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Chapter 81

~Island Airport~

It was warm when they stepped off the airplane and onto the tarmac. The last time Elizabeth had been here, she'd come by boat and been drowsy from the drugs she'd taken. It was a completely different arrival this time; made even better by the presence of Jason beside her.

He carried Cameron to the car and Elizabeth was surprised to find a car seat already waiting for them. He strapped her son in, and all she had to do was put the diaper bag in the back. The guards took care of the luggage and a part of Elizabeth was embarrassed by all the activity. Despite the guards she'd had for months, she still found it odd for them to take care of so many things around her that she could do for herself.

Once Cameron was securely strapped in, he opened the front door for Elizabeth and then climbed into the driver's seat. He left the guards to head to the villas he and Sonny owned, while taking Elizabeth on a tour of the island. It was beautiful, but she couldn't help wondering how much more fun it would be to fly down the roads on Jason's motorcycle.

Jason looked over at her and the corner of his mouth twitched up, "I have a motorcycle here. Maybe we could have Sam or Leticia watch him and we can go for a ride."

"Was I that obvious?" she laughed.

"No," he shook his head. "I've wanted you here for a long time. I knew you were here, but I just...I wasn't sure it would be a good idea to come here. You took poison to save Lucky and I wasn't up to dealing with that."

She reached over and placed her hand on his arm, "Don't feel bad, Jason. I probably would have felt too conflicted if I'd seen you. It's better that we're here now."

"I don't know how much I'll be around at first," he said apologetically. "I don't know how things are going to go with Sonny and the doctor."

She squeezed his arm and said, "I understand. This isn't just about us having a vacation together. I'll spend some time with Sam and Sophia. Sam will probably be happy to have someone new to talk to after all her months down here."

He sighed and said, "This couldn't have been easy on her. I didn't check on her as often as I should have."

"And when were you supposed to do that?" she asked him. "When you were fighting Manny, or Ric, or when...when Emily was dying, or when you were dealing with a mole in your organization?"

When his shoulders slumped, she rubbed her hand over them in encouragement and support. "Jason, you took care of her by sending her and her daughter here. But you've also been dealing with a lot, and she'll understand that. If she loves Sonny and wants to be with him, then she'll understand that."

He nodded and then said, "I should probably take you and Cameron to the house so you can settle in. Then I can go meet Sonny's doctor."

She nodded her approval, and hoped that she could give him support. Mostly, she hoped that Sonny was getting better, because she knew this whole situation was very hard on Jason.

~Jason's Villa~

Sam watched Jason leave and then walked over to his cabana. She knew that Elizabeth and her son were going to accompany him to the island, and she wanted to say hello to the other woman. It had been a long time since she'd talked with the other mother who had becoming a friend.

She knocked lightly on the door, not wanting to disturb Elizabeth's little boy. Thankfully she didn't hear any crying and Elizabeth opened the door fairly quickly. The new visitor to the island looked surprised to see her, but greeted her warmly.

"Sam. Hi!"

"Hello, Elizabeth," she smiled. "Is this a bad time?"

"No," Elizabeth assured her. "Cameron fell asleep and I was actually thinking about coming to see you when he woke up. We didn't bring his babysitter with us."

She stepped back and asked, "Do you want to come in?"

"Thank you," Sam told her as they stepped inside. It was obvious that this was Jason's home, for while the furnishings were rich and comfortable, there was a distinct lack of decoration. It was just like his penthouse, and she knew that Jason preferred it that way. She had a feeling that Elizabeth liked it that way as well.

"So, you and Jason," Sam began.

Elizabeth blushed and tucked her knees up under her as they sat on the couch, "Yeah."

She smiled and said, "I suspected that something was up between the two of you, but you said you were just friends. I...I didn't mess anything up for you, did I?"

Quickly the other woman shook her head, "No. I wasn't even in town when he claimed to be Sophia's father. We'd been friends for years, but we hadn't talked for a while before I left to go have Cameron. When Sonny told Carly the truth...we'd only begun re-establishing our friendship."

"I'm glad," she breathed out. "I screwed things up for Sonny and Carly, and despite what others might think, I really didn't want that to happen. I care about Sonny, I really do. I love him. I just...I wanted a family with him but I didn't want it to look like I was taking advantage of Carly's death."

"I know," Elizabeth nodded. "People think I moved in on Jason after you left so I could take advantage of him and get a father for Cameron. I've learned that you just have to ignore what other people say and focus on what you know."

Letting out a sigh Sam said, "I imagine it's a little easier because you know how Jason feels."

The other woman nodded in understanding, "Yeah, it helps. I know how that uncertainty can weigh on you. I went through years of that with Jason."

Sam's eyebrows went up. "Years? Suddenly these past few months don't seem quite so bad."

"I don't have a child with Jason," Elizabeth shook her head. "If I did and I wasn't sure if he loved me, if he ever would love me or want to be with me...I can understand why this has been hard on you, Sam."

"Jason loves your little boy, doesn't he?" she asked. "He loves children...I learned that about him. So I imagine he loves Cameron."

"He does," the mother answered with a warm smile. "And Sonny loves Sophia. He just...he was dealing with a lot of things, Sam, and maybe that's why he couldn't really give you what you wanted."

"Yeah," she sighed, "But what if he never can?"

"Then you have to figure out what you really want, what you'll compromise on and what you won't. And then pray for a way to live with it."

Sam sighed, sinking back into the cushions of the couch. She could only hope that because the doctor called Jason down, that Sonny was getting better. Once again, she was left waiting for Sonny to change and wondering if it would ever happen.

"Listen," Elizabeth smiled, "why don't Cam and I come over when he wakes up? I can't wait to see how big Sophia's getting and how much she's changed. I'm sure she's gotten so much bigger."

Sam nodded, "She has."

"Then Cam and I will come over," the other woman promised. "Jason bought all these beach toys and blankets and I need to open all the packages and see what there really is."

"Plus, you probably want to unpack," she said in understanding. "So I'll get out of your hair and let you take care of things."

She stood and walked to the door, and then paused and turned, "It's nice to see you again, Elizabeth. Leticia's been very kind, but she doesn't really feel like a friend because she doesn't feel like she should be too friendly since she's Morgan's nanny. It will be nice to have someone to talk to."

"Then that's just another reason why I'm glad I'm here," Elizabeth smiled in return.

~Compound~

Jason let out a breath and forced his shoulders to relax as he pulled up to the fenced-in compound on the other side of the island. It had been here already when Sonny bought the island, but his friend had never wanted to live there. The previous owner had been involved in drug running and Sonny had ordered the tunnels filled with concrete and the place scrubbed and sanitized, but he still never wanted to actually stay there. At some point they might need some place more fortified than the houses on the beach, or they may need to hold someone there as their guest, so they'd kept the compound even they never used it.

When Jason had to get Sonny out of town so he could get treatment, it had seemed like the perfect place for the older man to go. The island was secure, the compound could be set up to the doctor's specifications, and Sonny might feel better if he realized he was on the island instead of some place completely foreign to him.

Now Jason was glad they'd used this place because he didn't have to travel so far from Elizabeth. He didn't have to travel to another island or country and be gone for days. He may not get home to have dinner with Elizabeth and Cameron tonight, but other nights he'd get to help her put Cam to bed and spend the rest of the evening with her.

He walked into the main house, and was met by the doctor. "Mr. Morgan."

"Doctor Firth."

"I'm glad you could come," she said, extending her hand. Jason had searched for someone who would relocate and look beyond Sonny's reputation as a mobster and honestly help him. He also felt it would be better for the doctor to be a woman because Sonny wouldn't want to appear weak in front of a man. Yet, he also needed someone that Sonny wouldn't try to seduce. The recently widowed woman had been a lucky find.

"You said Sonny was doing better?" he asked. "Of course I'd come. Do you really think there's improvement?"

She smiled and gestured to the courtyard, "Why don't you see for yourself?"

He glanced at the doorway that led to the open interior of the house and then back at the doctor. He wiped his hands on his jeans and then stepped out into the shaded area. Sonny was sitting on a bench under a large shade tree looking relaxed and certainly better than the last time he saw his friend.

"Sonny?" he said softly as he approached.

His friend stood and smiled, walking towards him. "Jason."

The two men met and Sonny reached out, hugging Jason close. "It's good to see you."

He stepped back and let out a breath, "You look better. I...uh..."

"I'm not mad, Jason," the older man stated with a relaxed demeanor. "I know I was in bad shape and you had to do this to keep me safe."

"Yeah," he breathed out and followed Sonny to sit on the bench. "I was afraid you would hurt yourself or someone else. You couldn't remember things and I just...I knew it was more than I could handle this time."

"You've taken care of me for years," Sonny shook his head. "I always thought that I was fine and I just had to be strong and I could make it through. And every time I got better, I believed it. I would forget about the bad times and think it was behind me."

His friend sighed and scrubbed his hand over his face, "I'm sick, Jason, and you finally realized it. The doctor told me I threatened Max, that I destroyed the house, and that I slipped into different time periods."

Jason nodded, "Yeah. It was a little scary. I...I knew it might make you angry, but I just...I knew I had to take care of your health. This was more than just sinking into the darkness like before."

"It was," Sonny agreed.

"I wanted you to be better for Morgan and Sophia," he explained, feeling better about his decision. Despite knowing it was the right thing to do, he'd worried Sonny would see it as a betrayal. The loss of power, the forced treatment, Jason making that decision for him could have turned out badly. He was very relieved that it did not appear to be the case.

"Doctor Firth diagnosed me; she's put me on medication. I," Sonny clasped his hands together and twisted his fingers. "I feel better; better than I have in a long time. Things are clear, they make sense...I can focus.'

"That's good," Jason nodded, feeling positive about Sonny's attitude.

"The doctor says I still need sessions, but that I can start to see people now." His voice was buoyed and hopeful, "I...I want to see Sophia, and see how big she is. I don't know if I can see Morgan or if it would confuse him, but you'll look in on him, won't you?"

"Of course I will," he promised. "I've been keeping in touch with Leticia and Sam on how he's doing. I haven't been able to come down here since I brought you. It's been...there's been a lot going on in Port Charles."

Sonny looked at him with interest, but Jason wasn't sure how much he should say. He glanced over at the doorway but didn't see the doctor. His friend leaned forward and asked, "What happened?"

"A lot," he hedged.

"You want to check with the doctor before telling me," Sonny realized. He didn't seem upset and Jason was relieved. He knew his friend was mercurial and this could change, but he was glad the first meeting had not been antagonistic.

As if she had been watching, and Jason realized she probably had been, Dr. Firth walked outside. Sonny was respectful towards her; not cowed, but not defiant, either. He seemed to listen to what she said and when the doctor suggested Jason go, but come back tomorrow, Sonny agreed. Jason was glad for it, because he wanted to talk to the doctor first before telling the older man everything that had happened back home.

"It's good to you see you again, Sonny," he told his friend.

"Same for you," the Cuban smiled at him. Then he headed inside the house, saying he would oversee dinner.

Jason let out a breath and then turned to face the doctor, "There's a lot that happened," he said bluntly. "How will it affect him to find out?"

~Jason's Villa~

Despite Sam's invitation to stay and visit after dinner, Elizabeth decided to go back to Jason's. She wanted to put Cameron down for the night in his own bed and not have to move him later. Opening the windows to let in the breeze coming off the ocean, and also so she could hear Cameron if he woke, she sat out on the patio with a glass of wine and enjoyed the silence.

Sonny and Jason truly did have their own little paradise down here, and it was very calming. It helped put things into perspective and figure out what was truly important. The last time she was here, she had told herself that she had to deny her feelings for Jason; she had chosen Lucky and taken poison for him and Jason hadn't come to the island even though she was sure he knew she was there.

This time, Lucky was a memory. The controlling and erratic man he'd been three years ago had only intensified. Elizabeth had undergone therapy after Cameron's birth and she had let go of the boy she used to love. She no longer felt compelled to help him and wasn't plagued with guilt that she was somehow disrespecting the help he'd given her after her rape. Lucky was his own man, responsible for his own life and Elizabeth was allowed to move on with her life and be happy.

Happiness now lay with Jason, and so did her life. She was invested with him and was not going to be swayed by the past. The future did sometimes still scare her. She wished she could guarantee she'd be safe with Jason and knew he wanted the same. He took her safety, and especially Cameron's, very seriously, and she accepted the guards because it helped ease both their minds.

She was just drifting off to sleep when she heard the door open and footsteps on the tile floor. Jason came to the patio door and paused, stopping at the sight of her. She let out a breath and smiled lazily, "Hey."

He stepped closer, "Hey."

Elizabeth moved over, offering him space on the wide chaise lounge and was pleased when he took the invitation and sat beside her. He took the empty wine glass from her hand and set it on the table and then wrapped his arm around her and drew her close. With a sigh, she rested her head on his chest and asked, "How's Sonny?"

"He's good," Jason answered softly; thoughtfully. "I think he's getting better; I think the doctor is really helping him."

"I'm glad," she smiled against him.

A whisper of a kiss brushed over her hair and he said, "You should rest, Elizabeth. I didn't mean to wake you."

"I wasn't asleep," she refuted. "I was drifting off."

He stood and then slid his arms underneath her, lifting her easily and causing her to wrap her arm around her neck as her eyes flew open. "What are you doing?"

"You need to sleep."

"So do you," she insisted.

"I will; I am. But I don't think you want to sleep in that chair outside," he told her. "It faces east and you'd be awake early."

"Hmmm," she mused in disappointment. "I would love to sleep with the ocean near."

"I'll open the window," he promised.

She held onto his arm after he placed her on his bed, "Another night. I just want your arms around me tonight."

He settled in beside her and dropped a kiss onto her shoulder, "I'm glad you're here, Elizabeth."

"I'm glad I'm here, too," she managed to say, then she snuggled in beside him and drifted off to sleep. Everything else would be dealt with tomorrow. For tonight, it was just her and Jason.

