Yours by alison19

[JRK Archiver]

Authros Note: Hello everybody,

This is in response to a Write-By Request prompt by BellaMorgan at the Canvas.

This is based primarily on recaps of old episodes. I am a bit rusty on many details from the Ice Princess storyline, so please excuse me if I veer from the original episodes. I plan to add a few new characters too...let me know if you like them or not.

The story begins on April 20, 2001 after a brainwashed Lucky argued with Jason and Carly in the park. The first chapter is a little intense at the end, but it sets up the chapters to follow. My apologies if I upset anyone.

I thrive on Feedback, so pleeeeze let me know what you think. Thanks for reading.

Allison ~*~*~

[JRK Archiver]

Ch 1.

The Park

“Did you start that fight?” Elizabeth asked, prompting Lucky’s incredulous glare and hasty exit. She made a half-hearted attempt to follow Lucky as he stomped off down the path, but her small steps were no match for his angry strides. He’s been so defensive lately, she sighed, kicking her foot against the pebbled walkway and sending the tiny bits of rock in all directions. She turned to find Jason watching her, his hands stuffed into the pockets of his black leather jacket.

“I’m sorry, Jason. Lucky attacked you because of me,” Elizabeth said to Jason as she got closer. Her face was almost as red as her shirt, and she shrugged her shoulders in apology.

“No, Lucky attacked me because he’s crazy,” Jason corrected, his voice gentle despite his recent scuffle with Lucky. He’d barely broken a sweat during the confrontation, but he found himself out of breath at Elizabeth’s approach. “He’s changed, Elizabeth. He’s not the Lucky you loved, not anymore.”

Jason followed her with his eyes, aware of her internal struggle but deciding for once not to back down. What he had to say was too important, too momentous to put off. He’d been considering asking her since their last conversation—hadn’t stopped thinking about it for two days—and after Lucky’s irrational behavior, he was hoping she’d say yes. She had to see how deranged Lucky was, how much safer she’d be by his side.

“Why do you keep coming to me?” Jason asked her, hoping she’d arrive at the same conclusion he had. She’d asked him about his feelings, said she’d wanted more than a friendship. The thought that she might actually care for him made his heart pound. “There’s something… something real between us, and it doesn’t matter why it started. We just have to decide what to do with it. I don’t… want to watch you hurt. I want to see you smile the way you do when you’re free. I wanna show you the light is different in Italy than anywhere else in the world. Please, Elizabeth. Will you come with me?”

~*~*~

What have I done? Elizabeth moaned to herself as she swiped her sleeve over her eyes, feeling bereft as she watched Jason leave. I love Lucky, she told herself. She was meant to be with him. Everybody—Luke, Laura, Nikolas, Grams—said they were a perfect match. Then why did she ache to be with Jason? Why was she feeling so mixed up?

She hurried down the path after Lucky, trying to convince herself she had made the correct choice. Lucky needed her. Jason had attacked Lucky, twice, and all because Lucky loved her. Jason was jealous, and he took out his frustration on Lucky. That was the only explanation that made any sense. It was inconceivable that Lucky would deliberately attack Jason with a knife.

Elizabeth abruptly came across Lucky leaning against a nearby lamppost. He seemed surprised to see Elizabeth, but turned to face her as she approached.

“Hey, Elizabeth. I… didn’t think you’d still be here,” said Lucky hesitantly. He shoved his hands under his jacket and into his waistband, a look of disappointment on his face. His eyes scanned the surrounding area, as if looking for signs of trouble.

“Where else would I be?” Elizabeth said casually, lowering her eyes so Lucky wouldn’t realize she was lying. “I’m sorry about Jason.”

Lucky’s face flushed as anger bubbled up inside him. Elizabeth watched his face transform until he seemed like a different person entirely.

“Jason, Jason, Jason. The guy tried to kill me and all you can do is talk about him,” Lucky whined, his jaw tense. “He’s really got you brainwashed, hasn’t he?”

Elizabeth was mystified by Lucky’s unceasing anger and his choice of words. “Brainwashed? If anyone was brainwashed, it was you, Lucky. Now, we all know what Helena did, and I’m not blaming you. I was just trying to apologize for Jason attacking you.”

Lucky stood stiffly, his hands clenched at his sides. His gaze seemed far away, and he looked ready to explode.

“Lucky, Lucky. Please don’t be mad. I’m here. Jason’s going away…”

Elizabeth threw her arms around Lucky, trying to calm him down. She hugged him as he struggled to break free.

“Oh, God. What’s this?” Elizabeth’s hands felt the handle of a knife, drew it slowly out from under Lucky’s jacket. The blade was only 6 inches long, but it looked sharp and deadly. The handle was ornate and bejeweled. Elizabeth had a strong suspicion that the weapon was one of Helena Cassadine’s prized possessions.

“God, Lucky. Jason was telling the truth. You attacked him!” She stared at the evil blade in her palm, the realization hitting her in waves. How could she have been so blind to the change in Lucky, the aberrant behavior, the mood swings?

“Give me that!” Lucky shouted, slapping at her hand in a panic and knocking the weapon free. He scrambled to retrieve the knife, held it up in her face, his eyes wild.

