every moment with her or get back together. But why the sudden revival of the jealousy-laced accusation?

Out of the corner of his eye he saw movement and he tipped his head slightly. Carly and the guy were now standing up, molded up against one another in a groping kiss. Carly grabbed the man's shirt and began leading him to the stairs, then up them.

"She asked for your old room," Jake informed him after the couple had disappeared from sight.

"You ever seen him before?" he asked the bartender, memorizing the man's features.

She shook her head. "Nope."

"Was he here before she showed up?"

"He came in afterwards."

Jason pulled out a twenty and placed it on the bar. "Thanks for the beer."

"Are you going after her?" Jake asked.

"No," he shook his head. "She's her own person and she makes her own choices. If this is a ploy, she'll stop it when I don't show up. And if it's not, then it's none of my business."

Jake merely raised her brows, but said nothing.

"Try and get a name," Jason requested of her. "In case Carly's guard doesn't get it. And make sure Rey can stay."

"You got it, Jason," the older woman assured him.

"Thanks," he told her, and then left the bar. He'd wait for Carly to call him again, and this time he'd insist they meet at her house. She wasn't going to play him at Jake's again and he was going to let her know that.

Chapter 11

She had to get some fresh air; she had been breathing paint fumes for days and she needed more than just a couple of windows left open. She needed to breathe something that wasn't stale and circulated. When she lived on the island, she could walk out onto her private and secured beach and clear her head and her lungs after a marathon painting session like this. She missed that ability and freedom now and Elizabeth wondered if there was a way she could get just a whiff of the harbor.

Opening the door, she smiled at Francis when he turned at his post to face her. She had met the guard before, both down at the island and when she'd come to Port Charles, but she'd never spent that much time with him. Mark had been in charge of her security detail and he went with her everywhere. He wasn't her guard anymore, and now Elizabeth was trying to get to know Francis.

She knew that Sonny trusted him, and so she felt safe with Francis. Yet she didn't feel completely at ease with him. He answered to Sonny, Sonny was on high alert, and she doubted she would be able to convince Francis she needed to get outside and down by the water. Mark had understood her moods after all the years he'd guarded her, and she hated having to break in a new guy. But she wouldn't be a Corinthos if she didn't try to get some fresh air the way she wanted it.

"Hi, Francis," she greeted him brightly.

"Miss Corinthos," he smiled in return.

"Francis," she drawled out. "It's Elizabeth. I don't care what Sonny says; please call me Elizabeth."

"I'll try," he nodded, though she wasn't entirely convinced. "So what's on the agenda for tonight?"

"I need to get out of here," she told him and watched his eyes slightly widen. "I've been painting for the past forty-eight hours and I need air that's not laced with chemicals. So, whatever you need to do to set this up, we're getting out of here."

"Where are we going?" he asked as they walked towards the elevator.

"I need fresh air," she told him, starting out gradual. "I miss the island and the ocean. So I'm leaving it up to you to find the safest place, but I need to smell salty, sea air."

He was silent as they stepped into the elevator and descended into the parking garage. She could feel her chances of breathing ocean air slipping away. Francis didn't like her request, and while she might get a few minutes in an inner city park, there was no way she was going to hear the waves. She could tell.

When they stepped off the elevator in the garage, Francis called out to the one of the guards and asked for a set of keys. Elizabeth looked at all of the big, dark, reinforced tanks and sighed. Freedom was slipping out of her grasp and she knew she couldn't complain about it because she wasn't going to act like a spoiled child who wasn't taking the danger seriously.

The familiar rumble of a motorcycle was heard echoing through the garage and Elizabeth turned with a smile. She had enjoyed her ride on Jason's bike and if she had to be trapped in one of Sonny's reinforced Towncars for this outing, then she could at least have a happy memory to carry with her. Maybe she could just get close to it for a moment; see the chrome, smell the leather.

"Elizabeth?" Francis called to her. "You ready?"

"Just a moment," she told him as Jason rounded the corner into sight. "I want to say hi to Jason."

Francis came to stand beside her, and silently they watched as Jason pulled the bike into his spot and turned off the engine. A line creased between his forehead when he saw them and he swung his leg over his motorcycle and walked towards her.

"What's wrong?" he asked, stuffing his keys into his jacket.

"Why do you automatically assume something's wrong?" she pondered with a shake of her head. "Nothing's wrong. I heard your bike and I wanted to say hi before Francis and I left."

"Where are you going?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. I just need some fresh air; I was leaving the location and the safety up to Francis."

Immediately Jason turned an interrogating look on the guard. "Miss Corinthos said she wanted to go down by the harbor, but I knew it wouldn't be safe so I was trying to figure out where she could smell the water, but wouldn't be exposed."

Jason crossed his arms over his chest looking formidable and Elizabeth sighed. Turning for the elevator she over called her shoulder without looking at the two men, "Never mind, Francis. Let's just go back upstairs."

This whole night had become more trouble than it was worth. She'd open the windows, set up some fans and put her paints away. In a couple of days her apartment wouldn't smell like paint thinner anymore. She wasn't going to get Francis in trouble for a need she couldn't explain and nobody was going to understand or accept. She was a woman; she wasn't supposed to be a hassle.

"Elizabeth."

She stopped and rolled her eyes before turning and bracing herself for the lecture she was sure Jason was about to give her. Instead, he was holding his keys and looking at her in question. "Want to go for a ride?"

Her eyebrows arched in disbelief. "Are you serious?"

"Yes."

"You don't need to meet with Sonny? Sam says you guys are always in a meeting."

He jingled the keys once more. "I don't need to meet with Sonny right now. So what do you say?"

Eagerly she came forward. "Absolutely. If you're sure."

"I'm sure. Francis," he addressed the guard, "let Sonny know his sister is with me, and then you can go home. We'll call Chris when we're back."

"Okay," he agreed. "I'll see you tomorrow, Miss Corinthos."

She narrowed her eyes at him slightly; they'd discuss calling her Elizabeth again. But not right now. As her guard walked away she looked back over at Jason and asked, "Why are you doing this?"

He was silent for a moment, seemingly studying her and then he shrugged. "You looked like you needed a ride. You looked ready to crawl out of your skin if you went back upstairs. I don't know."

With a grin he asked, "Does it really matter?"

"No," she laughed as she took the helmet from him and put it on. "It doesn't."

He climbed on the bike and waited for her to join him before starting the engine. "Hold on, and yell if you don't like anything."

She leaned forward and breathed in his ear, "But what if I like it?"

Elizabeth felt the laughter rumble in his chest as he turned his head and spoke over his shoulder. "Scream."

Her own laughter turned into a squeal of delight as he suddenly released the brake and the motorcycle roared out of the garage.

"Feeling better?" Jason walked up beside Elizabeth as she stood peering over the bridge into the dark night.

As she turned to look at him her eyes fairly glowed in the moonlight. "Yeah. Thank you."

"Enjoy your smell of the harbor?" he asked with a laugh.

"Alright," she laughed with him. "It smells a little more of diesel oil and dead fish than the ocean off my beach, but it tasted the same."

He turned his head a little to look at her, but her eyes were closed in bliss. "That wonderful sharp tang of the salt and the brine, that smell that isn't masked by chlorine. I love the scent of the wind as it comes off the water. It cleans everything."

"It corrodes everything," he stated. "All that salt. It pits the warehouse and rusts the trucks and the forklifts. Last winter we had to replace all the fuel lines at the warehouse."

She laughed and pushed at his shoulder. "Are you always so literal and pessimistic?"

"Realistic," he shook his head. "Salt doesn't clean."

"Really?" she asked, lifting her brow slightly. "Then why do they sell bath salts?"

"Oh, no," he held up his hands. "Don't start talking about beauty products."

Elizabeth laughed again and then let out a long, content sigh as she leaned forward and rested her arms on the stone edge of the bridge. "Thank you, Jason."

"I didn't do anything," he told her.

"You did," she said in all seriousness as she turned to look at him. "I needed this tonight. The wind, the fresh air, the ride, getting away from the Towers. And I haven't laughed so much in a really long time. So, thank you."

"Is everything alright?" he asked her.

He hadn't seen her since the day she came to his penthouse looking for a scrap of paper. He'd spent the days since then looking into information on Alcazar and the guy Carly had picked up at Jake's. He'd tried to spend time with Michael while dealing with the guards who were turning on Sonny. He'd flown down to the island and handled questioning Elizabeth's old guards as Sonny sought confirmation that they were working for this Alcazar guy. That didn't even take into account his growing aggravation that Carly wouldn't agree to a time they could talk about whatever pretend problem had prompted her to call him to Jake's in the first place.

But looking at Elizabeth now, he wanted to make sure she was okay. He didn't want her to be unhappy. For some reason, he wanted to know that she was happy. He didn't want her to be sad.

"Yeah," she shrugged. "Things are fine. I was painting...and sometimes I just get on these painting sprees and then I when I stop I just...I have to get out of there and breathe. In the past forty-eight hours I think I slept six...maybe. I needed air that didn't smell like paint or turpentine.

"If I was down on the island, I could just go out my back door to the private beach. But," she held out her hands, "I'm here, so I couldn't just go where I wanted."

As Jason listened to Elizabeth, he was struck by the similarities in her painting spree and Sonny's moods he'd have sometimes. There were times Sonny wouldn't sleep and he'd cook, clean and organize in a frenzy. He wondered if Elizabeth had episodes like her brother, or if it was just a coincidence of behavior.

"This has been hard on you, hasn't it?" he asked.

"It's been...okay," she finally answered. "I get the safety reasons, and I paint, so I normally spend my days indoors. But when I need to get outside and clear my head and recharge my batteries...then, yeah, sometimes it's a pain. I honestly didn't expect that I could go to the docks tonight, but I had to ask. I missed the ocean."

She turned to look at him, hopping up to sit on the railing of the bridge. He wondered if she knew how far down the gorge was, or if she just wasn't afraid of heights. He stepped closer and took his hands out of his pockets, in case he needed to grab for her.

"So, like I said; thank you for tonight."

"You're welcome," he told her. "You know, if you really like the ocean that much, I could take you out on my boat some time."

Her eyes went wide like they had earlier tonight when he mentioned a ride. "You have a boat?"

It was an excited, exaggerated whisper and he smiled as he confirmed it.

"Let me guess," she smirked. "A speedboat."

"What would I need with a yacht?"

"You would totally fit in in Miami," she teased him with a smile as she looked at him. "You'd be one of those mobsters driving a cigarette boat around."

"No," he shook his head. "I don't like Miami. Too big, and I like actual seasons. Besides, Sonny and I don't run drugs."

They both seemed to sober slightly and she agreed. "Yeah. You probably couldn't wear your leather jacket too much in Miami. You belong in Port Charles."