Chapter 82

It was a testament to his medication and his counseling that Sonny had not become angry last night when he saw Jason. When he'd first arrived on the island and gained enough lucidity to know what was going on, the mob boss had been furious with his friend. He was not ready to accept that he was sick and refused to believe that Jason had been trying to protect and help him. He believed the younger man had sent him down here a prisoner because he wanted the territory for himself. This had all been nothing more than a coup.

He now saw the truth, even though he'd fought hard against it. Dr. Firth never gave up, and she never let up, either. She forced him to face the fact that he was sick. He didn't merely have moods; he had a chemical imbalance in his brain that no amount of strength or determination would ever fix. If he wanted to truly be well he needed her help.

It hadn't been easy, and he had balked at the therapy sessions, but eventually they made progress. He no longer believed Jason was trying to usurp his power or steal his family from him; the younger man had shown great courage to insist on Sonny getting help and not trying to deal with this himself. He had been anxious to talk to his friend, but Dr. Firth hadn't wanted to rush the meeting. She wanted to be sure Sonny was truly ready for it.

Seeing Jason last night had been good. Sonny wasn't a person who liked solitude. He didn't have many close friends, but he enjoyed interaction with the different people in the organization and those he did business with. He missed his family and he wondered how his children were doing, and he had done much thinking about Sam. To see his friend again had only heightened those thoughts and feelings and he was anxious for the younger man to come back. Hopefully Dr. Firth would give the okay for Jason to fill him in on all that had happened back home.

He heard an approaching motorcycle and he couldn't keep a smile from his face. Jason kept a bike down here and preferred to use it above anything else. Several moments later, the steady, sure steps of the younger man's boots echoed over the tile and cobblestone. Sonny caught a glimpse of Dr. Firth disappearing back into the house, and then Jason was striding towards him.

"You're here early," the older man smiled. "You know, it won't hurt you to actually relax a little here on the island."

"You're up early," Jason pointed out.

"Just anticipating your arrival." As Jason sat down on the bench near him and leaned forward, Sonny caught sight of something he had expected to see and a hint of jealousy struck him. "Did you see Morgan this morning?"

Jason looked up in slight confusion but then shook his head, "I stopped by your villa, but only Sam and Leticia were awake. I didn't stay long because they were working on breakfast."

"Then how did you get Cheerios and milk on your shoulder?" he asked pointedly.

Jason brought his hand up to his left shoulder automatically, never even hesitating to ask or think about which shoulder. A wisp of a smile crossed his face and then he said, "That was from Cameron."

Sonny tilted his head slightly to the side, "Cameron? You mean Elizabeth's son?"

"Yeah," he nodded."

"I know you moved them into Harbor View for their safety," the older man said. "I have a feeling I've missed a lot."

Jason ran a hand over his face and then said, "Yeah, you could say that."

Leaning back in his seat, Sonny looked over at his friend and said, "I've got plenty of time."

"First," the younger man began, "Manny Ruiz is dead. "I'm going to go to Miami after I leave here and speak to Hector Ruiz. Let him know that as long as he stays in Miami then we have no problem with him. But he made a mistake listening to Alcazar and coming to Port Charles."

"That's a very take charge statement."

Jason froze and then sat up, running his hand over his thigh, "Sonny, I don't want the business. I didn't do this to take over; you know that I never wanted to run the territory. I took over when you left-"

"But you gave it back as soon as I came back," Sonny said in agreement. "You didn't fight me on it."

"I'm jut trying to protect the territory from anyone who thinks we're weak because you're not there," his enforcer stated emphatically.

"I know, Jason," he said. "I know. That's all a boss could want in his second. So you took care of Ruiz; that's good. He was making a lot of problems for us. How did you get him?"

"I found his mole in the organization and drew him out with false information," Jason said with a heavy, almost weary, voice.

Sonny's jaw clenched and he stood, pacing away angrily, "A mole! In my organization! Who was it? You made him pay, right?"

"It was Jordan," the younger man answered softly. "And she's dead."

That sobered him and he sat down, "Jordan?"

"She wanted power that she felt she'd never get with you. She was feeding Ruiz inside information." His second sighed and then said, "There's more. It might be easier to tell you everything and then have you ask questions."

He licked his lips, wanting to protest merely from frustration, but nodded, "Okay."

"Ric is dead. Manny killed him in a new safe house we'd just acquired. It was how we were able to narrow down who the mole was. I had Ric in a safe house because I was going to kill him anyways."

Sonny looked sharply at Jason and clipped out," Why?"

"He was the one sending you the information. He wanted to send you into a downward spiral. He had someone hack into General Hospital's main database, our records and he crossed the line into a definite threat. I wasn't going to allow him to live after that."

"Plus," Sonny said, "there was what he did to Elizabeth."

"That was why he would be tortured," Jason refuted strongly, "but not why he died. He was a threat to you; to us."

"Go on," he ordered. They would talk about this later. He had a feeling there was more.

"Stan is working for someone; we're trying to find out who."

Another traitor. It absolutely burned him.

"The computer guy Ric used, we grabbed him; we persuaded him to help us, and now we're using him. We're hiring a new lawyer. We filed harassment complaints against the PCPD and Lucky Spencer. He doesn't like my relationship with Elizabeth; he hates me like Taggart hated you. Bernie is just as good as his brother and Max's younger brother Milo is now working for us."

"That's the overview?" he asked slowly, lifting his brow. When Jason nodded, he stood and said, "Let's go inside where it's cooler. And then you can fill me in on all the details. Because I want to hear them."

~Lucky's Apartment~

The smell of bacon drifted up from the diner below and Lucky sighed as he set his badge and gun aside and pulled off his shirt. For as great as the cheap rent was in his family's diner, there were times when living above Kelly's wasn't worth it. Maybe it was time to search for a new place so that when he got off the night shift he didn't have to listen to the sounds of diners when he was trying to sleep.

Besides, the no overnight visitor's rule might be a hindrance one day. Of course, to have to have a complaint against it meant he had to have someone in his life. He had no one, though, and it wasn't just because Emily had died. Despite his best attempts, Emily only saw him as a friend. She still wanted her prince even when she was near death. She clung to him only because Nikolas didn't remember her and she was mad at Jason and Elizabeth.

He could not believe that Emily had softened towards them at the end. Or that she had left them what she had in her will. What did Jason need with ELQ stock and why should he run charitable contributions in her name and look legitimate? And Elizabeth...she gets knocked-up by Emily's ex-husband and gets a trust fund set up for her kid. While Lucky had gotten some money and mementos Emily had held onto from their early friendship, he couldn't believe that he was really treated no better than Elizabeth or Jason. In fact, he was treated less than they were. Apparently, his devotion to her, his support and his aid had meant nothing.

Already in a bad mood, the knock at the door did nothing to improve it. He hoped it wasn't someone from the diner who wanted him to fix something or help out because they were short-staffed; he'd worked a full shift, he wanted to go to bed. Stalking across the room, he opened the door and came face to face with his brother.

"Nikolas," he said in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to talk to you," the other man stated simply.

Narrowing his eyes, Lucky asked, "About what? You haven't wanted anything to do with us Spencers. You were too busy whisking your aunt off to safety when the truth about Kristina came out. You swore you didn't want anything to do with her after she'd helped Emily lie to you, but there you suddenly were. So why would you want to talk to me now? Hear that Emily died and you think I won't be trying to push you together now?"

"I am sorry that Emily is dead," the prince stated in that insufferable voice of his.

"Yeah," he scoffed at his brother, "I'm sure you are."

"I know you do not believe me, Lucky, but I am. I have remembered some things; dinners in the diner downstairs with you, Emily and Elizabeth, something called the Nurses' Ball, and Emily was once my friend. Regardless of what happened in the recent past, I am sorry she is dead. And I am sorry for you because you knew her the longest."

There was awkwardness in the words, but Lucky did sense sincerity and truth from the other man. Even if he didn't want to admit it. "What else have you remembered?"

"Most of my past," his brother admitted. "Just not any emotion to accompany it. We had tried to put the animosity of our fathers behind us, whether we continue on in such a manner is up to you. I hurt you and I apologize."

Nikolas then looked every inch the smug, noble, interloper he had been when he arrived. "However, I will not apologize for being angry over being lied to, and I will not allow you to take your anger out on me. How our relationship progresses now is up to you, Lucky."

Then he turned and left and Lucky fumed as he closed the door forcefully. Yet another man who was looking down on him and thought he was better. Jason Morgan's old lawyer had quit and then died under mysterious circumstances - despite what the coroner said, Lucky was sure it wasn't just a drunk driving accident - but Morgan's new lawyer had already made an appearance at the PCPD to ensure that Mac understood she wouldn't approve of Lucky investigating anything to do with Jason any more than Jordan had.

Jason Morgan was the biggest criminal in town and if Lucky couldn't work any cases related to him then his career would go nowhere. Why was he being threatened with lawsuits while Jason walked around free? There had to be some way to find evidence against him, and Lucky was determined to get it. He was a Spencer after all, and being a cop didn't change that. He would prove to the town that he could succeed where others had failed. He just needed to come up with a foolproof plan.

~Compound~

"I'm so sorry about Emily," Sonny said softly as Jason finished filling in all the details about what had happened in Port Charles since the older man had left. "I know how much your sister meant to you and I...I'm sorry, Jason."

He nodded his head, unable to speak past the lump in his throat. It was still too raw and painful, and telling it to Sonny who had no idea of how badly her cancer had ravaged her was like living it all over again.

"I know it had to be hard, so soon after Lila, and also because you were apart most of her illness," he friend said in understanding and Jason could only nod once more. "I'm sure it helped to have Elizabeth's friendship."

"It did," he admitted.

"You've had a lot of loss last year," Sonny continued, his words coming carefully. "Lila, Carly, Michael and then Emily...are you... I mean no disrespect to Elizabeth...or to you..."

"I love her, Sonny," he told his friend. "It's not that I'm trying to hold onto something because I've lost other people. I've cared about her for years. Ric was right; I've always been a little in love with her."

The older man tilted his head to the side and asked, "When did Ric say that?"

"It was back after the Port Charles Hotel fire," Jason answered. "Elizabeth thought she'd killed Zander and Emily asked me to help out. I signed a statement saying Capelli had gone after Zander."

He watched a myriad of emotions cross over Sonny's face, but anger wasn't the chief one. "I think Ric was right. You've done a lot of things for Elizabeth I haven't always agreed with or liked, but you did them because you cared about her. Of course you wouldn't want her to go to jail."

"I know I was with Courtney then and I probably wasn't fair to her," he said regretfully, "but I would have done anything to keep Elizabeth out of jail. I probably would have confessed to hitting Zander if I'd had to. She came to me to say thank you and..."

He swallowed and rubbed his hand over his knee, "She felt Cameron kick and she let me feel it and...all I could think was that it was the most amazing feeling."

His friend smiled knowingly and nodded, "It is. And you probably love that little boy because he's a sweet child, and because he's Elizabeth's son."

Jason nodded, "Yeah. He's grown so much since I've met him and every day he does something new. And this isn't just about replacing one child with another."

"No," Sonny shook his head immediately. "I can see it when you talk. You love Elizabeth."

The older man then said, "You want to take care of her and I understand that. That's how I felt...with Carly, with Brenda...with so many others. But I think you'll go about it better than I did. I always let myself get consumed by it because I wanted the great feeling all the time. I couldn't find the right balance. I mean, how many times did you watch me self-destruct over a woman?"

Jason shifted uneasily, knowing the truth in his friend's words. Sonny shrugged, "Doctor Firth and I have talked about a lot of things. My relationships haven't been healthy because I haven't been healthy. I loved the women in my life, but I haven't had good relationships. It's one of the things that scares me about Sam."

He frowned and asked, "What do you mean?"

"The reason I was drawn to Sam was because things weren't right with Carly and me," Sonny admitted.

"I know," Jason sighed.

"Our timing wasn't the best," his friend conceded. "It hurt a lot of people, but I love Sophia, and I think I could also love Sam. But we need to take it slow."

"Do you want to see her?" he asked out of curiosity. "What does Doctor Firth say?"

"That I should take it slow," Sonny quoted. "I know Morgan's probably confused and I don't want to only see him for a few hours and then be gone again, but I want to se him. I want to see my children. I...I want to see if I could feel something for Sam, but that's secondary. I want to see my kids and be a father to them."

Jason knew that things weren't automatically better for his friend and Dr. Firth had cautioned Jason that asking him to come down to the island didn't mean Sonny would be returning to Port Charles soon. But it did mean that Sonny was improving and he would get to start having visits with his children and Sam. Jason knew it was good that he wasn't focusing on romance, but on his family.

It helped Jason feel that maybe he really had done the right thing for his friend. Sonny seemed to be getting better, Dr. Firth seemed encouraged that he would continue to get better. It meant, though, that Jason would have to go back to Port Charles and continue to run things. He didn't want to be in control, but Sonny couldn't take over yet. Both men knew it, even if they hadn't talked about it.

This visit was to see Sonny, to determine how he was doing, and then they would figure out what to do from there. Now that the initial meetings were over, it was time to move onto the next phase. For as much as Jason didn't want to make things uneasy between them, he knew he needed to address certain points.

"When I go back to Port Charles," he began.

"I'll stay here," Sonny finished for him, and Jason could hear that he wasn't happy, but resigned. "And you'll run things."

"Are there things you want done?" he asked.

The older man shook his head, "No. No, you...you're in charge right now, Jason. I...I want to be there, I like the rush of power, but I know that right now... Right now, I can't be involved. I need to focus on my family and not thinking about what's happening back home."

Sonny laid his hand on Jason's shoulder and said, "I know you don't like to run things, but you're doing a good job. Keep doing it. You're taking care of the people and dealing with the business. You don't need to call me and run decisions past me. I'm not there, I shouldn't second guess you."

Jason nodded his acceptance, trying to hide his amazement that it had gone so easy, and that the statements had come from Sonny instead of him trying to convince his friend. The older man smiled, but was also completely serious as he said, "Stay safe. Just because Manny Ruiz is taken care of doesn't mean someone isn't watching and waiting to make their move."

