I Wanna Be Free by LovinLiason

[JRK Archiver]

Chapter 16

Emily Quartermaine couldn't do it.

It took her two seconds after she closed the door to realize that she wanted to know what was going on downstairs. In less than three seconds, she had the door open once more and made her way to the top of the stairs. That's when she heard it.

"I couldn't help but wonder what would've happened.. if Emily hadn't shown up."

Jason was.. quiet. He looked at Elizabeth with an expression one couldn't define. For the first time since she'd met him, she had no clue as to the thoughts that were flying around in his head. The man gave her no inkling as to what he was thinking or how he felt. She felt flattered yet scared and wondered whether or not an expressionless face from Jason Morgan was a good or a bad thing.

Yet on the other hand, Jason was screaming inside. How did he ever get himself into this situation? Since when the hell did Elizabeth become so damn blunt? He already knew the answer to that question. He knew that she felt she could trust him with whatever was on her mind. She trusted him not to judge her,to always be honest with her and to respect and accept her for the person she was. Not like he didn't expect the same things from her.

He stared at her for a while, loving the anticipation that hung in the air. The corners of his mouth must've twitched or something because he saw something change in her eyes. He'd enjoyed watching her display her strength and boldness, characteristics he felt she lost through Lucky. The spunk he'd fallen for in the past was back in her eyes and it just happened to intensify at that moment. He couldn't help but laugh at the rueful look on her face. When the laughter subsided, he turned adoring eyes to hers and tilted his head to the side. "You know.. you're the only one that can do that."

She smiled awkwardly and tucked that same stubborn strand of hair behind her ear. "Do what, exactly?"

Jason rubbed his chin, feeling the slight stubble that was beginning to grow. "Break through my hard exterior... Crack the Borg look off my face." She wrinkled her eyebrows and scooted closer so that she could sit directly in front of him. She searched his eyes as he watched her, fascinated by her observing him. "Don't look too hard, Webber. Everything you'll ever need to know.. you can find it in my eyes."

Her eyebrows softened as she continued her search. When she was satisfied with the mental list of observations she'd collected in her head, she adjuster her legs so that she sat on her calves, her knees pointed towards Jason. "They're blind."

When he merely raised his eyebrows, offering no words to her conclusion, she continued. "Port Charles, I mean. They're only willing to see the image you project, the Jason Morgan that you're willing to show them. They don't try to look past the exterior, the borgish demeanor," she added with the roll of her eyes, "to see the kind, decent man that would do anything to keep the people he loves and cares about safe and happy." She paused to search his eyes once more and went on. "When you look at people like them, you give them a look that clearly states you don't want them around. Why do you give them that look? Because you don't want them around." The simplicity in the statement made them both laugh as they realized how stupid residents in Port Charles really were.

"But that look changes when you're around people you can actually stand.. like Sonny, Carly, Michael, Lila, Emily.."

"You," he added for her when she paused.

Emily had to place a hand over her mouth to keep a sob in her throat. Though she wasn't crying a river, there were tears in her eyes as she listened to her best friends' conversation. Did she feel like an intruder as she listened in the shadows? Yes. Did that mean that she was going anywhere any time soon? No.

Elizabeth smiled and nodded her head, "Yes, me as well. They don't get it Jason. They think that you're Sonny's lackey when in reality, you're his best friend. Someone who would gladly put their life on the line to save someone who's been more like a father more than anything else. They look down on you for keeping Michael from his self-destructive, accident-prone, alcoholic father. And worse, they turn their noses up to you because you had the nerve to call things off with Robin because she betrayed your trust. Never mind that she was doing the right thing, but in the end, she defied you and your sense of honor, taking it upon herself to put herself in a situation she couldn't get out of-"

"Elizabeth-"

"Okay maybe I'm a bit off there, but I'm not on the other things." She paused as Jason stared deep into her eyes, almost convinced that she should stop there. Almost. "Jason, those people are dumb. People who can't see past what's on the outside, who can't take a good look at the goodness that lies inside, then they're not worth your time." When he was about to say something, she placed a finger to his lips and shushed him. "Where am I going with this?" He nodded and smiled a bit as her finger remained in place.