She looked down at her hands and brought her own to rest on her thighs, just above his. Then she looked back up at him and lifted a finely-arched brow in question.

"The gorge is pretty far below," he explained. "I didn't want you to fall."

"My big protector?" she asked with a giggle, then covered her mouth as she yawned.

"I'm here to help," he answered. "But I should probably get you home."

"Ugg," she wrinkled her nose, "my place is still going to smell like paint. This is why I liked my house; the studio was more separated and my bed didn't smell like paint thinner. I guess I'll just have to deal with it or paint less. It would probably be a logistical nightmare to get a separate studio, wouldn't it?"

Jason felt bad as he agreed, "Probably. Right now, at least."

"There's a threat and you and Sonny are trying to keep us all safe," she finished for him.

"Yeah."

They were having a hard time finding information on Luis Alcazar and what he was trying to plan against Sonny's organization. Jason knew Sonny wouldn't let his sister get a studio in some artist's building. He wanted her close and protected, and that was more important than her art. As unfair as that might be to Elizabeth, Jason knew that's how Sonny would insist it be.

"Come on," he told her, tugging her down off the bridge railing. "We should go."

She sighed, but came with him. She was clearly tired; the best thing for her would be to just get some sleep. He knew now, though, that she felt trapped sometimes and so he made a vow to himself that he'd check in with her more often, maybe take her for rides when he could. If she felt like she had an outlet, the ability to get away from things, then she wouldn't be tempted to ditch her guards or give them a hard time.

It wouldn't be hard to look out for her, she was nice and he enjoyed spending time with her. He wouldn't even think of it as a task; they had things in common and it wasn't a chore to be around her. It would also be a nice break from everything else going on in his life.

Carly stood in the shadows outside Jake's and lifted the cigarette to her painted lips. She was bored with the crowd inside, but she wasn't ready to go home. Michael was asleep, Jason would only want to talk about Michael and wouldn't meet with her at Jake's, and she wasn't ready to meet with him yet. She was upset about his tramp, she was definitely unhappy that he didn't come to Jake's last time when she'd wanted him there, and her plan so far was not working.

So Carly decided to focus on herself for a while. If Jason was going to have someone in his life and let her be near Michael, then she could have the same. And Alex seemed to fit the bill nicely. He was new to town, didn't know her past, and he liked spending time with her. It was a little like how she and Jason started, but not quite as wild and mysterious.

The sex wasn't as good, but it wasn't the worst she'd ever had. She accepted that nobody would be able to surpass Jason. They played pool, they drank, they laughed. But unlike her and Jason in the beginning, she knew his name. She knew his phone number. And she could talk to him about things she never would have told Jason at this stage back then. He knew she had a son, he knew she was upset with Jason, but they didn't spend their time talking about that. He made her forget for a little while.

Carly was pulled from her thoughts when she heard the rumble of a motorcycle engine she would know anywhere. She dropped her cigarette and crushed it under her shoe while she fluffed her hair and adjusted her top. She could make it seem like she was just leaving as Jason was arriving and use this chance meeting to her advantage.

Her delighted anticipation turned into anger when Jason didn't turn into the parking lot, but instead drove right past. With his slut on the back of his bike. Carly couldn't see the woman's face because of the helmet and the way the tramp was plastered up against Jason's back, but she knew Jason had downgraded to a brunette. She was tiny all over, so that ruled out Sam; Carly was left with a burning curiosity as to who this unknown woman was.

After standing in the parking lot for a few angry minutes she dug into her purse and pulled out her pack of cigarettes. She didn't bother calling Leticia; she'd get home whenever and the nanny would just have to deal with it. She fumbled with her lighter, and looked up when a match flared to life and touched the tip of her cigarette.

"Hello, Carly."

"Alex," she said after exhaling the smoke. "I didn't think I'd see you, you said you had work."

"It ended early," he smiled at her and her stomach tingled. She knew that look.

"I'm glad."

"Rough day?" he asked, genuine concern coloring his voice.

"Something like that."

"Then I'm glad my business finished early." He stepped close to her, bumping her chest with his. "Now I can make it up to you."

A reply wasn't needed from her as he lowered his mouth. Talking could wait, they had other ways to communicate before that.

Chapter 12

"You're not going to like this."

Sonny looked up from the mock-up invitations Sam had asked him to look at, and turned his full attention to Jason. He knew what he didn't like, but he didn't care which one they actually used. He'd ask Elizabeth which style was Sam's favorite and then tell his fiancée that was the one he liked too. Stuffing the samples back into the folder he brought home from he waved his second into his office.

"What'd you find?" he asked.

"Benny's been digging into the name Alcazar that Andrew gave us, and he found out why it seems like the guy doesn't exist."

"Is it bad?" he asked, even though he could tell by the look on Jason's face that it was.

"He's Venezuelan," Jason told him. "An arms dealer."

"He wants our shipping routes to Canada," Sonny surmised.

"Maybe," Jason hedged. "The U.S. Government uses him, and they're the reason we can't find anything on him. He's got connections all over the place. He's been arrested and charged with murder five times; one time cops came on the scene right afterwards and found the smoking gun in his hand. He's never been convicted, let alone even stood trial. Each time the Feds get the charges to go away, claiming he's vital to important operations."

Sonny leaned back in his chair and sighed in disgust up at the ceiling. "So if we try to retaliate..."

"We'll have the Feds breathing down our necks," Jason finished the thought for him. "Yeah."

He stood and paced across the office, running his tongue over his teeth as he jammed his fists at the waist. "So this guy thinks he can make a move on my territory, turn the guards protecting my sister and my fiancée, and I won't strike back because he's protected by the Feds?"

With an angry shake of his head Sonny vowed, "Forget that. I don't care if he's protected by the Pope. This guy is not going to get away with threatening my family and messing with my organization. I got rid of Moreno and Sorel, I'm not letting Luis Alcazar invade Port Charles."

"So what do you want to do?" Jason asked as he stood.

He wanted to find this Alcazar and make the man eat his teeth.

"You tell Benny I don't care what he has to do, who he has to bribe, or what he has to steal. I want to know everything there is to know about this Luis Alcazar. I want to know where he is, who he's doing business with and where his money is. I want to know where he is, where he goes and who he's sleeping with. I want to know everything. And when we do and we know how he's infiltrated our organization and whether anyone is working with him or is ready to take his place...we're gonna kill him."

He was going to make Luis Alcazar pay for terrorizing his family and going after his sister. Only cowards made sneak attacks on families. Sonny hated cowards and he hated Luis Alcazar.

"I'll tell Benny and Stan to get started on this," Jason told him.

"This is their first priority," Sonny ordered. "Their only priority. Anything else gets done by other people. I want this information as soon as they can get it."

Jason nodded and turned to go, but Sonny stopped him from going. "Jason? Can I...I wanted to ask you about Elizabeth."

His friend frowned and put his hands in his pockets, "What do you mean?"

"Francis called a couple nights and said you were taking her out on your bike."

"Yeah," Jason answered.

Sonny frowned. The younger man was being tight-lipped and he wasn't in the mood to put up with it.

"Look," he ground out. "I've been busy with the warehouse and Alcazar and apparently Elizabeth's been painting. I haven't been able to talk to her, so I'm asking you. Francis said she wanted to go down by the harbor, so he was glad you came along because he wasn't sure what to do. I need you to talk to me. What's going on with my sister?"

"She's feeling a bit trapped," Jason said and Sonny felt the words like knives. "She understands the danger and she's not going to run off, but she misses the island. She would paint, then go out the beat to clear her head. She likes the smell of the ocean, and she wanted to smell it."

Sonny sighed and ran a hand over his face. He liked the ocean, but not to the level that Elizabeth did. It was like she needed to be near the ocean. He'd stuck her in a tower and never even took into account that he'd obliterated her routine and freedom. She thrived in the outdoors and fresh air.

"So I took her out for a ride," Jason continued with a shrug. "Said maybe I'd take her out on my boat some time. I thought if I did that she wouldn't give Francis another heart attack by asking him to take her to the harbor."

Sonny gave a small laugh. "Yeah, he didn't want to make that decision. Did you take her to the harbor?"

"I took her some place protected, but yeah."

With a sigh and a shrug he said, "Well, better you than Francis."

"That was my thought. This way she was safe. I think I was able to discourage her from wanting a studio."

That made him look up sharply and frown. "A studio?"

"The paint smell is getting to her and her apartment is smaller than her house on the island."

Sonny sat down in his chair and sighed once again. "Yeah. I remember we put in a separate ventilation system for her studio. Listen, thanks for looking out for Elizabeth and taking her out. Be careful or you'll find out she's a speed demon."

"I don't mind," Jason said with a shrug. "I was thinking, and thought maybe we could turn one of the apartments on her floor into a studio for her."

Sonny lifted a brow at the thought the other man had put into this. "I'll think it over," he said. "I guess I need to try a little harder to talk to my own sister. You're not here to report on her, but thank you for looking out for her."

"She's nice," his friend said. "I don't mind spending time with her. But Sonny, I'm not going to tell you what's going on with her again, unless it's something that relates to her safety."

Sonny nodded in acknowledgement of that, and recognized that he was going to have to talk to Elizabeth more. She wasn't off on the island where he got occasional reports from her guards, or e-mails or cards once in a while. She was here in town, and he couldn't act like he couldn't be bothered with her.

There was a brief pause and then Jason said, "I'll go call Benny and Stan and then I gotta call Carly. She's still avoiding me."

"Okay," he said as the other man left. He had a feeling this was all just another ploy by Carly, but at least Jason seemed to realize it. Maybe he'd put his foot down with the harpy and actually might have things settle down, but somehow Sonny got the feeling it was going to get worse before it got better. He just hoped he was wrong.

Sam had always loved Queen of Angels Church. It was beautiful architecture, the frescos and statues were amazing, and it had been the first place she had seen Sonny Corinthos. So there was no doubt in her mind where she was going to get married to him. It was not going to be in Chicago where her father lived and she'd grown up; it would be here in Port Charles.

"Are you thinking of anything specific for the decorations, Sam?" Father Coates asked as he joined her and Elizabeth.

"I want to keep it simple," she told the priest. "Elizabeth came up with a simple attachment for the pews, and then we were thinking of some flower arrangements in a few places. I don't think this church needs much adornment; it's already beautiful."

The priest smiled and said, "Thank you. Now...I assume Sonny will have his men here for security?"

"Yes," Sam answered with a nod. "He said that he would talk to you, but Max was going to look over things today."

"We may want to lock some doors and close off some part of the church during the ceremony," the guard said with a mixture of hesitant respect, but also determination to keep everyone safe.