“What were you going to do with that knife, Lucky? You were waiting here, you were surprised to see me. Were you… going after Jason again?”

“Stop talking about Jason!” Lucky screamed, startling Elizabeth into silence. “He doesn’t care about you! He’s going to use you, just like he uses Carly!”

Elizabeth heard the hysteria in Lucky’s voice and started to move away. She knew she was in grave danger and had to think quickly. “Calm down, Lucky. Jason’s gone. You don’t have to worry about him.”

But Lucky wasn’t listening. All he could think of was Elizabeth leaving him for Jason. “I’d do anything for you, Elizabeth! How could you have feelings for Jason?”

Lucky took the knife and drew it across his left palm. A thin red line appeared and spread into a crimson tear. He waved his hand in front of Elizabeth’s face.

Oh, God. He’s completely lost it, Elizabeth thought as she tried to evade Lucky’s grasp. Drops of dark red stained her shirt as Lucky grabbed her by the waist.

“You’re leaving me to be with Jason, aren’t you? You can’t! You love me!”

Elizabeth twisted and pulled away, Lucky’s hand leaving a bloody smear on her left side. “Lucky! I care about you! But you’re not the Lucky I know… something’s wrong… you’re acting crazy. I can’t be with you when you’re like this!”

Lucky hunched over, his left hand tucked against his stomach as the stinging pain slowly broke through his delusion. The knife dropped to the ground with a clatter. “Elizabeth, I don’t understand… know what’s wrong with me. I’m sorry! Help me…”

“I can’t, Lucky. I’ve got to stay away from you. I’ll send someone to help you, but…”

Elizabeth turned and ran down the path, leaving Lucky curled up on the gravel walkway, moaning her name. She felt lost and disconnected… like the ground was being pulled out from underneath her, the people she trusted were false, the things she loved were simply illusions. She needed to find her footing again, something… someone she could count on. Elizabeth flagged down a passing taxi and yanked the door open.

“Jake’s bar, please. And hurry. It’s an emergency.”

~*~*~

[JRK Archiver]

Ch 2.

Jake’s

Jason Morgan sat on the edge of the bed, nodding into the phone as Benny went over the last minute details before his flight to Europe the next day. But he was only half listening, and Benny had to repeat himself as Jason’s mind drifted elsewhere.

“Sorry, Benny, I missed that. Ok, right. Thanks.” Jason clicked the phone off and shoved it into his pocket.

Jason’s mind flashed back to a couple of days earlier. Elizabeth sat stopped him in the park, told him some things that he’d never dared to consider, and sent his heart racing off on a bumpy but exhilarating roller coaster ride. The one thing she hadn’t prepared him for, however, was the sheer drop where the tracks ended and his ego went flying off onto the jagged rocks below.

Jason pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to get rid of the headache that pounded behind his eyes. What did Elizabeth want from him? He thought she cared about him, wanted more than a friendship. So he offered to take Elizabeth to Italy, did everything he could to show her how he felt about her, and still she backed away and defended Lucky Spencer.

“Okay, if she can’t make up her mind, I can’t force her,” Jason told himself as he stuffed what little belongings he had into a black duffel bag. “Or maybe… Carly’s right. Maybe Elizabeth’s just jerking me around.”

Jason tried to pretend that Elizabeth meant nothing to him, but he soon realized he was just kidding himself. He knew there was something between the two of them, something real and powerful, but Elizabeth wouldn’t act on her feelings as long as she thought Lucky needed her.

But Lucky was toying with Elizabeth’s emotions, testing her loyalty, playing some mysterious game and lying about his motives. Jason had come across people like Lucky in his line of work, normal looking people who had secret lives. Jason had been around the mob business long enough to know what to look for, know the signs, and he knew without a doubt that Lucky was hiding something.

Every instinct he had told him not to leave Elizabeth with Lucky, but she had made it clear that she wanted to handle her problems without his help. So Jason fought the urge to go back to the park, and had reluctantly gone on with his packing. He had almost finished when there was a knock on the door.

“J…Jason?” came the quavering voice from out in the hall. “Jason, are you there? It’s me, Elizabeth.”

Jason unbolted the door, but didn’t trust himself to open it. “Come in if you want. I was just getting ready to go out,” he called over his shoulder, trying to sound noncommittal, hoping Elizabeth would get discouraged and leave before they got into another argument about Lucky.

Elizabeth opened the door and stepped inside, shutting the door behind her. She reached for Jason’s shoulder, but she couldn’t stop her hands from shaking. “I t…talked to Lucky after you left,” stammered Elizabeth, still traumatized from her ordeal with Lucky. “It turns out you were right… about the knife.”

Jason whirled to face Elizabeth, upset that she had refused to go with him, and disgusted with himself that he couldn’t get his feelings for her under control. She was too beautiful, with the ivory skin and full pouting lips that he’d tried—unsuccessfully—not to think about. She was also much too trusting and vulnerable. He wanted to take her to a safe place, tell her how much she meant to him, but she kept pushing him away.

Jason searched Elizabeth’s face, saw the tears and remorse in her eyes. It took a few seconds before his mind got past its appraisal of Elizabeth and acknowledged her disheveled appearance, saw her shocked expression. With a guilty start, Jason realized that her entire body was shaking. His eyes panned down, and he noticed the blood on the front of her shirt.