She removed her finger, placed both hands palms down on her knees and leaned forward. "Don't ever use the word Borg ever again. It's not a nice word when it's used by everyone else in this Godforsake town, but it becomes more hideous when spoken from your lips."

Words meant a lot to Jason when they were used in the right context. In that moment, in that time frame of life, he knew he would never forget each and every word that Elizabeth had said to him. The fact that her lips were nothing but mere inches apart made the moment so much more satisfying.

The two continued to look at each other, carressing with their eyes, no words need to convey the present emotions. They began to move into each other, slow and cautious. There lips were nothing but a whisper away.. just a little nudge and-

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

"Jason, are you up??"

"NO!!!!!"

Jason and Elizabeth both jumped apart by all interruptions. First was the knock on the door, then Sonny's accompanying voice on the other side. Then they heard Emily scream NO! somewhere upstairs. To say they were both startled to their feet would be an understatement.

"Emily?!" Jason yelled in worry, wondering if she'd fallen and hurt herself. Elizabeth was right behind him with a hand on his back. They stopped when they were able to see Emily at the top of the stairs, her face buried in her hands as her elbows lay rested on her bent knees. "Emily, are you okay?" Elizabeth asked clearly worried, her hand still on Jason's back.

She nodded her head rather harshley as she answered in a clear voice. "I'm fine."

The knocking on the door persisted as Sonny asked, "Jason? Everything all right in there?"

With a look at Emily, Jason turned to Elizabeth and placed rested his head on top of her for a few seconds. "Will we ever get some time alone??"

She couldn't help but laugh at the desperation she found in his voice. "Go see what Sonny needs." She turned her head towards Emily who still sat pitifully at the top of the stairs. She made sure her voice was louder and she said, "In the meantime, I'll take care of our little eavesdropper."

Both Jason and Liz laughed as they heard Emily whimper a fake cry. Elizabeth made her way up the stairs to take her to Jason'e room so the two could talk about what Emily'd heard. Jason shook his head and went to go answer the door, surprised by the sight before him. Sonny Corinthos was usually a stylish man. His physical appearance was always easy on the eye, but this morning, Sonny looked like hell.

"What took you so long?" Sonny asked Jason after he'd opened the door.

"Don't ask. What happened to you?" Jason retaliated.

"You don't want to know," Sonny answered back as he made his way into the penthouse.

Jason closed the door and watched his best friend. "This should be good. Where's Carly? Did the two of you fight over Brenda or something?"

Sonny shrugged his shoulders as he looked around the penthouse. He took in the home made bed for two and opted to say nothing. "Yea.. you can say something." He turned his eyes towards Jason's and for the first time, his right hand man felt the full impact of the pain that Sonny was feeling. "She wants a divorce, Jason. Carly left me."

[JRK Archiver]

Chapter 17

Elizabeth walked Emily to Jason's door and shut it quietly when both were settled in. "All right, spill. What did you hear?" Elizabeth asked, trying hard to sound intimidating. Inside, she would enjoy watching her closest friend squirm under the spot light.

Emily laughed and shook her head as she sat down on the floor. "Oh no, you don't, Webber. You're not going to try to play bad cop with me to get some answers. If anyone's going to be asking any questions around here, it's going to be me." It was said in a friendly way, a smile graced upon the adopted Quartermaine's features the whole time.

Elizabeth was amused as she cocked an eyebrow. "Oh? Well, last time I checked, I was the one invited here, you weren't," Elizabeth said in a playful tone as she rubbed her palms together shifting her gaze from the floor to the walls. A rueful smile was in place, and Emily couldn't help but laugh when Liz's left eyebrow ticked once more.

"Ouch," Emily said, defeated in the game she'd started. "Good one, Webber. Care to elaborate on why you were invited again? I think I missed that starting from the minute I saw you by my brother's side in his doorstep."