"I understand," Father Coates told him. "I certainly want to try to accommodate you."

"Thank you, Father," Sam smiled at him.

"What were you thinking of for the ceremony?" he asked.

"Sonny and I wanted a traditional ceremony. Traditional vows. That sort of thing."

"Latin?"

She shook her head, feeling bad. She had grown up going to Latin Mass with the Doyle Family, but she and Sonny didn't want it for their wedding. Father Coates didn't seem offended though as he nodded in acceptance. "That's fine."

"Thank you, Father Coates," she smiled. "I think this will be wonderful."

"Any time two people in love begin a new life together," he said, "it is always beautiful. Have a good day, Sam, and call me if you need anything."

"We will."

"Good day, Elizabeth," he called out to the artist who was looking at the statues of the saints near the side.

She turned and smiled at the priest, "Have a good day, Father."

Sam walked over to Elizabeth and asked, "Are you hungry? We could call an order into the Grille and pick it up on our way home."

"Sure," Elizabeth. "Just a minute, though, okay?"

"Yeah," she said as Elizabeth walked towards a room off to the side. When Sam realized where the other woman was going, she followed and joined her. They were quiet as each lit a candle and knelt to pray. She didn't know what Elizabeth asked for, but Sam suspected it was similar to her own prayer; keep Sonny safe.

They stood within moments of each other and turned for the door. Their guards moved ahead of them to clear the way and Sam reached into her purse to pull out her sunglasses when Elizabeth spoke.

"You know what I could really go for?" she asked. "Some chili from Kelly's."

"You've had Kelly's chili?"

Elizabeth laughed. "The guards have brought some to me when I've been here before. Sonny had a fit when he found out, but I like it."

Sam honestly would like some, too, but she couldn't admit that to Elizabeth. Sonny had told her this morning that while Elizabeth knew Mike lived in Port Charles, he didn't know his daughter was here. And Elizabeth wanted to keep it that way as long as she could. Sam knew that Elizabeth didn't have a good relationship with her father, it was even worse than Sonny's, and she tried to avoid him whenever she came into town. Mike had taken to spending most of his days at Kelly's, drinking coffee or asleep in a room upstairs. Going to the waterfront diner would not be a good idea.

However, Sam wasn't going to tell Elizabeth that; she'd let Sonny talk about their dad. He knew how to phrase things better, and he understood her animosity towards their father better than Sam. She didn't want to bring up that touchy subject right now, so she wasn't going to say Mike hung out at Kelly's most days. She was just going to keep Elizabeth away from the diner and she had the perfect weapon in her arsenal to use. Sonny.

"Maybe we can sneak some chili another time," Sam smiled conspiratorially. "But Sonny planned on coming home early, and he'll flip out less if we're eating food from the Grille."

With a roll of her eyes, Elizabeth sighed. "Ah, yes. The food rules; what's acceptable and what's not. Alright, Kelly's chili when we can eat in my apartment and hide the evidence."

"However, we won't let Sonny ruin all our fun," she grinned with genuine delight. "The Grille has a new dessert that I found a couple of months ago..."

"Chocolate?" Elizabeth asked with a hopeful curiosity.

"Oh, yes," she confirmed.

The other woman dipped her head and clapped her hands with a flourish, "Then what are we waiting for?"

Sam gave a laugh and they walked towards the door where Max and Francis were waiting. "Alright, boys, we're ready."

Francis opened the door and nodded to the driver of the limo. The blond guard turned back to the two of them and the guards flanked them as they quickly walked from the church. A pop was heard, followed by a ping. Sam turned her head, momentarily confused, but she quickly realized what it was when she heard more pops quickly follow.

"Get down," Max commanded as he grabbed her. He rushed her towards the car as the driver got out and opened fire. "Get them in the car."

Sam was shoved inside, and she quickly scrambled across the seat. Looking out the open door, she watched as Francis picked up Elizabeth and Max drew his gun. Her almost-sister-in-law was nearly tossed in the limo, her head connecting with the doorframe, and Francis followed her inside. The door was slammed shut and a few moments later the car lurched forward, gaining speed as they drove away.

"Elizabeth," she cried out, crawling across the interior towards the other woman. "Are you hurt?"

Jason followed Sonny into Elizabeth's apartment and only absently acknowledged the guards before following the older man down the hall. When they reached Elizabeth's bedroom, Jason paused at the doorway while Sonny continued on into the room. He quickly kissed Sam before stopping by the bed where Elizabeth sat up, tucked under the covers, a stark white bandage attached to her forehead. His friend collapsed onto the bed and drew his sister into his arms, hugging her tightly.

"'Lizbeth," he whispered raggedly. "Are you alright?"

Sonny's hands moved over her arms, down to her hands. "Were you shot?"

"No," she tried to assure him. "Francis kept me safe, kept me moving."

"But the doctor's here," he insisted, "and your head."

"I tripped getting into the car," she told him, an embarrassed smile forced on her lips. "I hit my head, rather hard unfortunately. Sam and Francis insisted I get looked at."

"How is she?" Sonny asked the doctor who stood to the side, packing his instruments in his bag. "Is she concussed?"

"No," the doctor was quick to assure him. "I had to put in a couple of stitches, but I don't believe she has a concussion."

"I just have a headache," Elizabeth told him. "So please stop shaking me."

Sonny immediately stilled his hands which had been running reassuringly over her, as if needing to touch each inch of exposed skin to make sure. "Sorry. I just...when Francis called..."

"I'm sorry you were worried," she said. "I'll be fine; it's just my head hurts right now."

"Rest," Sonny told her, kissing her gently on the head. He stood and turned to Sam, "How are you?"

She stepped into his arms, burying her head against his chest. "I'm fine. Max got me into the limo right away, I was safe. Max drove us back here, and we called the doctor. Sonny..."

"I know about Tony."

The driver had been shot, returning fire while the women's guards got them into the car. Max had shoved him across the front seat of the limo before driving it away so they wouldn't leave a body behind. Jason had already called Father Coates on their way to the Towers and the priest wouldn't speak to the police if they came to investigate gunfire. Unfortunately Tony had bled out before the doc arrived. They were going to send his body home to his father, along with a generous settlement for the older man.

Sonny looked over at his sister and asked, "Do you need anything?"

"Sleep," she said softly, covering a yawn.

"She needs food," Sam spoke up. "We were going to order from The Grille when this happened."

"I'll fix something," Sonny said with a shake of his head and Jason looked down at his feet. He'd thank Sam later for giving Sonny a task to focus on. "I'll make your favorites, 'Lizbeth."

"Don't wake me," she commanded. "I know how to heat things up."

The group slowly made its way out of her bedroom, the doctor giving instructions for her care. Sam dimmed the lights and gave one last look at Elizabeth who smiled weakly before closing her eyes and settling back on the pillows. When they reached the living room, Max and Francis stood and came forward, looks of concern on their faces.

"I'll go to the penthouse," Sam said, obviously in an effort to leave them alone so they could talk about the shooting.

"Sam," Sonny stopped her. "I'll walk you there. I'll fix something for you and Elizabeth."

He looked back at the three men and said in an order, "We'll talk when I get back."

The trio nodded and watched Sonny escort Sam from the apartment, his arm wrapped tightly around her waist. Jason let out a breath, thankful for Sonny's momentary calm. He'd nurture first, making sure Sam and Elizabeth were safe and well taken care of, and then they'd get down to business. Jason actually preferred it this way because it kept Sonny calmer and gave him a chance to think rationally. It also gave Jason a chance to begin the process of gathering information and issuing orders.

Turning to Francis he began, "Elizabeth said she tripped getting into the car and hit her head. Stick to that story with Sonny, but tell me what really happened."

Chapter 13

There was no doubt about it, Elizabeth Corinthos needed a separate studio. Jason hadn't been in her apartment that long, but he was already bothered by the paint smell. He wasn't that sensitive to smells, he'd hid in dumpsters, lived in slums and dealt with death and corpses on occasion. He'd dealt with them, but he could feel a headache coming on from the paint fumes. Now he understood Elizabeth's need to escape the other night and get fresh air. He was going to look into turning one of the apartments on this floor into a studio, and he was going to upgrade the ventilation system.

As he sat on the smaller sofa in Elizabeth's conversational grouping, he made a note to see about the upgrading the ventilation system in here. But right now he needed answers from Francis and Max before Sonny got back with food. The two guards sat across from him on the larger couch and he looked at them pointedly.

"Francis," he looked at Elizabeth's guard, "What happened?"

"Elizabeth tripped," the guard said.

Jason looked at the older man in surprise. He'd thought Elizabeth looked like she was hiding something; that she was only telling part of the truth. She hadn't tripped; she'd protected Francis somehow. "Really?"

The guard nodded. "I had my arm around her, hurrying her towards the car and she stumbled. But she didn't stumble forward, she pulled back."

Francis leaned forward and ran a hand over his face. "Jason...I thought she'd been shot. I picked her up and ran. When we got in the limo, I really thought I was going to see a bullet wound."

Jason could understand why Francis had been worried and wanted to get Elizabeth in the car. He thought he'd find a bullet hole, instead he'd hit her head against the door frame and made her need stitches. Not to mention she'd been knocked unconscious for a few minutes.

"We don't need to tell Sonny that," Jason told him. "He was worried enough just hearing about the shooting."

Their boss had been frantic, and filled with guilt that it was the women who had been shot at. He was also furious that the men trying to go after his territory were making those moves through the women in his life. Jason agreed that these men were cowards, and he understood Sonny's need to keep them safe and protected from this. But how could they ensure their safety when they never knew if the guards were completely trustworthy? It made him worry about Carly and Michael's safety and he knew he was going to have to increase their guards.

"Jason," Francis said, his voice heavy and tired. "I'm sorry about Elizabeth. I...I don't want her to lie to Sonny."

"Francis, it's better if he doesn't know right now. He's not..." Jason shook his head. "He needs to calm down from tonight. Let Elizabeth tell him when she chooses to."

"Can I see her?" he asked. "I just want to make sure she's alright."

"She's asleep right now," he told the guard. "But you can see her tomorrow."

Francis nodded in acceptance and ran a hand over his face. Jason appreciated that the older man was diligent in protecting Elizabeth and that he was concerned about her. Sonny had made right choice in the man guarding his sister.

"Tell me about the shooting," he ordered. They had men at the area, looking to see what they could find, but he wanted to get the first-hand account. "How many shooters do you think there were?"

"I think there were three," Max spoke up. "At least. Maybe just two. Shots came from my left and right. There might have been two shooters on the left, or maybe the guy just moved."

"I think that's right," Francis concurred. "They were off to the sides, but in front also. It was definitely an ambush. We were ducks in a barrel."