Blood? Whose blood?

“I s…saw the knife, Jason. You weren’t lying after all. I’m sorry…” The shock of Lucky’s bizarre behavior finally became too much for Elizabeth and her legs gave way.

“Oh, Dear Lord,” Jason murmured, leaping to catch Elizabeth, thinking his worst fears had come true and Lucky had turned against her. All arguments forgotten, Jason tried to quell his sense of panic. “What did Lucky do to you? Are you hurt? Elizabeth, s…say something.”

Jason carried the shaken Elizabeth to the bed and opened her jacket. He knelt on the floor next to Elizabeth and probed her bloodied side gently with his fingers, searching for any sign of a wound. “Where is it? Where are you injured, Elizabeth? So help me, I’ll kill Lucky…” Jason swore, biting his lower lip between his teeth. “Tell me…let me know where it hurts.”

Elizabeth felt rough hands begin to lift her shirt, and abruptly came to her senses. Rolling up to rest on one elbow, she gently deflected Jason’s hands and clasped them in her own. “It’s okay, Jason. R…really. I found the knife, but Lucky didn’t hurt me.”

“Oh, Thank God,” Jason murmured, expelling the breath he was holding. He buried his face in Elizabeth’s neck, held her close until they both stopped shaking. Still kneeling, he looked up into Elizabeth’s eyes, searching them for pain but finding instead an endless pool of turquoise. Jason found himself drawn into the swirling depths, and was thinking about leaning in to sample the waters when the flicker of dark lashes broke him out of his daze. “So you… you’re really okay? Then why… why are you here? Did Lucky threaten you? Do you need me to…?”

Elizabeth’s eyes were bright as she spoke from her heart. “I’m here because I wanted to see you, Jason. And Lucky didn’t threaten me, although I was genuinely scared. He… went crazy… cut himself with the knife and got blood everywhere. I called an ambulance for him, but I can’t… won’t be responsible for Lucky’s actions any more.”

Jason stood, then sat on the edge of the bed next to Elizabeth. “You’re here… to see me? You said you couldn’t go with me to Italy… have you… uh… changed your mind?” he asked, his voice husky with emotion.

“Yes…no… I wish… I could go with you this time but I can’t, Jason.” Elizabeth saw Jason’s face harden, disappointment evident in the crease on his brow, the darkening of the blue eyes. He started to rise, but she caught his hand before he could flee. “But I’ve made up my mind about who I want to be with. I… don’t want to be with Lucky.”

“I don’t understand, Elizabeth… what… what do you want me to do?” Jason stammered, remembering the conversation that Lucky interrupted two days earlier. He held up his hand, still clutching tightly onto Elizabeth’s. He waited motionless until she finally pulled him towards her, desire evident in her eyes.

“Tell me how you feel, Jason. Or better yet, show me?”

Jason didn’t wait to be asked again. He leaned forward to kiss Elizabeth, lightly brushing his mouth against hers. The touch was feather-light, but exhilarating. Elizabeth’s hand moved to caress his cheek, but he pulled back after the brief contact.

“You know how I feel about you,” Jason whispered against her lips, “but I need you to tell me what happens next. So, Elizabeth. Do you want something more from me?” His throat felt thick, his head throbbed. He was ready to bay at the moon, take on an entire pack of wolves if necessary in order to be with Elizabeth. Jason moved his hand and found the two-inch gap that had opened up between Elizabeth’s shirt and her pants. He ached to explore further, but he hesitated, waiting for her answer.

“Yeah. I do,” Elizabeth replied, feeling light-headed in anticipation of what was to come. Jason’s thumb trailed along the waistband of her black jeans, sending shivers in every direction. “I want more… than a friendship.”

“Okay, then. C’mere,” Jason said. He reached over to pull Elizabeth towards him, one hand sliding under the back of her shirt and finding smooth, warm skin. His mouth closed over Elizabeth’s, his moan of triumph matching hers as her hands buried themselves in his hair.

“Jason…” Elizabeth gasped after a few breathless minutes. She tried to shrug off her jacket without breaking contact with Jason’s lips. Once she’d finally kissed him, she’d been like an addict, unable to go without for more than a second or two. “Can you help… help me?” She dropped one arm, then the other, as Jason yanked the sleeves free. “Now what about… yours?”

“I’ll do it,” Jason mumbled, tearing himself away to throw the leather jacket from his shoulders. He hurled the jacket aside before diving back into another kiss.

Elizabeth edged backwards, letting herself fall onto the bed, Jason following. She looked up into Jason’s eyes as he leaned over her. Her finger traced the bridge of his nose, stopped to linger on his lips.

“Is it… wrong to want someone who complicates my life? Is it wrong to feel this way?”

Jason nipped at her fingertips, savoring her sigh. “It’s not wrong to trust what you feel, Elizabeth,” he said, still nibbling. “But like you said, I complicate your life, I don’t make it easier. Are you sure this is what you want?”