"I know," he said gravely.

"Take care of Elizabeth and her son. She's strong and she knows what she's getting into; respect her and talk to her. And don't forget she's waiting for you," the Latino continued. "Like she's probably waiting for you now. So go."

With a laugh Jason asked, "So I get relationship advice now?"

"No," Sonny shook his head. "You know her, and you'll know what to do. So go be with her like you're probably itching to."

Chapter 83

~Jason's Villa~

Sophia had grown so much. The little girl was giggling and so much more aware of her surroundings. Elizabeth knew that when Sonny was able to see his children again he was going to notice the changes in them; she only hoped it didn't hurt him when he realized all that he'd missed. She knew that Jason said Sonny was doing better, but it could still be very hard on him to see the proof that he'd been away from his children for months.

Sam was doing her best to stay positive for her daughter and for the little boy whose life she had become a big part of. She wasn't taking over his care, Leticia was there to care for Morgan as she had been since his birth, but Sam had become a daily part of his awareness and existence. He knew that Sophia was his sister, that they had the same father, but not the same mother. He was confused about his mother's absence and Michael's, and he didn't understand where his father had gone. He had come to accept Sam's presence because Leticia accepted her, and she had come to care for the little boy of the man she loved.

It was a difficult situation all around and was going to be complicated for everyone involved. Elizabeth wanted everyone to be happy, but she knew it wasn't going to be easy. It was going to be hard and more than likely a little messy, and she hoped that nobody got hurt too deeply. But she also knew that it was going to have to be worked through by Sonny and Sam. She knew how painful and hard it was to be involved with someone, even in love, and have time, circumstances and other people get in the way. While Elizabeth and Jason had finally worked things out, it had taken a lot of time and a lot of heartache. She just hoped the same thing didn't happen between Sonny and Sam.

For the sake of their daughter, Elizabeth hoped that they could be friendly. If romance didn't work, then she hoped the pair could be amicable. She hadn't handled things right with Zander and she certainly hadn't wished him dead even though she'd hit him and feared she'd killed him. They had both become territorial and antagonistic and she'd been afraid of the lifestyle he was living and felt she had to protect herself and her child.

Things felt so different for her now. Even though Jason was involved even deeper in the business than Zander had been, she felt more comfortable and safe with him. He wasn't as rash and impulsive as Zander. He knew the risks and tried to minimize danger if he could, but she knew it was a dangerous business and lifestyle. New Year's Eve had been proof of that and she would never forget finding him bleeding in the snow. The chances of that happening again were good, as was the chance of him dying; she was learning not to focus on that, though, and simply appreciate and embrace the time they did have together.

She was pulled from her thoughts by an excited squeal from Cameron and she looked up to see Jason walk inside the house. Her son was doing his best to crawl to Jason and his face was consumed by an enormous smile. Jason had a matching smile as he walked towards Cameron, crouching down to scoop up Cam in his arms. He stayed down and switched the little boy to one arm and then wrapped the other around Morgan who had come forward a little more cautiously at first, but then seemed to remember his uncle and godfather and rushed towards the older man.

"It's clear how much they love each other," Sam said as she leaned towards Elizabeth and grinned. Then before she could say anything, the other woman continued, "And I don't mean Jason and his namesake. Jason loves children and it's obvious that he loves Morgan, but there was something completely different on his face when he saw Cameron."

Elizabeth looked over at him as he held the two boys and listened to Morgan chatter away. Looking back over at Sam she felt herself blush slightly. The other woman sighed softly, but also smiled warmly, "You guys are very lucky."

"Thanks," she said, not knowing what else to say in this moment that wouldn't potentially hurt her friend.

"Listen," Sam said brightly, a little forced, "why don't you let me and Leticia watch Cameron tonight? We can have him sleep over; somebody should get to enjoy a little tropical romance."

She blushed again as she asked, "Are you sure? He crashed last night but that could have just been from the travel. I don't want him to have a bad night in a new place."

"Then come over for dinner tonight and let Leticia play with him so he's used to her," her friend said, not willing to give up her idea. "Try to put him down at our place tonight and see how he does."

"I'll talk to Jason," Elizabeth finally conceded. Then she pressed her own motive, "But let us keep Morgan for the afternoon. Cam will have a nap and Jason and Morgan can have some time together. I think they'd both like that."

"Okay," the other mother agreed. "I think it would be good for both of them. I'll just gather our stuff and Sophia and I will head back to Sonny's. But we expect you for dinner tonight, even if you decide to keep Cam with you."

~Luke's Club~

Luke walked into the club, rubbing his hand over his hair and trying to wake up. It was almost noon, and the club hadn't been open for months, but he still kept hours like he had when the club was in its prime. He didn't really do anything at the now defunct blues club except sit around and drink, but going to the bar gave him something to do when he wanted to get away from the house he'd lived in with his angel and his family.

When he stepped into the office he stopped short at the sight of Lucky sitting in his chair behind the desk. He didn't understand where he'd gone so wrong with the boy. How did his son end up a cop? A bottle of Luke's best scotch was sitting on the desk and it looked like Lucky had been with it for a while.

"Cowboy?" he asked, "What are you doin' here? Celebrating quitting Port Charles' finest?"

"I'm not quitting," Lucky shook his head angrily. "I know you don't like that I'm a cop, but I didn't become one for you. I learned a long time ago that your approval is a fleeting thing, just like your presence in town. So I don't plan to quit; I like what I'm doing."

Luke grinned as he sat down across from his son. "You know, Cowboy, I'm not upset by that whole little speech. I'm actually proud of you for doing your own thing. You certainly are my son."

Lucky took a drink and humorlessly said, "Yeah, you would think that way."

Leaning forward, he poured himself a drink and then sat back in his chair. "So why are you here? Surely it's not to talk about your career choices or my parenting skills."

"I need your help," his boy answered with a frankness that surprised Luke.

Raising his eyebrows he asked, "My help? What I could I possibly help Port Charles' Finest on?"

"I'm not allowed to work on any cases involving Jason Morgan," Lucky said, his anger clear in his words.

"How'd that happen?"

"His over-priced lawyer claimed I wasn't objective or professional," his son scoffed and shook his head. "She claimed I was going after him because of Elizabeth and Emily. Elizabeth even apparently told her about me attacking Jason with a knife and other things."

Then he shook his head again and took a swig of a drink straight from the bottle. "Though Elizabeth apparently has something against me. Just before the New Year she said I'd abused her when we were together. She doesn't want to have anything to do with me and Jason made it clear I should stay away from her. If I knew what was good for me."

Luke lifted a brow as he took a sip from his glass silently. He'd heard the rumors around town, Jason Morgan was involved with Elizabeth and she was most decidedly under the acting mob boss' protection. Lucky had been trying to get something going with Emily before her death since the Prince of Darkness didn't remember her, but Luke also knew his son. Lucky would never fully give up on Elizabeth. She was like Laura in that regard; Luke could never give up on his angel, either. However, it didn't sound like the young mother reciprocated his boy's feelings.

"Jason Morgan is a criminal. He gets away with murder and the women in this town act like he's the most wonderful person." With a disgusted snort Lucky sneered, "Why should I be kept away from working on cases that involve him? Practically every case in town is connected to him. What's left for me to do; write parking tickets? That's for a meter maid."

"So you wanna take him down to show you're a better cop and Mac was wrong to take you off the case?" Luke asked. "Or is this about getting him away from Elizabeth?"

"Elizabeth has chosen to let a criminal be around her son. Now she'll just have to live with the consequences and face the truth about him."

He wondered, "Are you punishing her?"

"I'm doing my job," Lucky spat. "Jason Morgan and Sonny Corinthos belong in jail. The only problem is that I can't do my job so I need your help."

"What can I do?" Luke asked skeptically.

"You've got connections; you hear things," his boy answered. "I need you to get me some information."

"Become your informant?" he asked with a smile.

With a huff his son demanded, "Are you going to help me or not?"

Luke took a sip of his scotch and decided he better agree merely to keep Lucky from trying to find someone else. Cowboy seemed to be obsessed and he'd fall in with a dangerous group merely to get the scoop on Morgan. "What can I do?"

Leaning forward and getting down to business, the cop outlined, "There was this guy from Miami who was killed, Javier Ruiz. Big mobster family down there. Morgan killed him; I'm sure. His brother came to claim the body and I don't really think he left. But he never caused any problems that we picked up.

"I need to know about Manny Ruiz. I'm sure something was going on between him and Morgan. Things were tense," he continued, "and now they're not. Sonny's gone, supposedly on family issues, Ric Lansing dies on vacation, Morgan's former lawyer quits and suddenly dies. The bodies are piling up and Jason is behind it all."

Luke drew his brows together, "you think Jason killed Sonny?"

He could see the accusation was rolling around on Lucky's tongue. With a shake of his head he said, "Corinthos, his son, his daughter, his nanny and his daughter's mother all left town. Are you thinking Jason killed them all?"

"Maybe he sent them away to cover up the truth."

"Sonny's just down on his island," Luke shook his head. When he saw Lucky about to protest, he placated him by saying, "But I'll check into it along with the other stuff. Let me ask around, and I'll let you know what I find."

Lucky stood and wobbled slightly, but caught himself. "It needs to be soon. Jason's not in town and I want to get the goods on him quickly. If I could arrest him at the airport, Mc would see that he was wrong."

When Lucky left the office, Luke could only sigh and shake his head. It never occurred him to him to try to stop his son or talk him out of this vendetta. Lucky would realize he was wrong, and Mac would realize he'd hired another bumbling fool like Taggart and the rest of the PCPD.

~Island Road~

The night had cooled slightly now that the sun was down, reminding them that it actually was winter. Jason had crisscrossed the island several times, but he'd keep going all night if it meant having Elizabeth near him and happy. It had been a while since they'd been able to share a ride together, and neither of them were in any hurry to end the experience. It wasn't just the dropping temperatures in Port Charles that had kept them off his bike; there had been too much danger to both of them to enjoy a ride. Here, the situation was peaceful and quiet, and Jason had been all to happy to indulge them in a favorite activity.

He relished the feel of her pressed close behind him and Elizabeth's squeals of delight and peals of laughter were a long-missed sound. Eventually, though, he wanted her in his arms and he slowed the bike and parked it near a place by the beach. Jason took her helmet and helped Elizabeth off the motorcycle. Twining their fingers together, he led her out to a spot sheltered from the wind and pulled her against him.

She willingly came into his arms and brought her own up to join around his neck. She rose up to meet his kiss and he was tempted to head straight back to the villa. Selfishly, though, he wanted this moment to themselves to last a little while longer. He didn't want guards right outside, he didn't want responsibility just on the other side of the door. He just wanted to be with Elizabeth with nobody else around.

"I love you," Elizabeth said when they pulled back and she rested her head on his chest.

"I love you, too," he replied softly, tightening his arms around her.

"I love being able to tell you that," she continued, and he could hear the smile in her voice. "And to say it whenever the mood strikes me. I don't have to deny how I feel or pretend like I'm just your friend or that you're someone I barely know."

Jason rested his chin on top of her head, feeling the emotion of her words, "I know."

"I'm not sure how we worked it out; I always felt like a star-crossed lover, never able to get the timing right. But it worked this time. We were honest and we stopped hiding."

"Don't move out," he stated and felt her still. "I don't want you to go. I know you're concerned about affecting Cameron, but I'm telling you how I feel, what I want. I don't want you or Cameron to go."

"Jason," she breathed out in shock, but he could also hear the uncertainty.

"Don't answer right now," he told her, smoothing his hand over her back. "You don't have to answer right away. Think about it for the next couple of days, and even if you decide to go back to your apartment I'm not going to give up on you, Elizabeth. Everyone is going to know how much I care about you and Cameron and that certainly won't change because of where you live."

She let out a breath and relaxed against him. He had been honest with Elizabeth about what he wanted for their future, but he also wasn't going to push her too soon. He was still going to be running the organization and would be busy with that. In fact, he couldn't ignore what he needed to do next.

"I need to leave tomorrow," he told her regretfully. "I'll be gone a day, maybe two. Maybe it'll be just a few hours, I don't know. I want you and Cameron to stay here where you'll be safe and can have fun."

Elizabeth pulled back to look up at him in concern, "What is it?"

"I need to go to Miami to deal with the Ruiz family," was all he was willing to say, especially when she tensed slightly. "I need to talk to the father, Hector."

Then he sighed and said, "And then we will have to go back to Port Charles soon. I can't be away too long. I wish that we could stay here longer."

"I know you need to go back, Jason," she said with soft understanding. "You have a lot of responsibilities and if you're gone too long problems can start in Port Charles."

"I wish I could have had more time to just be with you," he said, bringing his hand up to cup her cheek and then push her hair back. "I've been gone so much; it doesn't seem fair to you, or to Cameron."

"I knew you would be busy when we were here," she shook her head. "You have a lot to do, but I don't want you to feel bad, Jason. You've made sure to spend time with me and Cameron, to focus on us. He had a lot of fun down by the water, and a big part of that was because he was with you. But I don't expect your every moment to be with me."

"We'll never be a normal couple," he told her in regret.

"I know," she admitted softly. "But that makes the time we have together all the more special. Besides, things can't always be as busy and crazy as they have been."

"Hopefully not always," he replied.

Elizabeth smiled up at him and he knew she was trying very hard to stay positive for him and he could only hope that she really was able to live with what she was saying, "Then we'll just take our time together and deal with whatever comes. If you have to leave tomorrow, then we should go back."

"We don't have to," he shook his head, not wanting their time to end. He half-feared that she would want to check on Cameron when they arrived. He knew she was a mother, he loved her and her son, but he really just wanted to be with her tonight.

"I want to," she said, her voice low as she brought her hands up to his shoulders. "Cameron's with Leticia and Sam and it will just be us. I won't have to worry about listening for him."