Jason didn't like it. Nobody knew until that morning that Sam and Elizabeth were going to the Queen of Angels church. Outside of the four of them and Father Coates, nobody learned of the destination until the limo left. The enforcer knew the priest wouldn't betray them; Jason and Sonny were his parishioners, he had christened Michael and they had donated to his church as well as saving his life once. He would not sell them out for profit or fear.

So how did the shooters find them? Did Alcazar have men watching them despite the constant sweeps of the perimeter and the buildings around them? Were Sam and Elizabeth followed there, or were they betrayed after their arrival by someone divulging their location? They needed these answers, but answers were hard to come by with Luis Alcazar.

The apartment door opened and Sonny and Johnny walked in, both mens' arms laden with dishes. They must have found something, because Johnny had been their man in charge of the investigation at the church. He would only have left to bring information.

The guard brought his dishes towards the table while Sonny walked to the kitchen. He called over his shoulder as he walked, "I brought food for us. Get started while I put this away, Johnny says they found something."

Three men tried to kill his fiancée and his sister. One shooter was dead, one of his guards managed to get off a kill shot while still protecting the women he loved. Max and Francis were getting a bonus, Sonny decided, and Tony's family would definitely be taken care of.

"We took the body," Johnny informed them. "Doc's going to examine him, and we'll run his fingerprints, but it's a good bet we'll trace him back to Venezuela and Alcazar."

"Anything on the body to suggest that?" Jason asked.

"No," Johnny shook his head. "No passport, no I.D. Guy's Latino, but nothing concrete."

"Just a hunch?" Sonny asked. Johnny nodded once more and Sonny sighed; he'd given anything to be able to get a flash of confirmation or a hint on where Alcazar was. Stupid visions didn't work that way, though. They never came when he wanted them and was ready to handle them. They always caught him off guard.

"Did you collect bullets?" Jason asked the guard.

"Cops showed up," Johnny answered with a shake of his head. "We got a couple of shell casings, see the bullet size and all, but we didn't get a chance to look at the church. We called Father Coates when we got there, he said he wouldn't tell the cops Sam and Elizabeth were there, and he was relieved to hear they were alright. He said he would pray for everyone."

Sonny sighed and set aside his plate. The others had eaten, but he didn't have that much of an appetite. How could he when his sister could have had so much worse than a bruise on her head?

"Johnny, you keep on this," he commanded the senior guard. "I want to know when you find out anything."

"You got it, Boss," the Irish guard answered, focused and businesslike. Sonny knew he could trust this man, but he never stopped double-checking.

Both men stood and Sonny clapped the guard on the shoulder as he said, "Thank you, Johnny. I'm glad I can count on you."

"I'll call you as soon as I know anything," he promised and turned for the door.

"Francis, Max," Sonny said as he turned to the two remaining guards. "Thank you for today. You kept my family safe and did your best to minimize the situation. I'm glad...I'm glad I can count on you. Call your back-ups to replace you, and then you can go home for the day."

"Actually, Boss," Max said in a soft, almost hesitant manner, "Francis and I would like to help Johnny on the investigation."

The older guard nodded in agreement. "The cops might be gone from the church by now; we can go over it with Johnny."

He hadn't felt right ordering them back out when they had already done so much today. But this showed their commitment and loyalty. He reached out to shake their hands, a gesture of his gratitude, but also to test their loyalty. He was relieved when each time, all he felt was the warmth of their hands and not the flash that accompanied those who betrayed him.

When the two guards left, Sonny sighed and turned to Jason. The younger man was quietly gathering dishes and taking them into the kitchen. Sonny followed behind him and joined him at the sink where Jason was filling it with hot water and dish soap. They worked silently and when the last of the dishes were neatly stacked, Sonny laid his towel over the dish rack to dry and curled his fingers around the sink's edge.

"It makes me crazy when things like this happen to my family." He swore and shook his head. "Cowards come after women. Luis Alcazar is nothing more than a coward. Doesn't meet me face to face, doesn't come after me; goes after my women."

"I know," Jason sighed, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "I'm beefing up security around Michael and Carly, and I'm trying to get a hold of her to tell her."

"She still avoiding you?" Sonny asked, trying to mask his annoyance. Jason seemed to have enough problems right now; he didn't need to fight with Jason right now about Carly.

"Every time I call her she says she's busy. At first I thought she was just punishing me for not rushing over to Jake's when she called. Now, she's meeting some guy she met at Jake's."

Sonny lifted a brow, "You okay with that?"

"I'm not in love with her," Jason shook his head. "If she wants to see someone, why would I care?"

"She wants you to care," Sonny pointed out. Probably unnecessarily.

"Yeah. Jake said Carly was angry at me, saying I was seeing someone." The younger man gave a shake of his head. "I don't know why she's saying that, but it's probably just because I won't sleep with her again."

"You have this guy checked out?" he asked, moving to the main concern of safety. Carly didn't really know anything about the organization, but someone could kidnap her or Michael in an attempt to get what they wanted from him and Jason.

Jason nodded. "Guy's name is Alex Henderson. He's got a couple of parking tickets in Boston, a couple of speeding tickets. But he's a consultant for some software firm; he's in Port Charles setting up the computer system for Jacks Industries. Benny ran a check on him, seems legitimate."

"What was he doing at Jake's?" Sonny asked. If he was a techno person, it seemed odd for him to be a waterfront dive.

"Got lost. It was his second day in town. I've got someone following him and Benny's run a check through Jax's systems. It all checks out."

Something didn't feel right, but Sonny didn't have a specific flash. The most he could say to Jason was, "Keep an eye on him, and Carly."

"I will," the younger man sighed. "Now, why don't you get back to Sam?"

Immediately, he shook his head. "I'm staying here with Elizabeth. I don't care what the doctor says; I want to make sure she's alright."

"She will be," Jason assured him. "But let me stay with her. She's probably just going to sleep, and I can get some work done here. If she wakes up I'll have her call you, but you should spend time with Sam."

He did want to be with Sam, to make sure she was alright. She may have grown up in the business, but she wasn't used to being shot at. She would have understood if he'd stayed with Elizabeth, understood his need to make sure his sister was alright. But Jason was right, Sonny needed to be with Sam. For both their sakes.

"You don't mind doing this?" he asked.

"I offered, Sonny," his friend said with a hint of a smile. "Go; I'll look after your sister."

Elizabeth woke to a pounding head, a queasy stomach and a pressing need to go to the bathroom. She minced her way to the bathroom attached to her bedroom, and then back out. She just wanted to go back to sleep, but knew it wasn't going to happen if she didn't take something for the pain. But if she didn't eat something first she feared she'd throw up; she never reacted well to pain meds. Although, just the thought of food made her queasy.

Ugh.

Slowly she made her way down the hall, pausing when she heard someone out in the living room. "Sonny?"

She should have realized Sonny would stay here and take care of her. He didn't need to do that, and he should have gone home to be with Sam. Yes, she might feel temporarily pitiful, but once she got a little food and some Tylenol, then she was going back to bed. It was a waste of his time, and not fair to Sam, for him to sit here all night.

So she was surprised when Jason appeared at the end of the hallway and she frowned in confusion, "Jason?"

He walked quickly to her side and wrapped his arm around her waist. "Hey. I thought I heard you up. What are you doing out of bed?"

"My head hurts, but my stomach's queasy."

"You need food," Jason told her and her stomach rolled. "Doc gave you a shot when he stitched you up, and you didn't get lunch."

He led her down the hall, his strong, yet gentle, grip holding her up while also securing her tight to his side. Elizabeth was grateful for his help because by the time they reached the couch her legs felt wobbly and her head was pounding. As she sat down, she leaned her head back and took a deep breath. She felt cold and clammy, and she'd only walked a few feet.

"Okay?" he asked as she let out her breath.

"Yeah," she barely nodded. "I just feel a little weak."

"Here," he handed her some juice. "Get a little sugar in you. Sonny made some food, so I'll heat some up."

"Something soft," she requested.

He gave her a little smile. "He brought some soup; said it was your favorite."

She didn't eat much, but after some rich broth and vegetables she did feel a little better. She didn't feel quite so queasy anymore, so maybe part of her problem was hunger. But when she started to feel ill just looking at the spoonfuls of carrots, she put the bowl aside.

Jason took the dish from her and handed her some fresh juice. When he came back, he carried some orange pill bottles with him. "Doc sent over some prescriptions for you. An antibiotic and something for the pain; you cracked your head pretty good."

Gingerly she touched the bandage on her forehead. The bruise was tender, it throbbed and she could feel the goose egg.

"Francis said he'd stop by tomorrow to see you," Jason told her. "He feels pretty bad about your head."

"He told you?"

"Just me. Sonny bought the story you tripped, but I thought you were hiding something."

"You're psychic too?" she said on a wince as she leaned her head back against the cushions.

"What?"

She looked over at him and blinked slowly, feeling a bit in a fog. "Huh?"

"Maybe you should get some rest," Jason suggested.

"My head's still throbbing," she countered. "I can't sleep yet."

Looking at Jason, she questioned, "Why are you here? I figured Sonny would stay."

"He wanted to," he told her. "But I told him to go be with Sam."

She nodded, that was good. "How is she?"

"Fine. Max got her inside the limo."

"Good," she sighed. "Sonny couldn't handle anything happening to her."

"He wouldn't do well if anything happened to you," Jason stated. "When he got the call, and then saw the doctor here...he was very worried about you."

"I...I just meant that with the wedding...and our mom..." She trailed off and let her head sink farther into the cushions of the couch and closed her eyes. "I'm not explaining this well."

"That's okay," he told her. "You're tired and hurt."

"You don't have to stay here," Elizabeth told him. "I don't have a concussion, and when I go to bed I'll probably sleep 'til morning."

"I don't mind," he said. "You probably shouldn't be alone, just in case. I can work here as easily as I could at my penthouse."

"It's no use to argue, is it?" she asked.

Jason shook his head with just a hint of a smile.

"Fine," she conceded. "If you get tired there's the spare bedroom, or a blanket in the closet."

"I figured your spare bedroom would be your studio," he said with a shrug.

"I have some stuff there, but the light isn't that good. I do most of my painting by that window," she tipped her head slightly.

He looked over at the bare easel. "Not painting right now?"

"Not since that night we went for a ride. I put the stuff away; I was feeling drained and just had to take a break."

"Oh, I thought maybe you were working on something," he said. "I could smell the paint."

"I know," she said with a sigh. "It still smells like paint in here. I've tried to air the place out."

"It's not that bad."

"Don't lie," she gave a little chuckle. "It can get to people who aren't used to being around it all the time."

"I don't spend much time around paint," he admitted unnecessarily.