Jason gave Elizabeth an opportunity to roll over and escape, but he was pleasantly surprised when she didn’t. On the contrary, Elizabeth pulled Jason down until he was lying on top and there was no way to hide how he felt about her.

“Yes, Jason,” Elizabeth whispered, wrapping both arms around Jason’s neck. “I want… this. I want you. Complications and all.”

“But…no Italy?” Jason growled, having trouble continuing the conversation. “You don’t want to… come with me?”

“No,” Elizabeth answered, her tone apologetic, but Jason saw her lips curl into a tiny smile. Her eyes sparkled, reminding Jason of dark sapphires. “Ummm. Let me clarify that. No, to Italy,” she said, moving slowly under Jason, sending a jolt through the entire lower section of his body, “but a definite yes, to the second question. That is, if it’s okay with you.”

Jason stared at Elizabeth, wondering if he’d heard correctly. He searched her eyes again, found only trust and desire.

“It’s… um… more than okay, Elizabeth. The light in Italy will still be there after I get back. Now let’s…um… work on that second question, shall we?”

[JRK Archiver]

Ch. 3

Apr 21

Jake’s
Early Morning

The door creaked loudly in Jason’s ears as he let himself into the upstairs room, precariously balancing a plastic tray against the waistband of his sweatpants. The key ring made a metallic clang as it fell from Jason’s finger onto the black plastic surface; and Jason held his breath as Elizabeth rolled over onto her side, clutching the pillow to her chest.

“I love you, Jason.”

The words were spoken barely at a whisper, but they drifted through the silence and hung softly in the air like the freshly-shed feather of an exotic bird, precious and rare. Jason Morgan stopped in midstep, and turned to glance at his petite companion who lay sprawled diagonally across the bed.

“E…Elizabeth?” Jason asked, setting the tray on the lumpy rust and tan couch near the door. “Elizabeth, are you up?”

Jason stepped over his leather jacket and one of Elizabeth’s stray socks, and moved to stand next to the bed. The dim glow of daybreak through the curtains cast an amber glow over Elizabeth’s face, and Jason smiled wistfully when he realized she was still asleep. In slumber, Elizabeth looked fragile and delicate, but Jason knew that the petite body held a spirit that was full of strength and determination.

Elizabeth lay with one arm next to her head, brown curls in disarray. She was clad only in Jason’s black t-shirt, and the white bedcovers were in a tangled pile around her ankles. Her eyes were closed, dark lashes fluttering against the pillow, and her mouth moved slowly, murmuring nonsensical words. She was in the middle of a dream, a pleasant one by all indications. I hope she’s thinking about me, Jason thought, his hand moving involuntarily to touch Elizabeth’s face. She sighed in response, leaning her cheek into Jason’s hand as he brushed away a stray curl.

Jason stared at Elizabeth for a few moments, wondering what fates had finally brought them together only to separate them again. He leaned forward to press a sad kiss onto Elizabeth’s forehead. “Love you too, Elizabeth,” Jason whispered, the words rolling off his tongue before he could stop them. He fantasized about Elizabeth leaping out of bed and flinging her arms around his neck, but her breathing remained even, her eyelids unmoving. When she didn’t stir, Jason gently pulled the covers up to Elizabeth’s waist, tucking them around her.

Jason frowned as his eyes panned to the bedside clock and noticed the time. Damn. The flight’s in less than four hours, he grumbled, digging through the pile of clothes on the floor until he had found his jeans and cell phone. He punched a number into the speed-dial, waiting a few seconds before a grumpy male voice answered.

“Corinthos here… Jason?” The enforcer heard the clink of ice and glass as Sonny downed his scotch and soda with one gulp. Sonny’s sure off to an early start, Jason thought. “What is it? Is there a problem with Sorel?”

Jason took the phone into the bathroom, lowering his voice to keep from rousing Elizabeth. “No… no problem, Sonny. Everything’s going as well as can be expected. Zander and Em are in hiding. My flight’s leaving on schedule. But I need to ask a favor. Something last minute.”

“Judging by Carly’s nasty mood this morning, it probably involves Elizabeth Webber? Anything I need to know?” Sonny’s voice carried a hint of a smile.

“Yes, it involves Elizabeth,” Jason answered, ignoring the implication in Sonny’s tone. “I just need you to put somebody on her. Somebody reliable. Lucky Spencer gave Elizabeth a scare the other day, and I’m worried he might do something crazy. Is Francis still in town?”

“No, he’s in New Orleans on a fact-finding mission for me. But we’re kinda limited on reliable personnel. Now that Rick’s gone, I’ve got Johnny and another guy taking turns watching Carly. Benny likes Elizabeth, but he’s no good in a fight. The rest of the fellas are just bruisers. Except for Francis and Johnny, Elizabeth hated the guys I used the last time around. Said they had no personalities and scared her customers.”

Jason impatiently tapped his fingers on the bathroom counter. “Well, I need you to find somebody in a hurry. I’ve got to keep Lucky away from her, and Sorel too, for that matter.”

“Hmm. I thought I was the one giving orders around here. Elizabeth means that much to you?”

“Yes. She does,” Jason snapped, aware that Sonny was enjoying his frustration. “Can you take care of it, or not?”