Jason groaned as he realized the implication of her words. She smiled and continued, "Sometimes I enjoy being alone just like you do. I know you love Cameron, but it'll just be us tonight."

They went back to his bike and as they climbed on, Elizabeth wrapped her arms tightly around his waist and let her fingers dance lightly over his stomach. She stood slightly so she would whisper in his ear, "Go fast, Jason. I want to go fast."

Chapter 84

~Ruiz Home~

Hector Ruiz knew it was not a good sign when the guard at the front gate announced that Jason Morgan was there to see him. He had not heard from Manny since before the new year and he was beginning to suspect his son was dead. Another one to die in that insufferable town in New York.

He did not stand when Morgan came into the room, looking like a common street thug in his jeans and boots. Why, the man even wore t-shirts! There was, however, no way to dismiss the lethal air the younger man carried. It was easy to dismiss his clothes, but it would be foolish to believe that Jason Morgan was not a formidable man simply because he didn't care about the trappings of wealth or appearance.

Once the guards withdrew from the room, Hector looked at his guest and inquired, "To what do I owe the pleasure of your company, Mr. Morgan?"

"I came to inform you of a few things," the young man said in a clipped voice.

"Are you going to tell me where my Manuel's body is?" he wondered. "I presume that is why you're here. To tell me that another son is dead by your hand."

"You would have both your sons alive if you hadn't sent them to Port Charles," Morgan said unapologetically. "But you chose to throw your lot in with Alcazar even though he left you to take on the fight alone. Port Charles is Sonny Corinthos' territory and nobody has been able to take it, even though many have tried."

It was the truth. In the years Corinthos had been running the upstate town in New York, nobody had been able to dislodge him. Add Morgan to his side and the Cuban was a hard opponent to face. But Hector, and especially Javi, had thought they could be the ones to unseat him, aided by Alcazar's information and the mole inside the organization Javi began to cultivate while he was there and then Manny continued on with.

"Do you want me to apologize?" he asked flippantly. He would not appear weak and broken because his sons were dead. Nor would he back down just because Jason Morgan was in his home.

The younger man shook his head, "I'm here to tell you that your sons are dead. It's up to you if you, and the rest of your organization, stay alive. Lorenzo Alcazar is gone from Port Charles, and the country; he doesn't run the town. He never did. If Alcazar ever shows up there again he'll die, just like you, or any man you send will. Stay in Miami and we'll let you live; it's as simple as that."

"As simple as that," the older man spat contemptuously. "You killed my sons!"

"They started a war against us. We finished it. If you choose to retaliate, to keep fighting, we will kill every person in your employ and take your organization apart." The threat was quiet, cold and lethal and Hector fought off a shiver even though it was nearly noon. Jason Morgan was not a man who made idle threats.

The younger man stood and declared, "The choice is yours. But if you move against us you will die."

Then he walked out of the room and Hector leaned against the rich leather of his seat. He now understood why Jason Morgan had the reputation he did. He was stoic and hard and he didn't yell his threats wildly. His pale blue eyes were lethal as he calmly and quietly spoke what would happen if someone crossed him and his boss. It made him believable and feared.

A door opened and Hector didn't need to look up to know it was his remaining son. "Papí."

"Mateo," he said wearily as he turned to look at his child.

"Was there news of Manny?"

"Yes," he answered with a tired nod. "Your brother is dead."

There was a sigh and then his son proved that he had been involved in this life before he changed himself to become a priest. "I suppose we will have the opportunity to bury him and pray for his soul."

"You will have to content yourself with merely praying for your lost brother."

"And what are you going to do?" Mateo asked.

"I will not lose anymore people to Corinthos and Morgan," he stated. "You were right in counseling me against avenging Javí's death. I should have sent you to get his body and I should not have listened to Lorenzo Alcazar."

"I am sorry, Papí," his son the priest offered. "What can I do to help you?'

"Nothing," he shook his head. "I need a son to run this organization."

"Papí," Mateo sighed.

He shook his head, "I will not ask you to break your vows to God, my son. I will not go after Corinthos and Morgan. I will stay in Miami and take care of my organization. I will find someone to take it over, but I will not ask if of you."

"I will pray, Father," Mateo promised him.

"I know," he said with a grateful smile and a nod. That was all they had now that his two strongest sons were gone. "Thank you, Mateo."

After his son left, Hector sat a while, grief and despair going through him over the loss of his children. He blamed Morgan for their deaths, but the part of him that he wanted to ignore - the part that truly thought and was rational - knew that they had provoked the New York mobsters. It was because of Hector's greed and Lorenzo Alcazar's honeyed words that he'd ever turned his eye towards the town not far from the Canadian border. It was the Venezuelan who was truly responsible for the loss of his sons. Morgan had said the other man was out of town, out of the country...Hector wondered if Morgan just hadn't looked hard enough, or if he just didn't have the right contacts in the Latino community.

~Island Compound~

Sam felt like she was going to be ill. So much in her life was riding on the next moments and she was nervous. Funny how she could run cons and scam people out of their money, but she was nervous about meeting the man she realized she'd fallen in love with. Maybe it was because she wasn't in control of the situation.

Once, she had looked at Sonny as a mark; much like she had everyone when she'd first come to town. She knew he was wealthy, knew that Jax didn't like him, and she recognized - even before finding out that Sonny was a mobster - that he was dangerous. Then she found out he was married but the union was in trouble and she knew she could make it have even more trouble. But Sonny started showing interest in her before she even had to begin her usual tricks and she found she began to have feelings that went beyond taking a lot of money to go away so Sonny could salvage his marriage.

Everything had changed when she found out she was pregnant. She'd slept with both Jax and Sonny and didn't know which one was the father. Based on the way both men acted she sometimes found herself wishing neither of them were. Both wanted to be the father simply so the other one couldn't be. They didn't care about the baby, and they definitely didn't care about her; that had been evident when they'd forced a paternity test instead of waiting until after the baby was born.

She realized it was all about them and their egos and even though she'd been surprised when the test said neither of them were the father and not sure how it was possible since she'd only been with the two men, she'd also been relieved. Maybe they would believe she was a tramp who slept with someone else and go away and leave her alone long enough for her to think and out what to do. She hadn't liked when Jason had then said he'd taken it upon himself to fix the test and would claim to be the father simply so her baby didn't mess up Sonny's precious little life. For a moment she thought about making Jason believe he was in love with her and get him to marry her, merely to have control over these overbearing men who thought they could dictate her life and she'd merely just comply.

She'd started testing the waters with Jason and trying to lay the groundwork when everything had suddenly changed. Sonny claimed he couldn't lie anymore and told the truth about the baby. Part of it was to keep his child and not let Jason raise her and also to get at Carly, but Sam had taken it as a sign. Maybe those things he'd whispered to her hadn't just been pillow talk. Maybe he could really come to care for her as she realized she'd come to care for him. This wasn't just about playing a mark for her anymore.

That was why she was now nervous. She couldn't push Sonny or try to play him today. She didn't want to manipulate him into having feelings for her; if anything happened she wanted it to be genuine. She wanted a relationship between them to be his idea, and not just because they had a child together.

Getting out of the car, she smoothed her hands over her pants and stepped forward to meet Sonny's doctor. "Hello."

"Miss McCall," Dr. Firth smiled. "Thank you for coming."

"If you think this will help Sonny, then of course I'd come," she answered as they walked into the house and turned towards what Sam suspected was an office.

"I was hoping we could talk before you saw Sonny," the older woman said congenially.

"Sure," she nodded. "You want to know how I feel about Sonny. Do I love him, or is it just his money or our daughter? If he doesn't love me will I take his daughter away from him, or will I try to cause problems? That's what you want to know, right?"

Dr. Firth leaned back in her chair and nodded, "Something like that; yes."

"Look," Sam began, running her hands through her hair in nervous agitation, "I'm sure you've heard about my past and how Sonny and I started. I was a con artist. I lied; I schemed. I'm not entirely proud that I got involved with a married man, but I can't change the past so I won't get bogged down by it."

"And the future?" the doctor pressed.

"I love Sonny," she admitted truthfully. "It's not the money or Sophie; I like the man he is. Or I believed he is. Now that I know he's sick and was when we were together, he may not be the same. But I want to know, and I want to talk to him and I'll be honest with you, Doctor, I hope he wants a future with me."

Dr. Firth frowned and Sam felt herself fighting against sounding defensive as she said, "I'm not going to pressure him. He's not a mark to me and this isn't a scam. I won't do that to him, or to me. I want to have something real with him if we have anything at all. So I will take my cues from him and I won't push him. Does that tell you what you want to know?"

The older woman tilted her head to the side and then said, "Yes. I'm not entirely thrilled, but you were certainly honest and I can appreciate that. But you'll understand if I keep a watch on your interaction with him."

"I figured you would," she stated.

"Then I guess we should go meet with Sonny. He was looking forward to your visit and he'll start to worry if you don't show up."

Sam wondered if that was meant to give her some hope, or just a statement to fill the silence. It was hard to know with psychiatrists.

~Alexis' Home~

Sitting down on her couch, holding a cup of tea, Alexis let out a troubled sigh. Ric Lansing was dead and Nikolas was encouraging her to come back to Port Charles. It didn't change the fact that Sonny Corinthos knew Kristina was his daughter, but her nephew was trying to convince her that it should not keep her away.

Sonny was not in town and had not been for several months. He was focused on his children Morgan and Sophia; he wasn't searching for Kristina. Once he had been searching for her and their daughter, but shortly after he left Port Charles his efforts stopped. Nikolas had been watching over her and had moved her several times, but he now said he hadn't seen anything that made him worried on her behalf.

He stated that Jason was running the town and Sonny was nowhere in sight. It made Nikolas wonder if this was really a family trip, or if there was something more going on. It made Alexis wonder as well. She had been around Sonny, she knew how obsessive he was about the business; how he loved to be in control. Why hadn't he come back to Port Charles to make a show of power and force? Why hadn't he summoned Jason down to the island to issue instructions? For all outward appearances, Jason was running Port Charles. Sonny was gone, much like he'd disappeared after his aborted wedding to Brenda and left Jason running things.

Something didn't add up and it was making Alexis think about her plans. Was Sonny gone, or would he suddenly reappear? Would he once again go after Kristina? Most of all, what should she do?

Nikolas' comments at Christmas had been with her, in her thoughts and keeping her awake these last weeks. She could change her name, go into hiding for the rest of her life and let Nikolas move them whenever he felt Sonny, or someone else, was getting too close. The question was, did she really want to live that way? Did she want to constantly worry, look over her shoulder all the time and never put down roots because they might have to pack up and go at a moment's notice? Was that really any way to live, and especially for her daughter to grow up?

She knew the Spencers had lived like that for years because of her family chasing them down. Luke made it sound like a wonderful, fun adventure but it had never sounded appealing to Alexis. Now that she was faced with living it herself she found it hadn't grown on her. She didn't want to live this way; she really didn't.

Now she had to weigh personal desires with what was truly best for her daughter. Would it be possible to go back to Port Charles and protect Kristina? She didn't want Sonny near her little girl and she felt that she could get a court order to keep him away. She knew he hit Carly; she had Zander's confession that he had tortured A.J. on Sonny's orders and a court had invalidated Michael's adoption. That should support her claims that Sonny was dangerous and that he should not be near Kristina.

But even if she protected her daughter from Sonny, could she protect the little girl from his enemies? That was a genuine fear for Alexis. Her sister, her daughter's namesake, had died because she was in the wrong place at the wrong time and became a victim of the constant death and violence that surrounds Sonny. Even if he wasn't near their daughter, how would that stop one of his enemies from going after her? The truth would be out there; someone could decide to send a message through Kristina. Of course, the truth was already out there about Kristina; someone could already be looking for her as a way to get at Sonny.

Maybe Alexis needed to find out what was really going on with Sonny. If he was truly out of the mob, then maybe that would give a layer of protection to Kristina. She wouldn't directly be connected to the mob boss of Port Charles. Maybe they wouldn't go after the child of the former boss.

Of course, she wasn't going to gamble her daughter's safety on a bunch of maybes. She was going to have Nikolas dig into what was really going on back home. If Sonny was out, then she deserved to know and also get honest answers from Jason Morgan.

~Jason's Villa~

Elizabeth woke up when she heard the door close and she sat up in bed, blinking to clear that confusion a person has when they're pulled from sleep. She was on the island, in Jason's house, and the door closing meant he must be home. The guards wouldn't come inside without knocking first, unless it was emergency; she would already know if it was an emergency.

It was quiet in the house, though, so she knew it was Jason. She sat up in bed for a moment and wondered if he'd join her. When time passed and the bedroom door remained closed, she let out a troubled breath and then drew the covers off her legs. She didn't want to disturb him, but she was awake now. She hadn't expected him to be back tonight, and she was curious about his earlier return and simply wanted to see him.

She first looked in on Cameron and covered his feet back up, and then gently closed the door to his room behind her. There were no lights on in the house, but she could tell the terrace doors were open from the breeze blowing into the room and the increased sound of the ocean. Her bare feet whispered across the tile floor as she searched for Jason.

He was standing just outside the doors on the terrace, still and frozen. His arms were crossed over his chest and she could see he was tense in the way his muscles quivered even though he was standing still. Looking back towards the bedrooms she wondered if she should go back to bed. He was entitled to time by himself if that's what he wanted and she had no right to intrude on him. But she also knew he sometimes remained too pensive and he needed to be drawn out of those moments so he didn't become mired in what was bothering him.

She was paused in her indecision when Jason let out a heavy sigh and dropped his arms as he turned back to come into the house. He stopped when he saw her and the air felt heavy around them.

"Hey," she said softly.

"Hey."

"I heard you come in; I just wanted to see how you were," she offered up gently.

He shook his head, "I'm sorry I woke you."

"It's okay," she assured him. I'm not trying to push you; if you'd rather be alone I'll go back to bed."

He held up his arms in invitation and she went willingly, burrowing into the softness of his shirt and embrace. Jason rested his cheek on her hair as he said, "I was too wound up to sleep so I didn't come to bed. I didn't want to wake you."