"You can open the window," she told him.

He shook his head and walked over to sit down on the couch beside her. "I'll be fine. Besides, after the shooting..."

"Security," she realized. "Right."

"Right."

Shifting slightly, she rested her head on the arm of the couch. Jason helped place a pillow under her head and then sat down, lifting her feet and encouraging her to stretch out her legs. His hand was warm as it rested on her calf and she shivered slightly.

"Cold?" he asked.

"No," she said through a yawn. "Everything's fine."

She didn't know why, she really hadn't spent that much actual time with Jason, but she was glad he was here tonight. He didn't fuss unnecessarily, he didn't insist she do things like she couldn't make any decisions, but she felt better having him here. If she had to have someone looking after her, she was glad it was Jason. In fact, she wouldn't have wanted anyone else.

Chapter 14

"Carly will you for once just accept this and stop fighting me?"

This meeting was not going well, as Jason had suspected it wouldn't, but he'd never envisioned it going this bad. Carly had been spitting mad when he woke her up early in the morning. The fact that she was sleeping off a hangover while Leticia got Michael breakfast and the little boy hadn't even been asking for his mother had put Jason in a foul frame of mind to begin with. He didn't have the patience to deal with Carly's belligerence.

"If it's so dangerous that you need to put extra men on top of the extra men you've already given us, then maybe Michael and I would be safer moving in with you," she said, trying like she always did to move into his penthouse. It was one step closer to them being a couple, at least in her mind.

"Carly." His voice was on edge and full of warning for her not to push this. "We've talked about this before. It will only hurt and confuse Michael when you move back out."

"Who says we have to move out?" she asked, tilting her head to the side and all but batting her lashes at him. "We could be a real family."

"You mean sleep in the same bed, maybe get married and all that?"

Her smile was slow and sultry, like it had been when he first met her at Jake's. "What would be the harm? You remember how good we were together."

Jason did, and there were days a part of him did miss the wild, raw sex. But nothing, not even Michael, could tempt him to live with Carly or marry her. A part of him almost wished he could for Michael's sake, but Jason knew in the end he would be miserable and that would not be good for the little boy to sense. Jason would be his father, provide for him and teach him, but he would just have to learn that some moms and dads didn't live together.

"Carly," Jason shook his head. "We are not going to live together, we are not going to get married and if you're that worried about safety, then I can send you and Michael down to the island."

"That's your answer for everything," she snapped angrily, suddenly losing the enticing manner. "You try to control me with that any time I push you for a family for Michael."

"You try to use Michael to control me," he countered back heatedly. "You show up and say Michael misses me, knowing that I won't send him away. You threaten to tell A.J. the truth if you don't get your way. Just a week ago you told me to meet you at Jake's so we could talk about Michael. But you were kissing someone and went upstairs with him. So did you really want to talk to me, or was it just another one of your tricks to try to control me?"

"I did want to talk to you," she insisted, her voice dripping with righteous indignation.

"Then why meet at Jake's?" he challenged. "And why have you ignored every attempt I've made after that to talk to you?"

She looked away and he knew he had her. "Yeah, that's what I figured. Jake's was a set-up and Michael was just a ploy. Was I supposed to be jealous of the guy, stop you from going upstairs with him?"

Carly huffed, but gave herself away by the hopeful and curious look in her eyes. Jason shook his head in disgust and then took a step towards her.

"I don't care if you date someone, Carly," he told her. "But make sure you know what you're doing because if it's just to make me jealous, it won't work. And Leticia is here to help you, not take over for you so you can sleep off your late nights of drinking and sex. Be careful about who you bring around Michael, because you can never be sure they won't try to use you and Michael to get to me."

"Oh that's right," she snorted. "I have to be careful about who I see and let around Michael but you can let your trampy girlfriend about my son? You planning to send me to away, keep Michael and give him a new mommy?"

"What are you talking about?" he demanded. "I'm not dating anyone."

"I've smelled her perfume on you and Michael and I've seen her on your bike." She crossed her arms over her chest and raised her brows in challenge. "You're really going to stand there and tell me that you're not dating someone?"

"I'm not," he told her. He wasn't going to tell her about Elizabeth because Carly would be all over her and cause problems that weren't needed. He was going to stand between Carly and Elizabeth if he could. "I'm not dating anyone."

"Someone's been around my son," she insisted, spitting mad. "I want to know who, and then I want her to stay away from Michael."

"Carly, I am not getting into this, I am trying to tell you that there is a threat...something happened yesterday and I need you to stay home for a little bit. You've got extra guards; I'm going to put even more on you and Michael. Please stay here or only go to Bobbie's. This is not a time to be shopping, or ditching your guards, or any of the other things you usually do."

"Michael needs fresh air," she challenged just to be difficult. "He likes to play at the park."

"He's one and there's a swing set in the backyard," Jason bit out. "I installed it for him because you said he needed it. He'll be fine with that for a while. Don't push it; just be your normal too-loud self. If you take Michael out to the park or to the zoo just to push me, I will put you on a plane to the island so fast you won't have time to say good-bye to Bobbie, let alone Alex."

"I knew it," Carly smirked triumphantly. "You're jealous."

"Marry him," he told her. "I'm not going to stop you, but I will protect you and nothing will stop me from doing that. Not even you. That's what I came here to tell you. Now get your purse and go get Michael from Bobbie's. Be a mother to him Carly instead of leaving it to the nanny. It's your responsibility to take care of him. You don't have a job, so what else do you have to do with your time?"

Then he turned and walked out of the house. He hated fighting with Carly, but he had finally decided he was not going to put up with her stunts and tricks anymore. He just hoped this didn't hurt Michael, because that was Jason's biggest worry. Carly could be vindictive, but hopefully she would just be responsible enough for their son.

"Sonny, you have got to stop hovering."

He smiled at his sister and gave a little laugh. Reaching over, he brushed a strand of hair back behind her ear. "You made me nervous, 'Lizbeth."

"You make me nervous every time you go out the door," she told him honestly. "I've been worried about you since the days I realized you were working for Joe Scully; now you're the boss that everybody guns for. I understood I might be shot at simply for being your sister."

"It shouldn't be that way."

Warm hands touched his face and a charge of love flooded through him. "Sonny, please," she pleaded with him, "don't do this. Don't give into the guilt and sink into that place that has been tempting you for weeks."

He shook his head and she pierced him with such a look. "I've seen the signs, Sonny. You're fighting it, and it's not bad yet, but I see it."

"I've been getting flashes," he admitted. "But it's just this whole thing with Alcazar and the guards."

"You're testing them," she realized. "That's why you're touching everyone."

"I caught the guy on my door," he told her. "That's how I knew."

"Are you sleeping?" she asked him softly.

"A couple of hours a night."

"You need more, Sonny," she implored him. "And you really should tell Sam. Tell her everything. She already suspects enough of it in addition to knowing about your 'dark places'."

Maybe it was time; maybe Elizabeth was right. But the mention of Sam brought up another issue. He hadn't wanted to talk about it right after she'd been shot at, but he knew he needed to. She wouldn't appreciate him trying to protect her.

"Sam told me that you wanted to go to Kelly's yesterday, but she persuaded you not to."

"I knew something was up and while I like the chili, I wasn't going to create a scene over it. What's going on?"

"Mike's been spending his days at Kelly's," he told her and watched as she tensed up. "He's down on his luck and he's living there. I didn't think you wanted to be blindsided seeing him."

"He still playing the ponies?" Elizabeth asked bitterly. "Still can't pick 'em?"

Sonny shook his head slowly and sadly. "He's in deep, he's drinking; I didn't know if you wanted him to know you were in town."

"Why do they give him money? Why do they let him bet?" she asked in exasperation. "Can't you do anything?"

"My guys won't take his bets or loan him anything, but others will because of me."

"Because now they have something on Sonny Corinthos' father and they can try to control you or get you to cover his debts and they've put you over a barrel." She understood and her bitterness and disgust with their father was clear.

Sonny nodded, sadness and anger towards Mike warring in him. "That's it exactly."

"Sometimes I don't know what to feel towards him," his sister admitted, pulling a pillow on to her lap and looking away from him. "He walked out when I was baby; I don't remember him. But because he walked out and never gave Mom any money she ended up with Deke. I don't know if I can ever forgive him for that."

She rubbed her nose and swiped at her eyes and Sonny moved closer, putting his arm around her. She tucked her face into his neck and pretty soon he felt the hot flow of tears against his skin. A sob tore through her and Sonny felt the physical stab in his heart. Deke was a monster and Sonny never regretted that he'd killed the man, especially after sprinting all the way from his apartment after getting his sister's frightened call. He'd kicked in the door and dealt with the situation. The only thing he regretted was that he'd waited so long to put a bullet between the monster's eyes. If he had done it sooner his mother would still be alive and Elizabeth would never have been terrorized.

"I'm sorry, Elizabeth," he crooned into her hair. "I never should have called her; I never should have sent you back there. I just...I didn't understand what happened to me and I knew you didn't either. But I saw the fear in your eyes and I never would have forgiven myself if I hurt you. Instead, I sent you back to that place."

"Don't, Sonny," Elizabeth pleaded with him. "Don't. Don't think about it, don't get lost in the guilt. It doesn't do any good. He's dead and he's gone; you protected me when it mattered most and that's what he should focus on."

"Can you ever forgive me?" he pleaded.

His sister smiled at him, tears brightening her eyes. "I already have. Neither of us knew what was happening to us back then so I don't hate you. But if you want to really be sure and make it up to me there is something you can do."

Unable to resist laughing at her exaggerated pout and pleading eyes he asked, "What?"

"I really want some chili from Kelly's."

He arched an eyebrow at her. "You want chili from there when I could make you some?"

"I want some chili now," she emphasized. "So send a guard to get some; I won't make you eat any of it. But if you want to make some for tonight so I can do a little comparison...I certainly wouldn't mind."

"Alright, you little fox, I'll someone to get chili for you, and then tonight I'll show you how real chili is made."

"Sonny?"

He smiled at her, brushing his hand over her hair, "Yes, Elizabeth?"

"Ask Francis to get it. Jason said he wanted to make sure I was alright and I wanted to thank him for yesterday."

Leaning forward, he kissed his sister's forehead, mindful of the bandage covering the stitches. "Okay. I'll call Francis."

"Thank you," she whispered.

He stood and turned for the door, determined to let his sister rest before lunch. He turned back when she called out, "Oh, and Sonny?"

"Yes?" he asked through a laugh and a smile.

"Don't skip on the peppers. I like some heat with my chili."