“Relax, Jason. Consider it done,” Sonny said, shaking his head. He turned the conversation to Jason’s upcoming meetings and went over the next month’s schedule with his partner.

Jason scratched some hurried notes on a paper towel. His looked at his schedule, noting it would be full, but if all went as planned, he could probably come back to Port Charles in about a month.

“Jason? Jason, are you there?” Elizabeth’s voice sounded scared and disoriented.

“Well, I’ll let you go,” Sonny said, hearing the female voice before Jason could cover the mouthpiece. He chuckled lightly, much to Jason’s chagrin. “Oh, just a heads-up. Carly’s really pissed that you no-showed for my party last night and she let me have it for not telling her you were leaving. You might want to tell Elizabeth to stay away from the penthouse for a few days. Anyway, call me when you check in to your hotel.”

Jason switched off the phone and exited the bathroom. He hurried over to Elizabeth, who was sitting up in the bed, her legs crossed. “Hey, sleepyhead. S’about time you woke up.” He smiled at the memory of the previous night’s activities but he kept his distance, not wanting to crowd Elizabeth.

“Oh Jason,” Elizabeth sighed, pulling Jason into a hug and sending all doubts fleeing from his mind. “I had a dream… I thought you’d gone already.”

“The nightmare still continues, I’m afraid,” said Jason, affectionately ruffling Elizabeth’s hair. “You’ll have to put up with my company for at least another hour.”

“Ok. I guess I can deal,” Elizabeth answered, her eyes bright.

Jason held Elizabeth in his embrace until the awareness of his friend’s skimpy attire began to make the contact physically painful. To keep himself from lowering Elizabeth back onto the bed and making love to her right there and then, Jason reluctantly extricated himself from Elizabeth’s arms and hurried over to the lumpy couch. He returned shortly with the plastic tray partially covered by a cloth napkin.

“I brought you some breakfast from downstairs. Don’t know how edible it is, but I got a little of everything.”

Elizabeth tried to look enthused as she glanced at the tray of runny scrambled eggs, limp toast, charred sticks of sausage, muddy-looking coffee and a small mound of pale pink strawberries. She guessed rightly that the impatient Jason had used his infamous reputation in order to get the cook to open the kitchen early, and the cook had retaliated in his own unique way. After a few moments of indecision, during which Elizabeth tried to assess the potential damage to her stomach lining, she gingerly selected a slice of toast and a handful of the strawberries. Elizabeth bravely choked down the toast, then cleansed her palate with the fruit, which the cook had fortunately left unscathed.

Elizabeth wiped her mouth with the napkin, claiming to be full. She flashed Jason a full-wattage smile.

“Food’s awful here, but the service is terrific, I’ll have you know,” whispered Elizabeth, sitting back on her heels as Jason removed the tray. “The room-service guy is kinda cute, too.”

“Oh, yeah?” Jason said as he pursued a giggling Elizabeth across the bed. She shrieked as she scrambled to escape, sending two unclaimed strawberries rolling off the sheets to points unknown. After a minute of mutual tickling, Elizabeth allowed herself to be caught, and Jason rolled until he was on top. “Ms. Webber, the only room-service guy allowed in here is me. Got that?”

Elizabeth looked up into Jason’s eyes. “Yes, Mr. Morgan. Whatever you say, Mr. Morgan.”

“You know, you sound exactly like the cook did earlier this morning,” Jason said, kissing Elizabeth on the nose.

Elizabeth giggled again. “Ewww. Did you kiss him too? No wonder the breakfast was so lousy.”

“The breakfast here is always lousy. That’s why I’m always at Kelly’s. Anyway, you’re the only person I want to kiss,” Jason demonstrated, nibbling on Elizabeth’s mouth to silence her giggle. “So tell me. What was your dre… nightmare about earlier?”

“It wasn’t a nightmare exactly,” Elizabeth answered, suddenly serious. “I was thinking about… my favorite room-service-guy.”

“Really?" squeaked Jason. He coughed and lowered his voice back to his normal baritone. "I mean… really? Who were you thinking about?”

“You, Mr. Room-Service-Guy. Who did you think…?”

“Please, Elizabeth. Don’t joke about this. And stop calling me…”

“Ok, Jason. Mr. Ja—son Morgan. If you want the details, I was dreaming about being in Italy with you. But Lucky kept showing up and ruining everything.”

Jason rolled onto his back next to Elizabeth, his face thoughtful. “We’d be on the go, Elizabeth. I could make it so he couldn’t find us… couldn’t hurt you.”

“I know, Jason. You’re a great protector and I appreciate that about you. But Europe is one of Helena’s favorite stomping grounds, and through her Lucky would find a way to track me down. And even if he didn’t find us, we’d always be looking over our shoulders. You wouldn’t be able to get your work done, and I wouldn’t be able to relax.”

Jason rubbed his forehead, realizing the truth of Elizabeth’s words. “So you’re really not going. Ok, I get that now. So what will you do about Lucky after I leave?”

Elizabeth sighed. “You remember I called an ambulance for Lucky after the knife incident? Well, I also called Laura, and she said she’d ask the doctors to keep Lucky in the hospital until a psychiatrist can find out what’s wrong. A new psychiatrist at GH—Kevin Collins—thinks Lucky is an interesting case study and he’s agreed to take a look at him.”