"It's alright," Elizabeth answered. "I was just glad to realize you were back. I missed you today."

Even though he'd been gone during the other days they'd been down here, it had somehow felt different to her knowing that he wasn't even on the island. She'd also tried not to become overly worried about the fact that he was going to see Manny Ruiz's father. He took a guard with him, she knew he was careful, but she suspected there would always be a part of her that worried and would feel immense relief every time she saw Jason safely returned to her.

He let out a breath and raised his head as he said, "I missed you, too."

She lifted her head to look up at him and then rose on her toes to kiss him. His arms tightened around her, molding her to him as he deepened the kiss and made her head spin with his power and passion.

"I want tomorrow to be just us and Cameron," he told her some time later as they tried to return their breathing to normal. "We'll have to go back to Port Charles soon and I just want us to have a day where it's us."

She nodded her agreement to his suggestion, and then could only hold on as Jason lowered his head to meet her lips and then continued to lower them to the floor and showed her just how much he really loved her.

Chapter 85

~Island Beach~

Elizabeth Webber was a beautiful woman. Not just physically, although Jason could - and would - never deny that. She was so full of life and vibrancy that Jason loved to watch her. Her eyes sparkled with delight as she played with her son, and her laugh was so free which made it beautiful to hear.

She had said some nonsense about not wanting to wear a bikini because she was now a mom. He didn't know if she didn't think she'd gotten her pre-baby body back or what, but to him he didn't care. He loved her and he loved her body. Not because it was the perfect size or flawless, but because it was her. He liked the stretch marks she had low on her belly because it was tangible proof of carrying Cameron inside her.

Being a mother didn't make Elizabeth less attractive or sexy. It added to her beauty and her appeal. He didn't love Elizabeth because she was a mother and he wasn't dating her simply so he could get to be around a child. He wouldn't use her anymore than she was dating him to get a father for her son and have someone rich take care of her. But the maturity and growth she'd gained as a mother enhanced her beauty.

Which was why watching her now as she walked back towards the water after changing Cameron's swim diaper and applying more sunscreen, he was highly tempted to forgo the day at the beach. They could just feed Cameron a bottle, settle him down for a nap and spend more time alone together. But Jason pushed down those selfish desires. There would be plenty of time for the two of them; right now was time for them to be together with the little boy. It was a glimpse of family life that he found himself wishing for.

"All changed?" Jason asked with a smile as he stepped closer to Elizabeth, letting the water swirl around his knees.

"Are you sure about this?" she asked, pulling her lip between her teeth. They had only just approached the water when Cameron had squawked for a diaper change and she had hurried off to tend to him.

"He seems to like his baths," Jason pointed out. "But you know I will never let him go and he'll be safe."

She looked at him seriously and said, "I do trust you, Jason. I just...he's so small and I remember being at the beach when I was little and I got knocked down by a wave and every time I tried to get up the waves kept knocking me down. My dad pulled me out and held me as I spit out water, but I was done with the ocean after that."

She laughed wryly and then shrugged her slender shoulders, "I guess I'm just being overly worried."

Jason put one arm around her waist while putting his other arm under Cam to help support him, "If you would rather not have him in the water, I understand. You're his mother, Elizabeth, and the choice is ultimately yours."

Letting out a relaxed sigh, Elizabeth melted into his side, "Look at him. His eyes are so wide with excitement looking at the water. I think he wants to play in it."

With a smile she looked up at Jason and he found himself lowering his head to kiss her. After the brief touch of his lips, his girlfriend said, "Why don't you take him? I think you'll be able to keep a better grip on this little squirming bundle."

With his own smile at the trust she was giving him, he gently shifted Cameron into his arms and then turned. Elizabeth walked beside him as he went deeper into the ocean. The water calmed slightly as they moved away from the breaking surf and Jason kept a secure grip on the little boy as he lowered Cameron into the water. When he first got wet, he paused his movements and Jason watched to make sure Elizabeth's son did not become frightened. After a momentary assessment, Cameron then squealed and brought his little fists down into the water, sending droplets flying.

With his laughter came Elizabeth's and Jason felt himself relax. They played and splashed and just allowed themselves to have fun together. Jason remembered his time on the beach with Michael, but the memory was fleeting. He focused on the delight he'd felt in that time, and then turned his attention to the present. He wasn't trying to replace or recreate, he loved Cameron and Elizabeth and this moment was completely different from the past.

When Cameron began to tire, they left the surf and headed back to the house where they all got cleaned up and put Cameron down for his nap. Elizabeth offered to make lunch for the two of them, but Jason insisted she go out into the living room and let him do it. She was always taking care of him, fixing food to ensure he ate and he knew she did it because she loved him and wanted to do it, but today he wanted to take care of her. Which meant making lunch for them today and letting her relax.

This day was about them and he was determined for Elizabeth to enjoy it. He wanted her to have fond memories of their time to have when they returned to Port Charles.

~Sonny's Villa~

Sam sighed and turned away from the window as she watched Jason, Elizabeth and Cameron go into his villa. She hadn't meant to be spying on them like a voyeur, but she hadn't been able to help it.

Morgan had seen Jason out on the beach and had wanted to go down and play with his uncle. While she knew that Jason and Elizabeth would both welcome the little boy to play with them, Sam suspected that they'd planned for this day to be for them. Actually, she didn't really suspect, she'd heard it directly from Elizabeth who called to cancel their plans for today because Jason had returned last night.

The other mother had been apologetic and slightly embarrassed, but also decidedly happy. While Sam felt slightly jealous, she really couldn't be mad at her friend. Elizabeth hadn't had an easy life; the father of her child was dead and she'd had a long and rough past with Jason. If Elizabeth had finally worked things out with the man, then how could Sam really begrudge the other woman? That was why she'd had Leticia take Morgan out for an adventure so that Jason and Elizabeth could have their time together and the little boy would not become upset at being kept away from his uncle.

Elizabeth had been supportive of Sam and her feelings towards Sonny, it seemed only right that she return the favor. One of them should be happy and Sam knew that it could be a while before she found that with Sonny. If she ever did. She knew it was too soon to say for certain, but her meeting the other day with Sonny had not filled her with a lot of hope.

It had been such an awkward meeting with Sonny that she'd broken out into a cold sweat during it. Because of the nature of their relationship, they were uncertain with each other now. They'd started out as an affair and she'd been hurt and angry when he'd gone back to the wife he'd derided and been so angry with, and then he only wanted to be the father of her child so Jax wasn't. They hadn't been in love and if Carly hadn't died they probably wouldn't have spent much time together.

Before and after Sophie's birth, their interaction had been cautious and centered mostly around their child. She knew she had been the one insisting on that, but she'd known that Sonny didn't love her. She wanted to be sure he wasn't turning to her just because she was convenient now that his wife was dead. For once in her life she wanted to mean something to a man.

So it was very hard to be around Sonny because she knew that he was still getting healthy. Dr. Firth didn't really like her and would be watching her to make sure she didn't try to manipulate or seduce him. She couldn't determine how Sonny felt about her because the only thing they'd talked about was Sophie and Morgan.

Dr. Firth had said it had been a good meeting and perhaps the next time Sam came she could bring pictures of the children. While she understood Sonny's desire to want to know about his children, she wondered if she would forever be an emissary between him and a child. And if that was all he ever saw her as, then what did that mean for her and Sophia once they returned to Port Charles? Would they forever live with guards and protection, but never really have Sonny?

It was too much to think about and she knew she could drive herself crazy trying to figure out an answer. Plus, she had seen the uncertainty and confusion in Sonny's eyes that at times also showed a hint of desire and passion that'd remembered had led to some amazing times between them. So for now, she just had to wait and continue to meet with Sonny. And just see what happened.

~The River Rat~

The problem with searching for information was that a person could always find someone to tell them exactly what they wanted to hear. Luke didn't really believe that Jason Morgan had killed Sonny Corinthos; his former business partner was a mercurial man who'd once left Port Charles under his enforcer's control before.

Corinthos' wife had been killed and Luke was sorry for his sister's sake, but his niece had been as much of a hothead as Sonny and Lorenzo Alcazar's niece probably really thought she was protecting her uncle from the crazy blonde. Add to that having his adoption of Luke's grandnephew overturned; gaining a daughter and then finding out he already had one with Natasha may have been too much for him to deal with all at once. Luke knew that Sonny sometimes had dark episodes; though he certain wasn't going to tell Lucky that.

He thought his boy was taking his obsession against Jason Morgan a bit far. The fact of the matter was, whether the town wanted to admit it, was that Elizabeth Webber was no longer the fifteen-year-old girl who had first fell in love with Lucky. She'd grown up, she'd gotten married and divorced and she'd had a child. And she was finally admitting her attraction to Jason Morgan. She knew what she wanted, and it wasn't The Cowboy.

However, Lucky could never get over her, or accept that he was no longer the most important man in her life. He especially couldn't handle that Jason was the man for Elizabeth. So he seemed bound and determined to get Morgan; especially since Lucky had been blocked at work because of the acting mob don. So he was now going to pursue this pea-brained notion that Morgan had killed Sonny.

Luke thought he'd ask around a few places, have some drinks and then report back to Lucky. Nobody suspected Corinthos was dead; he was just spending some time down on his island. Unfortunately, that wasn't what Luke found. There were actually fools who thought Morgan had offed Sonny.

Some of those who hadn't been around back when Sonny took off for a year and didn't come back when Morgan turned the organization over to Moreno just simply couldn't believe that Corinthos wouldn't come home when Jason was taking on Manny Ruiz. Surely a real mobster wouldn't leave it up to his second to protect his territory. Apparently some of these mokes forgot that Gotti had run the territory when he was in prison. Did they really think it was impossible for Jason to talk to Sonny just because he was on his island?

Those idiots were joined by men looking for a little revenge. Jason Morgan was a better mob boss than Corinthos, even though Luke would never tell his old friend that. Morgan didn't make rash decisions which helped keep his men, and the town safer. But Morgan also kept a better eye on the territory and he kept people in line better. He didn't let the pimps beat up their women, and he didn't put up with the dealers trying to push into the territory. Some of those small-time thugs were feeling the pinch, so they complained. Maybe they did, or maybe they didn't actually believe that Morgan killed Sonny, but they were disgruntled enough to join in with the conspiracy theorists.

They were still a small minority of the criminal element in town, but they were there. And their voices were getting louder. Or maybe that was just because of the booze. Whatever the reason, Luke knew it wasn't a good thing if Lucky heard the rumblings. They were getting to the point that someone else might clue in his son and that would be decidedly bad. Lucky would try to find proof of the murder and Luke knew his boy wouldn't survive if he went up against Morgan and his men.

Tossing back his drink and putting some money down Luke headed off. He needed to do a little thinking about this because he certainly didn't want to lose his boy. Even if he had become a cop.

~Island Road~

"See," Elizabeth laughed. "That wasn't so awful."

Jason smirked as he stuffed his hands in his pockets, "It wasn't bad."

She rolled her eyes and smacked his stomach, "You are so predictable. You know I wasn't that terrible. Besides, you were the one really steering."

He chuckled and pulled her close for a kiss. With her in the circle of his arms he looked down at her, "Sometimes it was more fun to tease you. When I drove, we could go fast and you had your arms around me and you were pressed up tight against me."

Looking up at him she smirked, "So it was all about you."

His brow lifted slightly, "It's my bike."

"Well what if I wanted to have your arms around me?" she asked, stepping closer to him and brushing her fingertips over his chest. She felt his muscles twitch as his jaw clenched. "I couldn't always admit how I felt about you, but I wanted to have your arms around me and driving was the perfect excuse."

His eyes darkened in the sunset and he captured her mouth in a searing kiss. His passion was barely contained as his lips covered hers again and again as he showed her just how much her confession affected him. She loved these moments when she could do this; when she could make him lose some of his famed self-control. He loved her and it wasn't that he was boring, but sometimes she loved when he wasn't always completely in control.

He pulled back slightly, his control returning and the kiss slowed to allow them to catch their breath. She could feel his passion and desire simmering in him as he held her. He rested his cheek against her head. He let out a breath, "That's why I didn't let you drive."

She lifted her head to look at him and the corner of his mouth went up, "I was afraid of overwhelming you with how much I wanted you. I didn't want to make you uncomfortable."

"Well I'm not uncomfortable now," Elizabeth told him softly.

Resting her head against his chest and looking out at the sun sinking into the water she let out a slow breath. "When we go back to Port Charles...if you still want us to stay, then Cameron and I will move the rest of our things in."

His arms tightened around her, "I want you to stay. But...but are you sure?"

"Cameron adores you," she told him, looking up at him with love and warmth. "He had such fun today and he accepts you. He looks for you; you're becoming a part of his life. I don't want to hurt him or confuse him, but to keep you away from him makes it seem like I don't trust you and it would confuse him. To move and still see you and want to move back in one day seems ridiculous."

"Are you sure?" he asked again.

She could hear the hope in his voice but she couldn't help teasing him, "What? Don't you want me to stay?"

He dipped his head down to kiss her and then said, "You know that I do."

"Yes," Elizabeth nodded, "but I do like to hear it."

With a smile he reached his hand up to cup her cheek, "I want you and Cameron to stay with me, Elizabeth. I can only hope that you'll want to stay forever."

She wanted the same thing, but was afraid of jinxing her life by actually voicing it. But Jason was being honest with her and so she said, "I know we have to take life one day at a time...but I hope for the same thing."

Closing her eyes to breathe the moment in and savor it, the moment stretched out between them and she felt herself being lulled into peace by the beating of his heart.

"Let's go back," she said. They had planned to spend the evening together, but she wanted to go back to Jason's villa. "Let's put Cam to bed and then we can spend the rest of the evening together."

"Do you want to get dinner or fix it there?" he asked, accepting and agreeing to her request.

"I don't care," she said honestly. "I just want to be with you and Cameron tonight."