Of all the guards she'd ever had, Elizabeth believed that Francis might just be her favorite. She wondered why Sonny had never assigned him to her before. He didn't make her feel uncomfortable or self-conscious and she found herself wondering if he would agree to be her guard full-time and come back to the island when this threat with Luis Alcazar was over. She would certainly bring up the possibility to Sonny.

"So how did you discover Kelly's chili?" the guard asked as they sat finishing the take out he'd brought for them. "It doesn't seem like the kind of place Sonny would take his sister to."

"He didn't," she shook her head. "Johnny was assigned to escort me and my lead guard around and he took us to Kelly's."

"Yeah," the older guard chuckled. "That fits. I'm surprised he didn't take you to Jake's."

"Not for lack of trying on my part," Elizabeth admitted. "He mentioned it as someplace he and Mark could go when they were off duty and no matter how I asked, Johnny refused to let me come. He said no amount of begging, pleading, bribery or threats could convince him to take me. He was rather attached to his cajones and didn't want Sonny to castrate him."

Francis snorted and then pounded his chest to dislodge the chili he'd inhaled wrong. "That's definitely something O'Brian would say."

"I don't suppose you would take me?" she asked him, fighting her smile so he wouldn't realize immediately she was teasing him. It became even harder when he blanched and gaped at her.

"No," he shook his head. "Your brother would personally send me to the bottom of the harbor. And if he didn't, then Morgan would."

Unable to control herself she burst out laughing and he scowled at her. "Not funny."

"It was hilarious on my end," she laughed. "All you guys do is make me more curious to see the place."

He all but leapt from his chair when someone knocked at the door, and he raced to answer it. "Jason," he said just a little too loud and with a nervous cough at the end. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to see how Elizabeth was," he said as he stepped into her apartment. "And Johnny said you were here as well. I wanted to talk to you about yesterday."

"Come on in," Elizabeth called out to him. She swung her legs off the couch and reached for her discarded lunch containers, but Francis was there. He waived a hand at her to stay put and then gathered up the trash. "I'm doing better," she answered Jason. "Despite that everyone feels I need to stay on the couch and be waited on hand and foot, I'm really not feeling that bad."

"She was taking a pain killer with lunch," Francis ratted her out and Elizabeth rethought her assessment of him.

"First one of the day," she stated, not knowing if she was telling Jason or petulantly pointing it out to Francis. "I didn't even take one when Doc was checking my stitches."

Jason had left when the doctor showed up, so he hadn't heard the older man's report on her. It certainly hadn't bothered her because she hadn't expected him to stay all night watching over her. He had things to do and a child of his own he no doubt was worried about. While he was nice and she felt that they could be friends, they were just beginning to get to know each other. She had been surprised he would offer to stay, not that he would leave when someone else came.

"I'm glad you're feeling better," he told her, a bit of a smile playing at his mouth. "That was a pretty hard hit to your head."

"I'm a Corinthos," she laughed. "We have thick skulls."

That got a chuckle out of him and he raised his eyebrows. "So it takes more to get you, right? Take it easier next time, okay? It worries your brother."

Elizabeth frowned slightly, "So is your concern for me or only on how it might affect Sonny?"

"What?" he asked, a crease forming between his brows as he sat down. "I'm not just-"

"Jason?" Francis stepped back into the room and held out his phone. "Johnny wants to talk to you. Said they got an I.D. on the shooter."

Jason sighed and took the phone, walking into her kitchen. Francis walked over to the couch and sat down on the coffee table across from her. "I cleaned up the kitchen; you should get some rest."

She rolled her eyes, "I'll consider it."

"Francis," Jason walked back into the room, tossing the guard his phone. "We need to go meet Johnny; let's go."

The older man nodded and stood, tucking his phone into his pocket and buttoning his jacket. Jason crossed the room and opened the door. He turned to look at Elizabeth, an odd look on his face, and said, "Take it easy, okay? I...I have to go."

"Yeah," she said with a shrug as the door closed.

She was left shaking her head and wondering. Jason had been concerned about her, he'd been caring and had talked to her, making her feel like he really listened and heard her. He'd taken her for rides on his motorcycle and offered to take her out on his boat. It hadn't seemed fake, but had it been genuine or was it all just about keeping her placated and in line so that Sonny wouldn't snap or sink into a depression? Was she just an extension of Sonny, or did he actually see her for who she was?

Those questions didn't necessarily bother her so much as why she was even contemplating them at all. She was used to being seen as Sonny Corinthos' sister. So why was it so important that she be Elizabeth to Jason and not just Sonny's sister?

Chapter 15

When the elevator stopped before the penthouse level, Carly was not happy. She was supposed to be going up, but the machine had probably gotten switched around since the door was opening for someone going down. She was not pleased about that.

As the door slid open, she scowled at the person, showing her displeasure to the only available outlet she had. She would certainly tell Jason about the inconvenience, and he would no doubt apologize. Then he'd tell Sonny or the building maintenance man about what happened. However, she wouldn't be able to tell them how annoying it was to nearly be at her destination, and then be redirected. So she glared at the person who had pressed the button and interrupted her elevator trip.

The brunette looked over at the control panel but didn't press any buttons. Carly raised as brow as the door slid closed and the elevator started upwards once more. As she stared at the other woman's profile, Carly frowned in concentration. There was something familiar about her, but she couldn't place exactly what. Then Carly took a breath and was hit with realization.

This was the woman Jason was seeing. This was the woman who had been on Jason's bike and had been around her son. This was interesting. The tramp lived in Jason's building; had that been a coincidence or had Jason moved her in there? Was she going up to see Jason now? If that was the plan then everyone was in for a rude awakening. Because despite the fact that Michael was visiting his father today, Carly would give Jason and his slut a piece of her mind.

When the elevator doors slid open, her rival stepped out but didn't turn towards Jason's penthouse. She headed towards Sonny's. Well, things just got even more interesting. Was Sonny cheating on his fiancée already? Couldn't have happened to a more deserving shrew. Sam thought she was better than everyone, especially Carly, because she was connected to some mobbed up family in Chicago while Carly had grown up in a trailer in Florida.

"Hey, Eric," the little two-timing tramp greeted the guard.

"Hi, Miss Corinthos. Miss McCall is expecting you."

He opened the door for her and then Sonny Corinthos' sister waltzed into his penthouse. The guard closed the door and looked up at Carly who was staring at the door. Sonny Corinthos' sister was in town. Was Jason interested in her? After all, he'd taken her for a ride on his bike, or was he merely in contact with her because she was his boss' little sister? It had to be the latter, Carly decided, because she knew Jason's type and there was no way the brunette fit.

Determined, though, to get answers and not just a brush-off, she stalked over to Jason's door and knocked firmly. She waited, crossing her arms over her chest and tapped her foot. Jason was taking forever to answer the door and she looked over at Sonny's. Was he over there? Did the guard know and he was just letting her stand here like a fool so that Jason could get a little more time with his tramp?

A slow simmer of anger began and she knocked on the door again. Harder.

The door suddenly swung open and Jason was there, holding Michael in his arms. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"Where were you?" she demanded. "Didn't you hear me knock?"

"I was upstairs changing Michael's diaper," he told her, just a hint of irritation in his voice. "Why are you beating on the door?"

"I saw your little tramp," Carly sneered as she pushed past Jason into the penthouse. The penthouse she didn't have a key to despite being Michael's mother and the little boy having a room upstairs. Jason had a key to her place, but she wasn't allowed to have one to his. Just another reason she was upset today.

"You know," she jeered, "the person you told me you weren't seeing. I was in the elevator with Sonny Corinthos' sister. She has a very unique perfume, I've never smelled it in any store or specialty shop and you know I love perfume and can identify them all. But I'd smelled it before today; it was on your jacket and on Michael after I got back from New York. She's been on your bike, worn your jacket and held my son and you're going to tell me you're not seeing her?"

"I'm not," Jason told her, shifting Michael in his arms and rubbing their son's back comfortingly. "And you're upsetting Michael, so please calm down."

"Don't tell me what to do," she snapped. "Sonny hates me and I'm sure he would be thrilled if you were dating his little sister; maybe he'll encourage you to raise my son with her. He'd love to take Michael away from me just like A.J. would."

Jason sighed and looked annoyed, but she wasn't going to back down. She was not going to lose her son and she was not going to lose Jason. Not without a fight. If she had to, she would fight Miss Corinthos, too. Despite being Sonny's sister, the girl looked like a waif and Carly was sure she could take her. Besides, Carly wasn't afraid to fight dirty in order to get what she wanted.

"Hey," Elizabeth smiled as she walked into the penthouse, Eric closing the door behind her. "I just escaped with my life; I just rode up in the elevator with Carly Benson. Woman looked like she'd sucked on a lemon; she was not happy to see me."

Sam didn't laugh, or really make any acknowledgement of Elizabeth's comment and so she frowned and stepped closer to her friend. Her brother's fiancée was curled up in the corner of the maroon suede couch and was looking rather shell-shocked. Her frown deepened and Elizabeth sat down beside Sam.

"What's wrong?" she asked. "You called and said you needed to talk; I thought maybe it was about the wedding, but... What happened? Is it Sonny?"

"Yeah," the other woman said, her voice flat and shaky. "You could say that."

"What happened?" Elizabeth pleaded, leaning forward to try to see Sam better.

"He...he told me. He told me that he sees things...that he has visions. And that they're why he has these episodes."

Nodding slowly, Elizabeth confirmed, "He does. He doesn't have control over them, and he doesn't like them, so he fights against them. Which makes it all worse. He...he feels weird, he feels weak because he sees things. He sees things before they happen but they're just flashes. Now always coherent and sometimes they're just feelings more than anything."

"He knew Jason was hurt," Sam murmured. "But the phone didn't ring, he just said he knew. I...I suspected that he had premonitions or something, but I...I honestly never...this is beyond anything I thought."

"I know it's a lot to take in," Elizabeth sympathized. It was one thing to believe or think something, it was another to have it actually confirmed and take away all doubt. "But try to understand, Sam. He doesn't commune with the dead; he knows things, sees them. He knew my guards were going to betray me, kidnap me and lock me up somewhere. He felt my fear, that I was trapped somewhere dark. He doesn't know where Alcazar is; it doesn't work that way. But he knows when a guard has betrayed him or when we're in danger."

Sam let out a breath and ran her hands through her hair. "I'm not going to leave him or call off the wedding, or...or call him a freak." She said the last word softly and Elizabeth looked away. "I just...it's one thing to think it, it's another to know it. It makes sense, though. So the episodes?"

"He gets overwhelmed. He fights the visions, or he tries to force them. He gets exhausted, but he can't sleep...and then he just..." Elizabeth leaned back against the couch, remembering the first time her brother had an episode. She'd been scared; he'd been out of control and it had all seemed much bigger in his small apartment. "He breaks and it's hard to reach him and..."