“So that takes care of Lucky. Now where do you fit in?”

Elizabeth turned to face Jason. “I want to make sure Lucky’s okay, and then I want to make a clean break. I’m tired of making excuses about why I want to be with you. Despite everything he’s done, Lucky’s been my friend and a special part of my life. I owe it to Lucky to be straight with him.”

Jason brushed the hair out of Elizabeth’s eyes, then kissed her softly. “You’re a good friend, Elizabeth. Not many people would do as much. So what will you tell him?”

“The same thing I did in my dream, Jason. That I love you, Jason Morgan.”

“I love you, too, Elizabeth,” Jason answered, his heart bursting with joy. He enfolded Elizabeth in his arms. “I love you, too.”

[JRK Archiver]

Ch. 4
Apr. 21

Jake’s/Late Morning

A freshly-showered Elizabeth Webber leaned impatiently against the counter and coughed to get the bartender’s attention. She’d already called in to Kelly’s to tell them she’d forgotten to set her alarm clock, but she still had to go back to the studio for a fresh change of clothes. If she ran any later, there would be questions, and Elizabeth wasn’t in the mood for explanations just yet. Maybe it was selfish and a little high-school, but she wanted to keep her romance with Jason to herself for as long as possible. She tapped her finger on the counter until the bartender finally looked her way, then slid a bulging white envelope across the bar.

“Could you give that to Jake, please? Jason Morgan asked me to drop that off for him. He’s going to be busy for a while so he won’t be needing the room,” Elizabeth explained as the man pulled out the set of keys and a wad of money. “He said to give an extra fifty to the cook to cover the breakfast, and use the rest to settle his tab.”

“Uh, sure. But this is way too much, Miss,” the bartender said, shaking his head as he counted the bills. “Breakfast couldn’t cost more than… say, seven bucks a piece.”

Oh, but it was a very special breakfast, Elizabeth smiled, running a hand through her slightly damp curls before waving off the man’s protests. Blushing slightly at the memory, she spun around on the bar stool and turned to leave. “Ooops, sorry,” Elizabeth exclaimed as she turned face-first into the lapels of a wavy-haired man in a grey suit. The tightly-wrapped bundle under her arm fell to the floor and rolled under the feet of the newcomer.

“Can I… uh… have that back, please?” Elizabeth stammered as the man held up the oversized black t-shirt by one sleeve. Her blush grew more intense as she reached for the item and noticed the twinkle in the man’s eyes. “Uh, hello, Mr. O’Brien.”

“Hello, Ms. Webber,” smiled the reliable bodyguard, tugging on an imaginary cap in a respectful but somehow irreverent salute. He rolled the black cotton into a tube shape and handed it back to Elizabeth. “I, uh… gather that you’ve seen Mr. Morgan?” he asked. When Elizabeth shuffled her feet uncomfortably but said nothing, Johnny bent to whisper in her ear. “I heard about Spencer, and I’m sorry he’s in the hospital. But you’re not out of danger yet, Elizabeth. Uh, I’d suggest you get behind me and stay low for a while.”

“Are you asking this as a friend, Johnny, or ordering me as my bodyguard?” said Elizabeth, a little miffed to have her personal business so widely known. She tried to get around Johnny, but he grabbed her arm and kept her between him and the bar. “Hey, wait a min…”

“Shh,” admonished the guard, lightly covering her mouth with his palm. “I’m your friend, and Jason’s. But today, I’m Carly’s bodyguard. Understand?”

The warning had barely registered when the strident sound of Carly Corinthos’ voice penetrated the air. “The man’s gone and left town already. I can’t believe it,” she complained, clumping down the stairs, a second bodyguard following like a reluctant shadow on her heels. She whirled around to snap at the hapless rookie. “Will you back off and leave…”

Carly’s face went white as she spotted her personal bodyguard in the corner talking to Elizabeth. She crossed the room like a hurricane, her obvious fury causing the crowd to scatter in her wake.

“Elizabeth, you whiny little sneak. What are you doing here?” Carly snarled over Johnny’s shoulder. She glared sideways at her bodyguard, vowing silently to make his life miserable for his betrayal.

Elizabeth went around Johnny’s arm, leaving Jason’s shirt on the counter and ignoring Johnny’s hiss of warning. She couldn’t wait to tell Carly the juicy details and watch her rival shrivel like a deflated balloon. “I came by to see Jason…”

“Well, he’s already gone, sweetie,” Carly smirked, stopping abruptly when she noticed Elizabeth’s attire. The familiar red and grey shirt peeked out from Elizabeth’s jacket. Carly grimaced with barely restrained disgust. “Hey, weren’t you wearing that yesterday at the park when… oh, God, don’t tell me...”

“She just got back from the hospital,” Johnny interrupted before Elizabeth could confirm Carly’s suspicions. The blond Carly rolled her eyes skyward, and Johnny took the opportunity to open Elizabeth’s jacket and stuff Jason’s shirt inside like a football. “Lucky Spencer attacked her, but got injured himself. Elizabeth was at GH all night, talking to the doctors and the police. She just got here a few minutes ago.”