As they turned for the motorcycle she smiled at him and then rose up on her toes to kiss him. "You can drive back. Steering's fun...but let's go fast before we have to slow down for bath and bottles."

Chapter 86

~Alleyway~

Lucky approached the meeting spot cautiously. The docks were a maze of dim corridors and he wasn't foolish enough to not be aware of the fact that he could be walking into the trap. He had his badge around his neck, but not visible. If something went wrong he could always pull it out and say he was acting in an official capacity. Plus, he had a spare gun strapped to one ankle and a knife attached to the other. He was not going to be unprepared and unarmed in this moment.

His hand flexed around his service revolver after he arrived and listened for the sound of approaching footsteps. He strained his ears, but not too hard; he didn't want them to play tricks on him. He thought he heard the echo of someone approach and he shifted his weight to the balls of his feet so that he could react quickly if needed.

A man approached him, clearly a dockworker by the look of his clothes, and stopped several feet away. "You Spencer?"

"You Thompson?"

The other man stuffed his hands into the pockets and said, "I heard your old man asking questions at the Rat the other night. I figure there's only reason a cop's father would be down at the Ra0t when he's got his own bar. Especially when he's the father of a cop who's been ordered away from all cases involving Jason Morgan."

"And what reason is that?" Lucky asked.

"You want information on Morgan and Sonny Corinthos," Thompson stated plainly.

Lucky put his hands in the pockets of his coat and said, "and you want me to believe that you have information."

"Your old man's not exactly subtle," the dockworker scoffed. "He was asking questions about Morgan and what people were saying 'bout Corinthos. Some people were saying they thought Morgan offed his partner and your father perked right up and listened in."

Crossing his arms over his chest, Thompson said, "That's what you want to know, isn't it? You want to know if Morgan killed Corinthos and took over the territory."

"And you have information on that?" Lucky asked with a lift of his brows.

"Maybe," the other man shrugged.

"What do you mean maybe?" he demanded.

"Well, what if I do?" the dockworker asked. "What's in it for me to tell you?"

"I could arrest you for obstructing an investigation," the cop hissed.

Thompson laughed, "You're not supposed to be investigating any cases involving Morgan. You're doing this off the clock. You can't arrest me and have it stick. It's even doubtful you'd keep your job."

Lucky balled his fist and said, "Then what do you want?"

"Maybe a little appreciation for being an informant," the man suggested.

"You really are a rat," Lucky sneered. "You want to be paid. Sorry, can't pay you."

The dockworker glared and then cocked his head to the side and shrugged. "Then good luck with your investigation."

He turned to go and Lucky reached out to grab him, "Wait. Wait. Look, you take my card and if...if you ever run into any trouble with the cops then give me a call and I'll do my best to help you out."

With a smile the other man said, "Now that's a little better.'

Lucky let the man go and then said, "So what do you know?"

"Before Corinthos officially left town he wasn't seen much. Morgan was handling most everything around here. When he did leave, nobody actually saw him."

Frowning, Lucky asked, "What do you mean?"

"A limo pulled into a private hangar, only the pilots and guards were allowed inside," Thompson explained. "The limo went in, Corinthos supposedly got on, limo left; Corinthos was never actually seen. Seems a little suspicious to me."

"Yeah," the cop agreed as he reached into his pocket and pulled out his card. He handed it to the snitch and waved him away.

It was suspicious that nobody saw Corinthos in the days before he left or when he was at the airport. And why did he never come back to Port Charles when Manny Ruiz was running around terrorizing the town? Sonny was obsessed with power; he was addicted to it. Lucky didn't believe for a minute that Sonny was that dedicated to his family that he wouldn't come back when his business was being threatened.

Lucky had heard the stories from his dad and Sonny when he was growing up about Sonny taking over the territory and he'd known back then that the man loved being in the mob. He ran things. He made the decisions. Jason Morgan was hired muscle. He wasn't the decision maker. So how come Sonny had left him in charge of everything?

No, Lucky decided as he turned for his car, Sonny wouldn't stay away. Not unless he wasn't capable of coming back. Now all Lucky had to do was prove it.

~Miami~

Hector Ruiz was a broken man. His family was decimated. His two sons were dead and his third son had once been as lethal as his brothers, but he knew that Mateo could not go against his vows to God. He could not come back to this life without losing his soul and Hector could not allow him to do that. That was why he was handling this; one last piece of revenge.

He knew that Sonny Corinthos and Jason Morgan had searched for Lorenzo Alcazar and his niece after the pair fled Port Charles. The young woman had murdered Corinthos' estranged wife and then escaped prosecution. It was why Alcazar had contacted Hector; both men had believed grief would keep Corinthos from effectively stopping Javier from taking over the territory. And if it had just been Sonny Corinthos, the assessment would have been correct.

It was not just Sonny Corinthos in Port Charles, though; Jason Morgan had stood solidly beside the man. Morgan had a fearsome reputation as a lethal and efficient killer and if only half the rumors of his kills were true, then the reputation was well-deserved. But despite his efficiency as an enforcer and hitman; people often underestimated him. That, Hector decided, was the reason every attempt to unseat Corinthos - including his family's - had failed.

Because Jason Morgan did not actively seek to be in power, the man had once run the territory but turned it back over to Corinthos, people assumed that he was stupid. Combined with his well-known brain damage, people mistakenly presumed he was all brawn and only brawn. But Jason Morgan was an incredibly smart man. He was decisive, he was analytical and he didn't make decisions based on reactionary emotions like his boss was notorious for.

Yet that didn't mean that the man had no feelings as so many mistakenly believed. Hector had done a little digging and in just the short time he'd been asking around since Morgan had shown up at his house, he'd learned a few things. The enforcer-cum-acting boss was in love and involved with a single mother. He'd taken mother and child with him to Corinthos' private island in addition to having moved them into the secure building the criminal duo owned. The man was described as being fiercely protective of her.

Hector knew that she was the woman Manny had told him about. His son had said that there was someone he suspected could be used against Morgan, and even though Manny hadn't said it, Hector suspected it was a woman. He told his heir to proceed cautiously - it was always tricky involving women - but Manny was impulsive and did not hold himself above using innocents to get his desired results. To have gone after Morgan's woman...there was little doubt why the younger man had responded with lethal force.

The fact that he did not become wild and reckless, even though it was his woman who was being threatened, is what made Morgan a unique, and deadly, man. Corinthos would have been wild and out of control, but Morgan had not brought chaos and violence upon the city. He was careful, but focused completely on eliminating the threat to his business and his personal life. It was that focused lethalness that brought Morgan to his door and told Hector to stay away from Port Charles. If he didn't, the older man had no doubt that the man who killed his female lawyer for her betrayal to him, would wipe Hector out.

For as much as the aging don mourned the loss of his sons, he knew he could not seek vengeance against Morgan. He would lose because the younger man had the home advantage and the other mob organizations would probably support Corinthos and Morgan against the intruder; especially one that had already been pushed back. But there was someone who could and would pay for the deaths of his sons.

Lorenzo Alcazar was a well-connected man who knew how to hide. But he was a Latino like Hector, and that was the one advantage he had that Morgan would not have. Corinthos had tapped into the full potential of his heritage and many of Hector's generation felt he was too arrogant and unpredictable, just like the Alcazar brothers. Because of that Hector had access to a network that would ultimately reward the old ways and punish the arrogant pup who sent his family to their deaths for his own purposes.

That was why the request the grieving father made to help him find Lorenzo Alcazar was already beginning to yield results. People had heard whispers and rumblings of Alcazar being here or there, and were checking into further. They were willing to do so because Hector had another advantage over Corinthos; he wasn't searching for Alcazar for revenge on the niece like many believed the younger man wanted. Hector was only interested in Alcazar.

The man had lured Hector's sons to their deaths and would pay for it. Jason Morgan had acted in defense against Javier and Manny and despite the ache of the loss, the father knew it had been justified. Alcazar had been false and the angry father was determined to get justice.

~Jet~

Elizabeth closed her eyes with relief as Cameron's eyes fluttered closed and his whimpers faded away. She continued to hold him as she swayed side to side, making sure he kept his pacifier in his mouth. He let out a soft fuss, but she could tell he was finally settling down.

"Do you want his car seat?" Jason asked quietly.

Elizabeth shook her head as she approached the couch he was sitting on. "I'm afraid to put him down for fear he'll start crying."

"Then let me hold him," Jason offered, turning towards her. "You've had him screaming in your ear for a while."

She allowed him to take her son, settling the boy against his chest. As he spread a broad hand over the little boy's back and made sure Cam still had his pacifier, he asked, "Should we have a doctor look at him when we get back?"

"We'll see how he's doing then," she said. "But I think it was just the pressure on his ears; he didn't really eat anything from his bottle when we took off, he just chewed on it. And I think that's because his teeth hurt. He was really fussy this morning when you went to see Sonny and chewing on everything he could get a hold of. I think it's just another tooth coming in."

"We could have stayed an extra day or two," Jason said almost regretfully.

"No," the mother shook her head, "we both know you need to get back. Plus, who knows how long it will take the tooth to come in. Sometimes he fusses for a week and sometimes the very next day with hardly any fussing he's got a new tooth."

"Michael was that way," he said softly; thoughtfully. "The worst ones were his eye teeth. It was hard to comfort him."

Jason's brow furrowed, "I think he was older when he got those. It...it was closer to when...when A.J. got custody."

"I think it's too soon for Cam to get those," she agreed softly. It wasn't often Jason talked about Michael, but she was glad he did and that it didn't seem to be as painful anymore. "But we'll get some teeth medicine swabs and put his teething rings in the refrigerator and hopefully that will help him."

She settled into her seat and turned slightly towards Jason. "How was Sonny this morning?'

He frowned slightly, "He wasn't having a good morning. Dr. Firth said he has them sometimes, and it's not as bad as he's been before, but it wasn't a good day. He knows why he needs to stay here, but it upset him today especially since I'm leaving. Plus he met with Sam and I guess it didn't go that well because the doctor doesn't really like her or trust her and was trying to warn him against her or something. He didn't...appreciate her meddling in his personal life."

"Why is she warning him against Sam?" Elizabeth frowned.

"She wants him focusing on getting better, not on personal relationships."

Folding her arms over her chest she said, "She thinks Sam is going to play him and manipulate her way into a relationship?"

His silence and slight shrug was her answer. She knew this doctor had helped Sonny and she was glad for it, but she also thought the woman was being a little high-handed here. This doctor was judging Sam on her past and not focusing on the here and now. Sam loved Sonny too much to try and play him, but it seemed the doctor only wanted to focus on what had happened in the past between Sam and Sonny.

Elizabeth raised her eyebrows and then sadly shook her head, "It's going to be up to them to figure it out. We certainly had plenty of people telling us to stay apart and sometimes it only made us want each other more."

She tilted her head to the side at Jason's skeptical look, "I'm not saying that's Dr. Firth's intentions, but it might be a byproduct. Sonny may decide he wants to see Sam all the more and make it work with her just to prove the doctor wrong.

"But," she said with determination, "that's for them to work out. I think we've got enough going on with us that we don't need to try to figure their relationship out. But I think if anything happens...it's going to have to come from Sonny."

When he looked at her question she explained, "Sam's aware of her past and her cons. She believes she could con him now, but she won't. She wants it to be for real and she'll be cautious to make sure no one can say she tricked him."

Then with a shake of her head, she smiled at Jason and changed the subject, "I think he's going to stay asleep. We can put him in his seat if you want."

"I've got him," he shook his head and lifted his arm, clear invitation for her to curl up to his side. "Enough about everyone else. Soon enough we're going to land and if I'm lucky Max will wait until I get to the penthouse before he tells me everything I need to do."

She let out a sigh, knowing he was correct. She was grateful they tried to the squeeze the last drops of time together, because when they landed Max was waiting at the airport for them. He looked apologetic and repeatedly apologized to Elizabeth for being there, but there were things he needed to talk to Jason about right away. They both were saddened by the fact, but knew it couldn't be helped.

Jason gave her a kiss and told her to wait for him to figure out when she'd move the rest of her things into his penthouse. Then he left with Max and the guards took Cameron and Elizabeth home to the Towers. There was no denying they were back in Port Charles now.

~Alexis' House~

She was surprised when she got the call from Nikolas telling her he was at the airport and she needed to pack hers and Kristina's bags. Panic gripped her, wondering what had happened that would have caused her nephew to feel like it was necessary to leave. Alexis, however, was not going to wait for Nikolas to arrive before doing anything, so she was gathering the essentials she and her daughter needed.

She was in the middle of getting Kristina's necessary toys when she heard the doorbell ring and the housekeeper/cook open the door. Clipped, precise footsteps echoed down the hall and she could tell her nephew was upset. She stood frozen, holding her daughter's favorite doll when he stormed into the room.

"What did you do?" he demanded of her with such fierceness it made her jump.

"What-what do you mean?'

"You went and made inquiries about Sonny Corinthos and him leaving Port Charles," he growled. "Why?!"

"I...I wondered what people on the street were saying and if..." She nearly quailed under his gaze which was forbidding like her father and brothers. But she swallowed and lifted her chin, "I wondered if people thought he was out of the business or why he left."

"I told you I would look into it," Nikolas hissed.

"I thought you might be hampered by..."

"By being a prince?" he questioned with a lift of his brow. "I told you I would investigate it, and I know plenty of contacts. But because you went and started asking questions, using my uncle's resources you drew attention to yourself we've been trying to avoid."

"Sonny?" she asked, gripping the doll tighter in her hands.

He shook his head, "Helena."

Chapter 87

~Sonny's Penthouse~

It was early when Jason crossed the hall and entered Sonny's place. He'd been here until late last night when he finally insisted he was going home; he wanted to see Cameron and Elizabeth. The little boy was asleep, but Elizabeth woke up briefly when he slipped into bed and turned towards him before settling back into slumber. Cameron woke up early and Jason had gotten up to tend to the little boy because he had no idea when he would return and get to see Elizabeth's son again. She got up, despite him telling her to get some rest, and fixed breakfast for them all. He wasn't really hungry, but he ate it simply because she'd made it for him.