"Yeah," Sam breathed out. "I've seen them a couple of times. Jason and I...we would just try to keep him from hurting himself and having others find out. Sometimes I...I wondered if there was more. If he was sick."

Sometimes Elizabeth wondered as well. Her condition was linked to a cross-wiring of her brain. So if Sonny had a mental condition; well it seemed it would be par for the course in their family. But it would be difficult to convince Sonny of that, and they'd had a major moment here already. Sonny had finally dropped the last wall of secrets with Sam and was fully honest with her.

"I'm glad he told you," Elizabeth curled up on the couch, drawing her knees close. "I hated that you didn't know, that you were trying to love and support him but you were doing it with one hand tied behind your back. He needs another person who knows it all and what's really happening."

Sam looked at her for a moment and then asked, "You want Jason to know, don't you?"

"He's with Sonny in dangerous situations, he's looking out for him, but he doesn't know what sets Sonny off in these moments." Elizabeth raised her eyebrows and shrugged. "Sometimes...once that I saw...he just...there was no warning. He just...he went from normal to out of control. If something like that happens, Jason should know so that he knows how to control the situation and minimize the damage."

Sam stretched her legs and turned towards Elizabeth. "You can't push Sonny; you know that."

"I know," she sighed wearily. "It won't stop me from worrying, or hoping."

"Well, now I know," Sam said, trying to comfort Elizabeth and give a little hope. "And I'll look out for him and I'll try to help him see that Jason won't look down on him for knowing."

"Good luck with that," Elizabeth said and stood. "Sonny wouldn't trust our own mother with the truth and she ended up dead."

Then Elizabeth walked out of Sonny's apartment and headed for the elevator. She was upset and agitated and since she couldn't get out for fresh air, she was itching to paint. She had to release this energy. She should be glad that Sonny had talked to Sam, but the past had reared up and Elizabeth was clawing to get away from it and all the hurt that went along with it.

"Jason's cheating on me."

Bobbie Spencer looked up and stared in surprise at her daughter. She might have been surprised by her daughter's tactless announcement to the waterfront diner, but the man at the corner table wasn't. This was typical Carly Benson behavior. Brash, uncultured, thinking nothing of announcing her personal life to a bunch of dock workers. Some of whom worked for Jason Morgan. Actually, maybe that was the reason she it; attempt to gain sympathy.

"Carly," Bobbie said with a shake of her head and barely contained exasperation. "You and Jason aren't dating. You're merely parents together."

"We could be," the blonde huffed, "if it wasn't for Sonny Corinthos. I'm sure he sends Jason out of town just to keep him away from me and Michael."

"Carly," Bobbie sighed, disbelief in her voice.

"And then he no doubt is telling Jason that I'm trash and he shouldn't be with me," Carly shook her head and flipped her hair angrily over her shoulder; clearly she was getting on a roll now. "Sonny's always hated me."

"You insulted his fiancée," her mother said with a wince. "Sonny takes those things personally."

"He's just an arrogant jerk who thinks he's so much better than everyone even though he's nothing more than a dropout whose own father abandoned him. No doubt because even Mike could see what a loser Sonny was."

"Carly." Now the red-head's voice held warning. Apparently mother was smarter than daughter and didn't think the younger woman so closely connected to the organization through Jason should insult Sonny so openly.

"And I'm sure that now that his sister in town," the blonde went on, "he'll try to hook her up with Jason. She's already been around Michael. How soon until Jason gives in and then listens to his new bed buddy when she'll - no doubt on her brother's orders - tell Jason he should go for sole custody of Michael and send me away?"

Bobbie frowned at her daughter and the man at the table leaned forward. "Sonny's sister is in town?"

"I saw the tramp in the elevator when I went to pick up Michael this morning."

"Did she go see Jason?"

"No," Carly answered with a shake of her head. "She went to Sonny's."

"Then why do you think she's involved with Jason?" the nurse asked. "I assume that's who you think he's cheating on you with."

"I've smelled her perfume on Jason's jacket and on Michael. He's let her be around my son."

"Michael is his son, too," Bobbie pointed out. "Maybe she was just over at Sonny's when Jason went over there for something. Maybe dinner. Besides, I thought you were seeing someone. He's never been around Michael?"

"That's not the kind of relationship I have with Alex," Carly sniffed, still full of indignation and looking like she couldn't understand why her mother wasn't taking her side here. "He knows I have a son, but he hasn't met him. He's never even been to my house."

Bobbie pursed her lips slightly. "What exactly is your relationship with Alex?"

There was little doubt as to the nature when Carly answered, "What do you think?"

"In other words, you're using him to make Jason jealous." Bobbie was in danger of being labeled a hypocrite as she looked down her nose at her daughter.

"It started out that way," the younger woman freely admitted, "but he's fun. He doesn't judge me, he doesn't ignore me and he's nice to be around. He's working for Jax, and it's a nice change of pace to be around someone like that."

"Then why don't you focus on that?" Bobbie nearly pleaded with her daughter. "Why not try to really get to know him and see what could happen? Jason is a wonderful father to Michael, but there's no future for the two of you."

"You're supposed to be my mother and be on my side," Carly huffed. "I suppose you think it would be wonderful if Jason hooked up with Sonny's sister and took my son away?"

"Why do you think Jason would take Michael away from you?" her mother persisted.

When Carly didn't answer right away, Bobbie reached out and placed her hand on Carly's. "You know that Jason wouldn't do that to you, Carly. Why don't you just enjoy things with Alex and be grateful that Jason loves Michael and is such a good father? Don't go looking for trouble, Carly, or imagining things that aren't really there."

Personally, the man in the corner thought that Michael Morgan would be better off without Carly in his life. And if Elizabeth was involved with Jason and ended up as a stepmother to his son's godson, then Michael would be a very lucky little boy. He waited until Carly left and then stood and walked to the counter. Bobbie's eyes widened and darted to the door.

"Hi-hi, Mike."

He set his bill and some money down on the counter. "Hi, Bobbie."

Then, before she could stammer awkwardly about what he'd overheard about his children, and hers, he turned and headed for the door. He had somewhere he needed to be.

"Morgan," he answered the phone with a sigh. He wondered what had happened now. Ever since Carly and Michael had left, there had been one problem after another. Sonny was already down at the warehouse and Jason knew he was going to have to go down there soon.

"Mr. Morgan. It's Martin down in the lobby. Mr. Corbin is here and he says he wants to see Miss Corinthos."

Jason pinched the bridge of his nose. Sonny did not want Mike to know Elizabeth was in town and at the Towers, but that appeared blown now. He didn't think Sonny would want Mike to visit Elizabeth without some warning or without him being there. After the shootout and with the bruise on her forehead, it probably wasn't the best time for this. Jason knew enough from Sonny that Elizabeth did not have the best relationship with Mike; she probably wouldn't want to see him right now.

"Martin, tell him I'll be down in just a moment." Then Jason hung up and dialed Sonny.

"Corinthos."

"Sonny, it's Jason," he stated as he stood and grabbed his keys. "Mike's shown up; he wants to see Elizabeth. Martin's stopped him in the lobby."

Sonny swore and then there was a harsh blow of breath. "Don't let him see her. Tell him to come see me at the warehouse."

"I'll bring him there personally," Jason assured him. Then he hung up the phone and reached for the doorknob. He was off to escort Mike from the premises.

Chapter 16

Carly opened the door and smiled, "Hi, Alex. I'm glad you could come."

His dark eyes were happy, but also showed his surprise. "Thanks for inviting me over, but I do have to say I was a little-"

"Surprised?" she laughed slightly, as she stepped back to let him in. She looked over at the guards and narrowed her eyes slightly at them. She didn't know if they'd tell Jason, but she didn't care. That wasn't why she'd invited Alex over. After thinking about what Bobbie said she'd decided to follow her mother's advice.

"A little," he smiled. "I honestly thought we'd just meet at Jake's and that'd be it."

"Well," she shrugged. "I like you. And I want to get to know you better; which means you get to know me."

"And this is you?" Alex asked as he looked around her living room. "A home cooked meal with you and your son?"

"Home cooked?" she laughed and then shook her head. "I can't cook. I can heat up soup, make mac and cheese and cook frozen pizzas. No, I ordered from the No Name. You like Italian right?"

"Yeah," he nodded.

"Great. You ready to eat?"

Alex tucked his hands into his pockets and shrugged. "Sure."

"I'll just go get Michael," Carly smiled and turned for the stairs. "Have a seat."

She ran upstairs and into Michael's room, where he was dressed and waiting with Leticia after his bath. "Thanks, Leticia. After we eat, I'll bring back upstairs, okay?"

"Of course, Miss Benson," the nanny nodded.

Carly walked back downstairs holding her son and saw that Alex was looking around at the pictures and decorations. He turned when he heard her and smiled.

"Is this Michael?" he smiled at her son.

Her smile matched his, "Yeah."

"He's a really cute little boy," he said as Michael burrowed into her shoulder and peeked shyly at the man.

"Let's go ahead and eat," she said as she went to put Michael in his high chair. "If we wait too long Michael will get upset."

"Sure," Alex nodded. "I wouldn't want to disrupt his schedule."

Carly strapped Michael in and then gave him a bowl of plain pasta and green beans. Alex pulled her chair out for her and she smiled up at him. He was always such a gentleman.

"So, I hate to ask...but what's up with the guys out front?" He seemed uncomfortable asking, but she knew it was an honest question and if he was going to be in her life he deserved to know. He dished some pasta and shrimp onto his plate, looking down at it just a little too long.

"Those are Jason's guards."

"Michael's father, right?" He twisted his mouth to the side, shifting his eyes away and then continued. "What...um, line of work is he in that you need armed guards to protect you and your son? Are...forgive me, but are the rumors true?"

"Jason and his partner run a coffee warehouse," Carly said, putting her fork down.

Alex raised his brow and Carly sighed. "No, that's not all he does, but I'm not going to talk about it. The guards are part of our lives; you've probably been investigated. Does that bother you?"

He placed his fork down and slowly wiped his mouth with his napkin. "It's a little unsettling to have it confirmed, but that's not your whole life. You're a very nice woman, Carly and I...I'm not running for the hills. I just need to adjust."

"I was hoping you'd say that," Carly admitted with a small smile. "I've enjoyed getting to know you and spending time with you. That's why I wanted you to meet Michael."

"Thank you," he said as he placed his hand over hers and ran his thumb over her knuckles. "I...I'm moved by your trust. I see lots of things in our future."

"Good things?" she asked with a smile and a raise of her brow.

"I certainly hope so," he grinned back at her.

She had to get out of here.