“Lucky’s in the hospital? I can’t say I’m surprised,” said Carly, happy to think about any subject except Jason and Elizabeth together. “He’s nuttier than… your brownies if you ask me.” She grinned as she fired Jason’s departure at Elizabeth like a weapon, not knowing that the rounds were already spent. “So Jason finally realized that you’ve chosen Lucky over him. Poor guy… he was taken in at first by your innocent act, but I guess he knows the truth now. He was in such a hurry to get away from you that he left without telling anybody.”

Elizabeth folded her arms, partly in exasperation and partly to keep Jason’s shirt pressed comfortably against her abdomen. She ached to wave her trophy in Carly’s face and set Carly straight, but knew that Johnny had a good reason for keeping the rendezvous a secret. “Think whatever you like, Carly,” she sighed tiredly, “Jason knows how I feel about him, and nothing you say is going to ruin our relationship.”

Carly flipped her blond hair, irritated that Elizabeth had given in so easily. She was so ready for a fight and Elizabeth was proving to be an unusually meek target. What fun was that? “I’d rather not think about you at all, Elizabeth. You were a sorry excuse for a model and you’re just as bad at being a girlfriend. You’ve managed to drive one fella nuts and sent the other packing? You obviously don’t need any help from me to ruin a relationship.”

“Spoken like someone who’s an expert on the topic. Goodbye, Carly. ”

“You little twit! How dare you dismiss me like…” Carly stopped as Johnny tugged at her arm and pulled her towards the door. “Never mind. I’ve got more important things to tend to.”

Elizabeth stuck her tongue out at Carly’s back when she turned to go. The disappointed Carly prodded the rookie guard ahead of her, Johnny trailing a few feet behind. Johnny whispered an apology under his breath then made a pantomime of a telephone receiver before exiting.

Who’s gonna call me? Sonny? Elizabeth wondered. Why? To warn me to keep me away from Carly?

Elizabeth glanced at her watch, noting that Jason had been gone barely two hours and she’d already had one face-off with the possessive blond. Damn. She was going to need a bodyguard just to keep her from killing Carly in Jason’s absence.

~*~*~

Across town, at Kelly’s/45 minutes later

“What did you say your name was?” the harried waitress asked the new busboy and part-time cook. She found herself admiring the young man’s firm biceps as he lowered a tray of coffee cups next to the sink.

“Jack. Jack Ian Martinez,” the bright-eyed Latin tossed over his shoulder. The edge of a scorpion tattoo peeked out from the tight sleeve of his grey t-shirt as the waitress looked on. “Mexican father, Irish mother in case you’re wondering about the name.”

The waitress shook her head in frustration and grabbed her orders off the counter. Why, she was old enough to be his mother, or at least a much older sister. She rushed out into the dining room, returning seconds later for another set of hot platters.

“Well, Jack. Welcome to Kelly’s. The name doesn’t matter as long as you’re a hard worker and I can see that you are. You sure arrived in town at just the right time, with us losing Emily and all. Elizabeth—she’s the other waitress—had a late start, but she’ll be coming in soon. You’ll like her—cute girl—she’s very sweet and great with the customers. Can you grab those dirty dishes for me?”

“Sure,” Martinez answered, scanning the dining area as he waited for Elizabeth’s arrival. Sonny’s instructions had been clear and to-the-point. Stay close, but don’t be obvious. Jack adjusted the plaid shirt tied around his waist, tucking the handle of the gun further under the light blue fabric. She’s a very close friend of Jason Morgan and she’s to be protected at any cost, Sonny had explained further, shelling out Jack’s hefty salary three weeks in advance without so much as a blink.

Close friend, huh? Yeah, I’ll bet, Martinez chuckled to himself, his throaty laugh catching the attention of two cheerleader-types on their way to class. They giggled to each other as they backed out the door, clutching their books to their ample chests in an attempt to draw his gaze. Martinez remained oblivious, his eyes fixed on the front window as he quickly loaded cups and dirty plates into a green plastic bin.

A petite, brown-haired girl approached the front door, passing the now-whispering students as they hurried down the path. Flushed and out-of-breath, Elizabeth hung her coat on the rack and moved toward the counter. Martinez intercepted her in the middle of the room, surprised to recognize her instantly, his face breaking into a smile.

“Liz? Lizzie Webber? Junior skating team, Boulder, Colorado?”

Elizabeth did a double take as she heard the voice from the past, the sound bringing back memories of tall evergreens, ice-covered ponds and snowball fights. She looked into the face of her brother’s former best friend, now ten years older. “Ian? Is that you?”

[JRK Archiver]

Ch. 5

Kelly’s/Late Afternoon

“Whew! Finally!” sighed Elizabeth Webber as she unloaded the last tray of lunch orders. The restaurant had been swamped, and she’d been working nonstop since she arrived. She nodded to the older waitress, Claire, and plopped herself down to take a much-needed break.

“Elizabeth!” hissed Gia Campbell, beckoning to the pony-tailed young waitress from her chair near the door. Elizabeth yawned, pretending not to see her, and stretched like a cat in an effort to ease the ache in her muscles.