When he opened the door to the penthouse, he saw that everyone was already there. He wondered if they'd slept, but remembered when he'd done the all-night work and how he knew his job was to bring the most up-to-date information to the man in charge. Max, Milo and Bernie all looked up while Spinelli continued to tap away on his computer. Max smacked his arm but Jason shook his head; he didn't need people to stand up when he entered the room.

"Mr. Morgan," Bernie greeted him. "Would you like some coffee?"

"No, thanks," he shook his head.

The accountant crossed the room and poured a cup of coffee for himself, taking a sip while grimacing. Spinelli continued to type away while occasionally reaching for a bottle of orange soda. Milo looked ready to collapse, but Jason knew sheer will and probably some fear was keeping him awake. He was going to have to tell the kid to get some rest before he fell over.

"What do we have that's new?" Jason asked Max.

"We've been tracking Spencer's movements; he was out asking questions again last night," his second answered. "We've been tracking who he's talking to."

"Who is it?"

"Al Thompson," Max informed him.

Jason let out a breath. The dockworker had been fired from the warehouse after they'd found him trying to steal from them. They hadn't blacklisted him at the time, but after he repeated tried to cause problems for his new employers and blame Sonny and Jason, or try to come after his former employers, then the man was declared unemployable. After that, he fell in with the petty criminals of town and then a gang. They'd kept an eye on the man, but hadn't thought he was really that big of a problem because he was only marginally accepted by his gang and the group knew better than to go after Sonny.

Now, however, it seemed Thompson had decided to go after them through the cops. Lucky was known to have a vendetta against Jason just like Taggart, and Jason wouldn't be surprised if Thompson knew Lucky wanted to take Jason down and was willing to work outside the law to do it. Information like that spread through the criminal community, so it didn't surprise Jason that Thompson was now using Lucky and feeding him information.

Combine that with Luke asking questions and the cop would probably have other people coming out of the woodwork looking to score vendettas against Jason and Sonny. Lucky would willingly believe everything he heard because he wanted to bring Jason down any way he could. The cop no doubt thought that the force would overlook his methods so long as he arrested Jason. That would make everything okay.

"What do we do about him?" Max asked.

Jason scrubbed his hand over his face. "I don't know. I'm not going to talk to Lucky; nothing will come from that."

"What about Thompson?"

"We can't afford to do anything to him," he shook his head. "If he suddenly disappears, Spencer will suspect us. And if we talk to him, he'll-"

"Go straight to Spencer," Max finished for him. "So..."

"At least keep an eye on Spencer and see who talks to him and what he does," Jason ordered. "And Thompson, too. Things are quieting down; we don't need some stupid cop stirring up trouble because he doesn't know when to let things go."

"What about talking to Luke?" his second suggested.

"Or maybe we could say one of our warehouse guys caught wind of it and then we have Ms. Miller deal with it," the younger of the two brothers said with a lift of his brow.

"Max could find a guy willing to say that's what he heard and then he'd have another excuse to talk to our new lawyer."

Max turned and hissed, "Shut up, idiot."

"Actually," Bernie spoke up, entering the conversation. "Milo's suggestion isn't bad. We could use the cops to our advantage. Ms. Baines set precedent in filing harassment complaints against Lucky and the PCPD. If they have to start investigating him, maybe they'll shut him down before he can do anything."

"Or they won't believe us," the elder of the brothers stated.

"Then Spencer knows we're aware of what he's doing and he escalates things," Jason sighed.

"What if there was footage of the Defective Detective talking to his revenge seeking informant?" Spinelli asked, looking up from his laptop as his fingers stilled.

"What?" Jason frowned.

"I thought you were working on Stan's accounts?" Max grumbled.

"I was, I did," the computer geek stated. "So I decided to look into surveillance cameras around the docks because the Brothers Grimm told Numbers Man that's where the Defective Detective was lurking around."

"I don't know what you said," Jason said, his scowl deepening. "So start over at the beginning and speak English."

~Cassadine Jet~

"I think we should talk to Jason Morgan."

Nikolas had immediately gotten his aunt, his cousin and the nanny on a plane and left immediately. Alexis was too frightened for him to do much more beyond getting them out of the country. He tried to help her calm and assure Kristina, and so he held his tongue. But now that his cousin was asleep, it was time to deal with his aunt.

She gaped at him, "Jason Morgan? The whole reason we left Port Charles was to keep my daughter away from Sonny Corinthos and the danger that surrounds him."

"No," he shook his head, "we left Port Charles because you did not want Sonny Corinthos to know what he is the father of your daughter. You were afraid Ric Lansing had somehow discovered your secret and would expose you. And then you were most afraid of losing control of your life and being forced to let Sonny Corinthos be a part of Kristina's life which means he would be a part of your life. You know that with him being a part of it you would lose your precious control."

He sighed in irrigation and at her affronted look. "Which is why despite me telling you that I would take care of you, that I would handle things, you just couldn't sit back. You were so insistent on doing it your way, being involved, in control, that you did not think!"

"I-"

"Thought you might have contacts that I could not access," he cut in with a weary wave of his hand. "Yes. Well, your inability to trust people, your refusal to let go and let someone else handle things has no compromised your safety and Kristina's."

"Helena has obviously known about Kristina for a while," she tried to salvage the situation. "She could have come after us when Kristina was younger."

"You upset her when you dared to use family connections," he tersely informed her. "You are not family and you are not allowed to use family resources in her mind. You blatantly and directly challenged her."

Leaning back in his seat, he crossed his legs, resting his ankle on his knee. "That is why we need to go to Jason Morgan."

"Why?" she pressed him.

"Because the secret is out. People know that Sonny is Kristina's father. He's been looking for her, and that can make Jason Morgan our ally now," he explained to her. "Because Jason is loyal to Sonny and protects his children. He will protect Sonny's child from Helena and, most importantly, he has the resources to make that happen."

"I don't want anyone connected to Sonny anywhere near my child," she insisted.

"I honestly do not know if I have the resources to protect you and Kristina," he said honestly. "So if you want you and your daughter to be safe, then you better seriously consider swallowing your precious pride and control and ask Jason Morgan for help."

He arched his brow and then decreed, "I will give you one day, and then I will go to him."

~Sonny's Penthouse~

Jason had a headache by the time he was done listening to Spinelli delightedly show everyone how he'd hacked into surveillance cameras alone the docks and tracked Lucky, Luke, Thompson and others over the past several days. They could take this to Mac, along with a well-chosen warehouse worker who would say he'd overheard Luke and then saw Thompson and Lucky and hope the cops would check surveillance tapes and found what they had.

But Jason didn't trust the cops and so he didn't expect them to investigate one of their own. They'd pull Lucky off cases dealing with Jason simply as a show of following the law and being threatened by lawsuits. However, they'd never truly investigate Lucky illegally going after him.

So they would have Spinelli keep an eye on all the players and Jason would try to talk to Luke. But he didn't have hopes for that either. Luke liked to play games and he'd tell Jason that Lucky was harmless and he'd rein the boy in, but he never would. Jason knew it, knew Luke would as well, but he'd still go to the man as a courtesy. Because if Jason ended up defending himself against the rogue cop, then Luke would have ample warning. The failure to do anything would be his alone and he wouldn't be able to claim Jason blindsided the Spencers or never gave him a chance. It would also make it easier to show Sonny why they didn't owe Luke anything anymore.

But that would have to be dealt with later. Jason wanted to know about Stan, so he took a breath to steal himself against Spinelli's impending explanation and commanded, "Okay. Now, tell us what you found on Stan. In English."

"Okay," the young man tried. He was fairly bursting with the desire to explain what he'd found, but he had a language all his own that Jason hadn't learned to follow yet. And it was hard for the computer geek to restrain himself.

"The Bernificent One originally traced Darkwing's money as coming from France," Spinelli began. "But there were many encryptions and firewalls. We were able to find out who owned the account."

"It is owned by a Mr. Moreau," Bernie informed them.

"Which is obviously an alias," the younger man interjected. "Especially when his address is coordinates that puts him in the middle of the ocean."

When Max looked at Milo and then over at Bernie, the accountant explained, "The book The Island of Dr. Moreau."

Spinelli nodded and picked up the tale again. "From there we traced the money through a series of other accounts, all of which were fronted by aliases."

"How do you know?" Milo asked. "More fake addresses?"

"Actually," the young man laughed, "It was the names. They're all variations of the actors who played good ol' double o'seven himself, James Bond. There were seven names which has ended in James Craig."

"And is that the final name?" Jason asked.

"It's the final name I found," the computer tech admitted, regret making his voice heavy. "There is a lot of information I've found on James Craig; employment, address, remarks from other people, but no picture of the man or any recent activity."

"So he's a real person?" Max asked.

"Considering his name is a combination of Bond names like all the other accounts, it's highly doubtful this is his real name," Bernie shook his head.

"Then who's the real guy?" Milo asked.

"Alas, the Jackal has been thwarted," he glanced nervously up at Jason and said, "but only temporarily. I will prevail."

"I thought you were supposed to be good at this," Milo needled the man.

Spinelli opened his mouth, then glanced at Jason and quickly shut it with a snap. It was clear he was annoyed, but he apparently wasn't going to fight back. The mobster was wondering if this was going to become a problem and how soon he should step in without undermining the new guy or making it seem like he was babysitting everyone when Bernie spoke up.

"Actually, Mr. Spinelli figured out the encryption codes faster than I've seen Stan do anything," the older man said in his infinitely patience-filled voice. "Who knows if Stan helped this James Craig set up his system. We should remember that Stan is receiving money from questionable accounts to a questionable and hidden account. Mr. Spinelli is helping find out who is paying him so hopefully we can prevent another experience like we just had with Ms. Baines."

The brothers were quiet and as the silence stretched, Spinelli smiled tentatively and almost shyly and said, "Thank you, Bernificent One."

"Alright," Jason spoke up. "Spinelli, you keep digging. Watch all his e-mails, phone calls...everything. Max, I want someone watching him. I don't want to let this go on forever; if we need to pull him in and talk to him, we'll do that. I don't want him or Spencer left out there too long to cause major problems for us."

"You got it, Jason," Max assured him.

"Okay," he sighed. "I'm gonna go talk to Elizabeth, and then I'm going to talk to Luke."

~Jason's Penthouse~

Jason was back much sooner than Elizabeth expected, but she could tell by the look on his face that things definitely weren't going well. But he made a determined effort to put those troubles aside as he joined her and Cameron for lunch. After lunch, he played with her son for a little bit, and then gave him a bottle which put him right to sleep. Elizabeth cleaned up the dishes while Jason was upstairs and then worked on some preliminary sketches for Ned and Lois until he came down. She knew without him ever having to say a word that he wanted to talk to her. She could see it in his eyes and the tension he carried.

When she heard his boots on the stairs she began to gather up her work and set it aside. By the time he reached the couch and sat down she turned him and took his hand while asking, "What's going on? What's got you worried?"

"Lucky's going around asking questions about Sonny," he sighed out heavily. He never once hesitated talking to her. "He's got Luke helping him."

She looked at him in confusion, "About Sonny? What...what is he asking?"

"Because Sonny's been gone so long and didn't come back during the problems with Manny, he thinks that Sonny couldn't come back because he's dead," Jason explained succinctly.

"Dead?" she gasped, her eyes widening. "He thinks you killed Sonny?"

Jason nodded and Elizabeth huffed, "He's not supposed to be on any cases involving you."

"He's not on a case."

She closed her eyes as realization sunk in. "He's doing this on his own. He must think that if he takes this to Mac when it's done the town will call him a hero. You'll be arrested, and the mob will be gone."

Letting out a breath she said slowly, "You'll be gone. You'll be out of my life and he wins."

"Yeah," he said in slow tones. "I wonder if that's part of his motivation. This is definitely personal; he's willing to believe anything anyone says as long as it's against me."

Turning on the couch, she twined their fingers together. "So what are you going to do?"

"I don't think it'll do anything, but I'm going to talk to Luke," he answered.

"Lucky won't stop," she shook her head with sad insight. "Right now, he feels like he has nothing to lose...and he probably blames it all on you."

Looking at him she tilted her head and then asked, "Are you worried about how I'll feel about this?"

He swallowed and looked down slightly. She squeezed his hand and waited for him to look up at her. "Jason," she said softly, "there is a part of me that cares for him and doesn't want to see him hurt by anyone. Much like you always cared about Carly. But Lucky is responsible for his own life and I know that he's angry, focused and...and at times out-of-control. If he's chosen to go after you on his own...then...then he's like Ric who could never let go of his obsession. Just because he's a cop or Luke Spencer's son doesn't mean he can do whatever he wants."

"I don't know what will happen," he said.

She shook her head firmly, "That's for you to figure out. I'm not going to ask you not to hurt him. Lucky's made his choice...he's just going to have to face the consequences on his own."

Chapter 88

~Island Compound~

His children had grown so much. It had only been several months, but there were such amazing changes in them. Morgan was getting around so much easier and saying so many new words. He was having fun down on the island, but it was clear he missed his father. It had both thrilled Sonny and filled him with despair when Morgan shouted 'Daddy' and ran to him the moment he walked inside. It was hard to enjoy the wonderful time spent with his son when he knew Morgan would have to leave and not be able to stay.

Little Sophia had positively broken his heart. She stiffened when Sam placed the little girl in his arms and kept trying to squirm out of his hold. She was clearly uncomfortable with him because she didn't know him. She fussed and turned away from him and she only calmed when Sam took her back. Once she was in her mother's hold she would let him talk to her and actually smiled at him near the end of the visit.

It had been a wonderful day spent with his children. He cooked lunch for Morgan and played outside with him. Sophie finally warmed up to him enough that she let him feed her a bottle. He rocked her to sleep and then played games with Morgan. It gave him a new resolve to get better. Sonny wanted more of these moments. He wanted to see his children and not just hear about them. He wanted to tuck them into bed and not have to send them home.