Her apartment smelled, and not just from the paint. It was loud in here, even though there wasn't any music and the TV was silent. Her eyes were swimming from the lights even though she'd cut the power. The walls were closing in and the taste in her mouth was awful and if she didn't get out of here soon she just might lose her mind.

She grabbed her jacket since spring wasn't quite here yet and it was still cold at night. She didn't care if her guard just took her for a long drive, she just had to get away from here. In fact, what she really wanted to do was get away from Port Charles. She missed freedom; she was feeling trapped. Sonny had saved her from being kidnapped, but then turned around and locked her in a cage.

Opening the door she frowned when she saw her secondary guard Enzo. He was nice, but she liked Francis. The older guard seemed to understand her a little better and she knew was going to have a hard enough time on her hands convincing him she needed to get out of here. Enzo was going to be...problematic. She could already tell.

She contemplated calling Jason and seeing if he might be available, but she discarded that thought. Yes, he had offered to take her out on his bike if she ever wanted it, and he had stayed with her after she was injured, but she wondered if she'd misread the whole situation. Was his show of friendship just to keep her happy so she didn't distract Sonny and cause him problems? It hadn't felt that way, but what would she know? She'd spent most of her time around and interacting with people who worked for Sonny.

"Miss Corinthos?" Enzo asked as she stepped out into the hallway. "Did you need something?"

"A ride," she answered with authority. That was the key to these situations. Act with authority. "I want to take a drive. Need to let my paintings dry; need fresh air and a drive up towards the border sounds great."

"The-the border?" Enzo asked nervously, swallowing thickly.

"Oh, I don't want to actually go to Canada," she shook her head. "Just a nice, long drive."

He seemed uncertain. "Maybe I should call Mr. Morgan, or your brother."

"Call Francis," she instructed as she walked to the elevator and pressed the down button. She knew he would keep up with her; it was ingrained in him to stay with his principal. "He knows that I do this and he knows my brother approved it."

The elevator arrived and she stepped inside, pressing the button for Sonny's private garage level. Enzo, though, foiled his cell phone blackout by pushing the button for the lobby. When they arrived there, he took hold of her arm and led her out into the ground floor where the two guards on duty at the desk looked up at them.

"Look," he shook his head. "Nice try. But I'm still calling your brother."

"You're my guard," she informed him. "So guard."

Then she walked out of the building. He followed her, calling for her to stop. She wasn't going to be deterred tonight. She'd been good; she hadn't given Sonny or her guards any trouble and she'd tried to be understanding. But she just couldn't do that tonight.

As she stepped outside, she was just slow enough for Enzo to follow her. He would learn she was serious, but she also wasn't going to be completely foolhardy and ditch the man. She looked for a cab, anxious to be on her way.

"Miss Corinthos, wait!" Enzo called after her, his phone pressed against her ear.

"Elizabeth!"

She turned and gaped, "Mike?"

Her father walked towards her, a little unsteady on his feet and she knew before she even smelled his breath that he'd smell like cheap scotch. What was he doing here? This time of night the OTB sites were in full swing and that's where he lived.

"I was coming here to try to see you," he smiled at her. She didn't know if his eyes looked moist because he was happy to see her or because he was blitzed. "I've tried every day for the past four days to see you, but your brother wouldn't let me in the building. He wouldn't give me your number or call you to come down. It's like you didn't want to see me or something."

She didn't, and she was glad Sonny had kept Mike away, but why hadn't he told her the older man had stopped by? No doubt he thought he was protecting her, but she was upset he was making all these decisions and not telling her. Sam kept her away from Kelly's because Sonny had told her. Mike had been stopping by trying to see her, but Sonny had never even bothered to tell her.

With a frown he looked at her, "Aren't you happy to see me, sweetheart?"

"Mike!"

Elizabeth turned and saw Jason stalking towards them and Enzo's shoulders sagging in relief. Clearly the guard had called him and the enforcer had rushed right down. Jason stopped in front of her father and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Why are you here?" the younger man demanded of Mike. "You know Sonny told you to stay away from her. So what are you doing here?"

"She's my daughter and you guys are keeping her locked up in here," he gestured wildly towards the building. "You can't keep me away from her."

"Enzo," Jason ground out, "take Mike home."

"Yes, Mr. Morgan," the guard answered. When he tried to take Mike's arms, her father jerked away and nearly fell down.

"Get your hands off me," he hissed at the guard before turning towards her. "Elizabeth, please...I just want to talk to you."

She looked away sadly and didn't look back until she heard her father's voice fade. Jason touched her arm lightly and tried to steer her back to the building.

"We should get inside," he said softly.

Mimicking her father, she jerked away from Jason. "Leave me alone."

He frowned at her and questioned, "What's wrong?"

"You've known my father was trying to see me?"

He nodded and she scowled. "And nobody said anything to me?"

"Sonny-"

"Yeah, Sonny," she hissed. Turning, she walked away, angrily shaking her head. "It's always Sonny."

"Hey," Jason grabbed her arm, turning her around. "Where are you going? You need to get back inside."

"No, I don't. I'm getting away from this prison that Sonny's locked me in. I'm getting away from people who think they know better than me and keep things from me. I'm getting away from people who only show an interest in me in order to make sure I don't upset or set off my brother." She glared at Jason and spoke clearly so he wouldn't mistake her meaning. "I'm getting away from the whole lot of you."

As she turned away, he called after her, "You can't leave. You don't have a guard."

"Well, you sent mine with Mike, so I guess it doesn't really matter."

He grabbed her arm again, this time steering her towards the garage entrance. "Do you have to be this stubborn?"

"I'm a Corinthos."

"You're telling me," he shook his head, not letting go as she tried to yank her arm back.

"Feel free to leave," she snipped.

"Forget it," he ground out. "You're stuck with me tonight."

"Oh, joy," she sneered. "Just what I wanted."

Elizabeth Corinthos had a temper. Sonny flashed hot and lashed out quick, but then he'd usually cool down immediately after. Not Elizabeth. She showed no signs of her anger abating, despite the fact that it had been nearly an hour since they left Harbor View. She had just grown more quiet, more withdrawn, more stiff. The anger rolled off her in waves. The woman could certainly hold onto her anger.

They were sitting at the bridge, Elizabeth up on the rail and she would not let Jason near her. Any time he started towards her, she scooted backwards. After several rounds of that, Jason decided to call a halt to it.

"Are you going to talk to me?" he asked.

"Hadn't planned on it," she answered shortly. "I figure you'll give up eventually and I'll get to move back into a room at the Port Charles Hotel until I figure out where I'm moving to."

"You plan to move?"

"You really think I'm going to stay there?" she snorted.

"It's safer for you."

"Right now, Jason, screw safety. I'm done cooperating and sitting by placidly so I don't rock the boat."

"Elizabeth," he said softly, "I'm not spending time with you just so that I can keep you in line so Sonny doesn't have a breakdown. That isn't why I took you out on my bike or offered to take you out on my boat."

"It's not?" she shot back at him. She was trying to bait him, keep him defensive with her anger, but he could sense a few walls come down as she asked. She wasn't as stiff and she looked genuinely curious, like she needed to know the answer to this question.

He took a step towards her and was relieved when she didn't back up. "No. Look...yeah, I worry about Sonny, but I'm not doing all this just because of him. I like you for you."

"You like me?"

He nodded, claiming another small step. "You're nice and I consider you a friend. I certainly wouldn't mind spending time with you."

Claiming another step until he was standing beside her as she straddled the railing of the bridge he dipped his head so he could look her in the eyes and asked, "So are we okay?"

"You knew my father was trying to see me and you didn't say anything," she told him bluntly, but with not as much anger as she had before. "Frankly, I don't like it. I'm used to Sonny's heavy-handed control of my life. I hate it, and I fight him, but I also know that there's a part of him that will always see me as the girl Deke beat and who watched our mother get beaten to death right in front of her."

Jason swallowed hard as she spoke and tightened his hands into fists.

"If we're going to be friends, Jason," Elizabeth looked at him with deadly seriousness, "then you can't keep things from me. Even if you think you're protecting me or sparing my feelings. I don't like it and I won't accept it."

"Don't expect me to tell you things I can't," he shook his head.

"Business?" she queried with a shake of her head. "No, I don't want to know. But Mike wasn't business and you followed my brother. Probably because he said it was best since I don't get along with Mike. I don't really remember him and all I know is that because he left we got Deke. So, no, I don't want to sit down and have dinner or drinks with him. But it's my choice to make. I was blindsided tonight, and that wouldn't have happened if I'd known Mike had been coming around trying to talk to me."

"You're right," he nodded his head heavily. "I won't keep things from you, and I'll try to help Sonny remember that as well."

Elizabeth laughed, only partially filled with scorn. "Good luck with that. Sonny doesn't realize he doesn't know what's best for everyone until it's too late. It's why he sent me back to live with my mom and Deke even though he knew Deke would kill her. He felt it was better for me instead of having to possibly deal with him when he had another episode."

She swung her leg over and slid off the railing onto the bridge, pacing away from him as her arms settled at her waist. "So I went back to a place where our stepfather hated me, came after me and our mother put herself in between to save me. She was beaten to death in front of me, all because Sonny was too proud and felt he knew what was best."

"That decision eats at him, Elizabeth," he told her softly. "More than once I've seen it nearly break him. If he could change it, he would. He wouldn't put you back there, and he would protect your mother."

"I know it eats at him, Jason," she whispered as she turned to face him. "I stopped him from nearly drinking himself to death and once I caught him ready to play Russian Roulette. He's always sorry, but he never changes. He never does anything different."

She swiped at her eyes and her voice was filled with pain. "He makes decisions and when they're the wrong ones, he doesn't want to admit it. It's a weakness to be wrong and Sonny does everything he can not to be weak. It's human to make mistakes, but Sonny doesn't see it that way and he doesn't learn from them."

"I know," Jason admitted. Mistakes could be deadly in their world, and yet Sonny often made the same ones over and over. "But it's also about image."

"I don't want a figurehead," she told him, nearly pleading. "I want a brother. Someone who's there for me."

"I'm here," he said softly, taking a step towards her. "I'm not your brother and I won't try to take his place, but I'll be your friend."

He closed the remaining distance between them and reached up to gently touch her shoulder. "Please come to me the next time you need to get away so you don't freak out your guards. And try to give your brother a chance, Elizabeth; he's trying."

"I don't want to talk about Sonny," she shook her head and more tears crested. "But I sure could use a friend right now."

Jason nodded and pulled her close, hugging her to him. She buried her face in his shirt as a sob racked her. Gone was the anger and in its place was incredible hurt and loneliness. Jason knew he couldn't fix everything, but he could certainly make sure she knew she wasn't alone.

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