Elizabeth knew why Gia was visiting Kelly’s: partly to gloat about the Deception job but mostly to lecture Elizabeth about how she was neglecting Lucky. Elizabeth was glad that neither taunt carried much sting any more, but she wasn’t in the mood to put up with Gia’s airs. Elizabeth smiled, looking much like a child who had secretly consumed a huge bowl of chocolate ice cream. Why think about Gia when she could think of something so much more enjoyable?

Now let’s…um… work on that second question, shall we?

Turning her back to Gia, Elizabeth closed her eyes and focused on the activities of the previous 24 hours. She replayed the day in her head: from the hurried taxi ride over to Jake’s, to the way she tiptoed up the stairs to Jason’s room, to the multiple about-faces she did at Jason’s door after his gruff response to her knock. She still couldn’t fathom how she got through the stuttering admission of her feelings, or how she finally ended up in Jason’s arms.

Jason definitely knows how to use his hands, Elizabeth mused, feeling her face grow warm as she recalled his enthusiastic response to her whispered requests. When his lovemaking finally left Elizabeth at a loss for words, Jason had shown an amazing talent at improvisation and even managed an encore performance a short time later.

Oh. My. God, Elizabeth sighed, fanning herself with her eyes closed. It is getting so hot in here.

“A penny for your thoughts?” chuckled Jack Martinez, scraping a chair noisily across the floor as he slid into a seat next to Elizabeth. Across the room, Gia peeped around her magazine to stare at the hunky busboy.

“My thoughts?” stammered Elizabeth, her eyes flying open as she recognized the voice of her table companion. She flushed from head to toe as she struggled to recover. “God, Ian. You almost gave me a heart attack. You show up in my life after nearly ten years and you’re already trying to kill me?”

Jack leaned his head close to Elizabeth’s and mischievously tugged at her ponytail. Gia Campbell observed the interplay from her corner with malevolent interest.

“I forgot how much fun it was to embarrass you, Lizzie,” grinned Jack as Elizabeth swatted his hand away. “I haven’t seen you this red since the time Steven found you… um… hiding in my bedroom closet.”

Grateful for the change in topic, Elizabeth waggled a pink-nailed index finger at Jack. “In case you’ve forgotten, I was trying on my new skating outfit, you dummy. I wasn’t supposed to open my dad’s present until AFTER my birthday, but you had to go and tell me that you saw Dad buy me something at the sporting goods store.”

“It’s not MY fault that I was working there, Lizzie. My dad owned the store. It’s not MY fault you can’t handle surprises. And that you decided to do it in MY closet.”

“Ian, you tricked Steven into looking in your closet. I had barely finished changing. He… he practically dragged me out of there by my hair.” Footsteps sounded nearby but Elizabeth was too wound up to pay attention. “Do you know how long it took before I convinced my brother that we weren’t… you know…”

“An item? Messing around?” Jack whispered. He pretended to look embarrassed. “I know. My reputation was ruined after that.”

“Excuse me, Elizabeth,” Gia Campbell interrupted, flashing a pearly-white smile. She was an expert on reading lips and the current topic was fascinating. “I was sitting right over there but you didn’t see me. I guess you were… uh… distracted? I couldn’t help but notice… you two seem like old friends. So I thought I’d come over and introduce myself.”

“Oh. Sure. Why not?” mumbled Elizabeth, rolling her eyes at Jack. “Ian, this is Gia Campbell. Gia, this is Ian Martinez. We, sorta… grew up together.”

Jack leaned back in his chair and managed to look friendly but disinterested. “Only Lizzie here calls me Ian. Old habit. Most people just call me Jack. Nice to meet you, Gia. Haven’t I seen you somewhere before?”

“Gia here is the new Deception model. You might recognize her from the new TV ads,” Elizabeth explained, without a hint of jealousy. Gia looked surprised and a little miffed.

“Don’t watch too much TV,” Jack admitted truthfully. “Most of the shows are about pretty people with no substance. Anyway, I probably saw someone around who just looks like you.”

“Probably,” Gia frowned, wondering if Jack’s comment was innocent or if Elizabeth had said something bad about her. “Anyway, I just wanted to remind Elizabeth here that visiting hours at the hospital are only until 7pm. In case she wanted to visit… someone. Like her boyfriend, maybe?”

“Thanks for the reminder, Gia,” hissed Elizabeth, quickly tiring of Gia’s manipulations. “My Grams is on staff there, but with my busy work schedule I might have forgotten all about visiting hours. Oh, and in case you’re wondering… my boyfriend, whoever that may be, is MY business, not yours.”

“Um, okay. Well, I have a phone call to make so I’ll be going now,” Jack grinned, pushing his chair away from the table and bumping into Gia before she could snap at Elizabeth. “Bye, Gia. Lizzie, we’ll talk after work?”

“Sure, Ian. Gia, uh… sorry, but I have something more important to do… like filling the salt shakers. Later?”

Gia seethed at being dismissed, but kept her temper. Why that little…! I’m going to find out what’s going on with these two if it kills me! Maybe I’ll check with Carly and see if she knows something.

~*~*~*

[neodeu]

fabulous!! need ALOT more please. Did Sonny know Jake new Liz already?

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