As wonderful as the day had been, Sonny found himself fretting over it in the evening. Sam and Leticia had both come with the children, but there were many times - he realized - that Sam had acted just like the nanny. They only spoke in regards to their daughter. While she had been nearby at first to help ease Sophia's unease, once the little girl was comfortable with him, Sam let him have time alone with the baby. His daughter's mother would retreat to the other side of the room and talk with the nanny or the guards.

She avoided the psychiatrist and often went out of her way not to be anywhere near Dr. Firth. Sam kept her interactions with Sonny brief and completely on the topic of their daughter. If he asked her how she was doing, she would give short answers and move away. It saddened Sonny because he'd wanted to talk to her. He only had conversations with Dr. Firth and they always focused on his mood or his condition or his recovery. He wanted to talk to an adult about life; the mundane to the profound.

While Sonny would admit that he and Sam had not started out the best way, he had enjoyed being with her. And not just physically. They could talk, and it wasn't always about Carly or later on their child. He wasn't missing her just because he was physically lonely, he missed talking to her. He suspected, though, that if he told Dr. Firth what he was feeling she would say he just desired Sam because she was convenient. He frowned, and then stood from the courtyard bench and went in search of his doctor. He wanted to talk to her about Sam.

"Why don't you like Sam?"

Dr. Firth looked up at him, marking the page in the book she was reading and asked, "Pardon?"

He walked into the reading room she preferred and repeated his question. "Why don't you like Sam?"

He sat down and continued, "I know that you think I shouldn't pursue a relationship with anyone at this time, but today felt different. She avoided you and you glared at her. She sat by the nanny or by herself and anytime she came near me and our daughter you watched her like a hawk and always came close. It would have been natural for us to talk about the child that binds us together, but she always cut her conversation short and left. So what happened to make you show your dislike of her so openly?"

The older woman took off her glasses and folded them, holding them by the earpieces in a manner that reminded him of Alexis. "She's a conwoman."

"I know that," Sonny stated.

"She is a woman who uses her body and blatant sexuality to manipulate men into getting what she wants," the doctor continued. "She wants you because she defines her life by being with a man and she doesn't want to fit in as Sophia's mother. She wants you to love her and give her status that way. I have no doubt that she will use your daughter to constantly keep you attached to her."

"Sam and I always will be connected because of our daughter, just as I am connected to Alexis through our daughter. If Carly had not died, we would have always been connected through Morgan." He shook his head, "But we didn't have to be married to be parents, and I know I would not even contemplate marriage to Alexis."

"But you think of marriage when you think of Ms. McCall," Dr. Firth stated, her slightly pinched look making it clear what her personal feelings were.

"I don't know," he shook his head. "But I enjoyed spending time with her. I see her with our daughter and Morgan and I see what our family could look like.

"Sonny," Dr. Firth said gently, "forgive me if this sounds blunt or crude, but you view women as appendages of you. The moment they don't do what you want, you move on. You like the chase, or stealing a woman away from someone else. Sam was a way for you to punish Carly; someone for you to indulge yourself in because you and Carly had yet another fight. If Sam had not become pregnant, would you have really continued a relationship with her?"

He paused and then admitted with a shake of his head, "I don't know."

"That is why you aren't ready to think about a relationship with anyone," his doctor said. "Sam is familiar and it felt good to be with her, but she may not be what you really need. I'm here to get you better; not work out your romances.

"You and Sam define yourselves by your lovers and you especially cannot fall back into such habits," she said firmly. "You have to focus on yourself; which means being by yourself right now. Get healthy, be a father to your children, see if you can return to Port Charles and deal with your business and then you can think about possibly being in a relationship. But stop obsessing about Sam McCall."

He let out a breath and nodded slowly. He wanted to see his children, he wanted to get out of here and return to Port Charles and that meant being focused. Sam was a distraction, as delightful as she made him feel.

"Okay," he conceded. "But I have something I would like you to do."

"What's that?" she asked curiously.

"Stop looking at Sam like she's about to pull a scam right under your nose. People can change," he stated. "Or is there no hope for me? She is the mother of my child and I won't have her treated like she's nothing more than an inconvenient incubator. I'll ask Jason for another doctor before I let you treat her again like you did today."

~Luke's Club~

As Luke swiveled his chair around to his desk, kicking the safe door closed with his foot, he dropped the money on his desk in an undignified heap. Jason Morgan was sitting across from him; he hadn't been sitting there when Luke to open the steel structure. The man had the unnatural ability to get into places with little sound. It was an asset for his work no doubt, but Luke did not like it being used against him. Especially when Morgan sat with a gun on his lap.

"So," Luke raised a brow, relieved that the gun wasn't pointed at him, "what brings you here, Morgan?'

"A final courtesy because of your connection to Sonny," the younger man stated tightly. "There's a problem with Lucky and this is the only time I'll talk to you about it. If he causes problems for me his former relationship with me and Sonny won't matter. He'll be dealt with like any other problem."

"Look," Luke smiled disarmingly. "I was the one askin' questions. I know you didn't shoot Sonny; that's not your style. But I told Lucky I'd ask some questions just to put him off for a while."

"Someone's talking to him," Jason stated and Luke blinked but otherwise kept his face blank. "Lucky's met with the man several times. This guy wants me out of the way for his own revenge and he'll tell Lucky anything your kid wants to hear. So Lucky will use this informant to further his goals."

While Luke had suspected Lucky was going to get himself in trouble and he figured he'd have to go to Morgan to smooth things over, he didn't like the young pup coming to him in a decidedly threatening manner. Luke was capable of looking out for his kid and he didn't appreciate this brain-damaged enforcer threatening his son.

"So if you're going to handle it, then why are you here?" the blues' club owner asked.

"Because I don't want to do something and have you think we betrayed you," Jason replied curtly. "You and Lucky have known Sonny for a while and you pull that out when it's convenient for you. But you haven't been partners with us for years and you know that Lucky hasn't been right since he came back from the dead."

"He didn't like you movin' in on his girl," Luke stated.

"See, that's the problem there," the younger man said, his voice dropping to a low growl. "Elizabeth wasn't his property. You all thought it was Elizabeth's responsibility to fix Lucky, or boost his ego, or put up with whatever he does, or accept his abuse and that's just the way it should be."

"My son never abused Elizabeth," he shot back indignantly. "He loved her. He still does."

"So when he cheated on her with her sister who she's always felt second-best to, that was love?" Jason asked in disgust. "She didn't want to be a model; she was raped by a photographer and held hostage in the same studio Lucky worked out of. And he didn't care that she was uncomfortable, none of you did. It was all about Lucky and letting her take care of him."

There was truth to what Morgan was saying, Luke knew that they hadn't done more for Lucky; but he still didn't like the other man pointing it out to him.

"Elizabeth is her own person and she's finally realized that just because there was something between them, it doesn't mean she has to stay with him." The younger man wasn't smug; he just stated plainly, "Elizabeth has moved on. She's told Lucky that she doesn't want to be with him."

"She wants to be with you?" Luke wondered.

"That's beside the point," Jason shook his head. "He'd hate anyone that wasn't him."

"It's just worse that it's you," the older man pointed out. "He wants to get you."

"I've never deliberately gone after him," Jason also pointed out. "I've given him a lot of breaks others wouldn't get."

The father nodded his head in agreement. Jason would have beaten anyone else, or even killed them, a long time ago. He hadn't though, whether for Elizabeth or for the Spencers or even Sonny, it was uncertain. It appeared that he was saying he was done now. The part of Luke that had gone again Frank Smith and been Sonny's partner understood that. People who caused problems couldn't be left to act with impunity. But Lucky was his son and he didn't want the boy killed.

Jason leaned forward and said, "Lucky's doing his own investigation and is determined to bring me down. I don't think you agree with him that Sonny's dead; Sonny's on the island with his family. But Lucky is going to cause problems because he always does and I'm not going to put up with it. So if you want to try and save him, do it now. Otherwise, anything that happens is fair game."

Then Jason stood and walked out of the office. Luke leaned back in his chair and eyed the cash sitting on the desk. Maybe instead of using it to purchase some Cuban cigars, he should try to get Lucky to go on an adventure with him. His boy would never give up on Jason; so maybe he needed to get out of town for a while. Then while they were gone Luke could try and get him to give up his obsession with Elizabeth and Jason.

~Jason's Apartment~

When Jason arrived at his penthouse after talking to Luke, he saw that Elizabeth and Cameron's guard was not in the hall. He figured they must still be visiting Audrey and so he decided to go over some paperwork for the warehouse. He only got halfway through one ledger sheet when he heard keys in the lock. Tucking his pencil into the file, he stood, ready to help Elizabeth and her guard with all the paraphernalia she took on every outing with Cameron. He was glad he was already prepared to help when Paul opened the door, the diaper bag slung over his shoulder and Elizabeth walked in.

She looked exhausted, and it wasn't just because she was carrying a sleeping Cameron. He took the laden bag from the guard and set it down before turning to Elizabeth and lifting Cam into his own grasp. The fact that she didn't protest alerted him to how tired she really was.

"Thank you, Paul," she said with a weak smile as she retrieved her son's blanket and a stuffed bear Jason didn't remember seeing before from the other man.

"You're welcome, Ms. Webber," the guard replied. Then looking at Jason he nodded his head, "Mr. Morgan."

"Thank you, Paul," he replied softly. Once the guard left, closing the door behind him, Jason looked at Elizabeth and said, "I'll just go put him down in his crib."

She swallowed and her voice was thick as she said, "Thank you."

Even though he wanted to quickly get back to Elizabeth and ask her what was wrong, he took his time putting Cameron down. He made sure the humidifier was on and that Cameron had his blanket and favorite toy he liked to play with after he woke up from his nap. Then he made sure the baby monitor was on and after trailing his fingers over the little boy's curls, he left the room and went back downstairs.

The terrace doors were open and Jason walked towards them, making sure to have a receiver of the monitor nearby. Elizabeth was sitting on the lounge furniture that had arrived shortly after they returned from the island. She had a glass of wine in one hand and he raised an eyebrow at the fact; she really didn't drink it except with dinner. As he stepped out onto the balcony she looked over at him and just exuded weariness.

"Did he stay asleep?" she asked.

He nodded as he came to sit beside her. Closing her eyes, she leaned her head back against the green fabric cushions. Letting out a sigh she said, "I knew my grandmother wouldn't be happy when I told her Cam and I were moving in with you, but..."

She trailed off and shook her head, "We're never going to see eye to eye, but I thought she might at least stop making cutting comments. I gave her the mosaic I bought and she asked if you'd given me the money."

Jason clenched his jaw as she shook her head, "I reminded her that I had a job and my own money but she said I'd probably give it up now that I had you taking care of me."

"I'm sorry," he said softly, rubbing her hand.

"Even Steven was shocked by what she said, but she refused to back down. She said I was being a fool and you would certainly get me and Cam hurt. Then she said that maybe I should try to patch things up with Lucky." Elizabeth shook her head, "She only sees what she wants and refuses to accept anything that doesn't fit her perfect, little view."

"I'm sorry that you fought with her," he told her. He knew Audrey Hardy would never like him, and she wouldn't want Elizabeth to be with him. There was a certain amount of truth to her worries; there was danger that surrounded Jason. He would do everything he could, though, to protect Elizabeth and keep her and her son safe. However, there were no guarantees and everyone knew it.

"This is not your fault and it's not my fault," Elizabeth countered firmly. "I'm an adult and this is my life. Even Steven, who will probably never like you, supported my right to do what I want. He was the one who gave Cameron the bear."

He glanced at the stuffed animal she'd brought out on the terrace and sat in the corner and then looked back at her, shocked at her next words, "You might want to have it checked and make sure he didn't put a bug in it."

"What?" he asked, knowing what he'd heard but still thinking he was wrong.

"My brother doesn't like you," she stated. "And he works for law enforcement in addition to being a doctor. I have no idea if he would use me or Cameron that way, but I'm not entirely sure I would put it past him."

Jason sighed heavily, scrubbing his hand over his face, "I'm sorry that this is difficult on you."

"You're not the one making it difficult," she told him pointedly, turning to look at him so she could meet his gaze. She twisted her mouth to the side and said, "My parents haven't initiated contact with me in years. I have to call or write them, and I've grown tired of it; so I don't see why I should keep reaching out when they've proved they just don't care. Sarah's the same and until Steven moved here he was pretty much like that as well. Sure he's somewhat supportive, but I know that he puts himself and his career first. And Gram...she wants me to live according to her rules like the Quartermaines want you to be the way they want instead of accepting you as you are. It's my life and I'm choosing to focus on me and my son like you've focused on living your life."

"I know you say that, Elizabeth," he said, "and I'm not saying I don't believe you. I'm just sorry your grandmother doesn't support you."

"And I'm sorry Edward refuses to accept you for who you are," she said, linking their hands together and setting her wine glass down. "It's not our fault others won't accept us."

She licked her lips and said, "I won't ignore my gram, but it's not me who's made our relationship what it is. I won't apologize for loving you and I won't change who I am."

Leaning towards him she smiled, "We both have family who would rather fight us than love us. Which just makes what we have all the more special. You accept me and you support me and you love me."

"I do," he assured her, his voice dropping to a husky note as he caressed her jaw with his fingertips.

"That's what I intend to focus on," she told him. "Don't think I've lost something for falling in love you; because I don't."

Jason nodded, understanding what she was telling him. He didn't focus on what he didn't have with the Quartermaines, but he also couldn't remember how they'd been before his accident which might make it easier for him to do that. Elizabeth could remember her time with her grandmother which was why he thought it might be harder for her to now be so separated from the older woman, but he also knew she was determined. So he would love her and support her and not worry so much over her. It would make them both unhappy and he wanted their time together to be more focused on the positives than on the negatives.

He would probably never completely believe he deserved someone like Elizabeth, but he wasn't going to drive her away by rejecting what she was offering.

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