Elizabeth couldn't help but blush as she recounted last night once more. It hadn't been an eventful day, but if Jason's eyes could be the last thing she saw before she slept every night, then life would sure as hell be satisfying and worth while... whoa. Where did that thought come from? As if she could, she shook her head viciously as if to shake the thought out of her mind and side-stepped Emily's question. "We'll get to that later. What I want to know is what did you hear?"

Emily looked guilty for one minute and then answered. "I heard you ask him what would've happened if I hadn't showed up last night. By the way, I am so sorry about that! I feel like such an idiot. I didn't even call to make sure if it was okay that I come over, and when I arrive, I'm interrupting a romantic night between you and my brother and-"

"Emily, breathe," she told her friend as she gently shook her by the shoulders. "That's it now, in.. out." She laughed as Emily glared at her and swatted her hands away from her shoulders. "If it makes you feel any better, I'm kind of glad that you interrupted us last night."

Emily quirked her eyebrows together. "Why?"

Elizabeth began to walk around the room as she examined it. "Well, I just got out of that ridiculous excuse of a relationship with Lucky-"

"Wait.. back it up a minute." Elizabeth stopped her pacing as Emily looked up at her with wide eyes. "You recently broke up with Lucky?" At Elizabeth's small nod, Emily shook her head softly. "What happened? Last time I checked, the two of you were engaged." She couldn't believe that that little piece of information had slipped her mind.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes and sat down on the floor. "That's partly my fault. You remember how I told you that Lucky lost his love for me.. how Helena erased me from his mind?" Emily nodded. "Well, it seems that after I faked my death for him, his love was still gone. He couldn't remember anything but decided to go along with the marriage, only because I'd pushed so hard."

She turned away as she saw the sympathy pool in her best friend's eyes. "Anyway, to make a long story short, we didn't go through with it, decided to try to get things back on track but called it quits when I found him.. found him in bed with Sarah."

Emily's eyes grew wide as her mouth hung open. "What?! How did Sarah get into this? Don't tell me the little twit's back in town."

It was Elizabeth's turn to gape at Emily. "Twit? I thought that you liked my sister?"

Emily rolled her eyes and stared at the ceiling. "I did at first, but then.. I don't know. I couldn't really respect her after the way she jerked both Lucky and Nikolas around, even when she chose Nikolas. Plus, we can't forget the small fact that I was so in love with Nikolas all those years ago. I don't know- it was like, she was Ms. Perfect and anyone who even tried to stand next to her got left at the finish line. I couldn't stand that about her."

Elizabeth smiled softly as she stared off into space. "Join the club. I had to live with that my whole life."

Emily turned big eyes to Elizabeth once more. "Damn girl, you really have had it rough!" The two laughed as close companions could. When the laughter subsided, Emily placed a comforting hand over Liz's. "I can't believe that Lucky would do that to you. The Lucky that I remember, he- he was just so wonderful." She watched as Liz held back tears that were beginning to form in her eyes. "But I'm sorry, I can't respect him for sleeping with Sarah. Even if he didn't love you anymore. She's your sister, for crying out loud. You just don't do that to people you care about."

Elizabeth was torn. "Emily, I don't want your relationship with Lucky to change just because mine has. Deep down, he's still a good person- that I try to believe. Maybe things didn't work out between the two of us- that's fine, but I can't see how that can affect your friendship with him. I'd hate for the two of you to stop talking over me."

Emily shook her head. "Such a nice person. No, Liz, I'm still going to be friend's with him. Lucky's been there for me many times, and I can't just turn my back on him. I know that you would never ask me to do that, either." She paused and ran a hand through her hair. "Anyway, enough about him, let's talk about Jason."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes as Emily laughed. "So why are you happy that I walked in last night?"

Elizabeth made herself comfortable as she sat to fully face her. "Think about Emily. He came back two nights ago, and already I've been in his face. I hurt him tremendously last time when I made the mistake of choosing Lucky over him. The same night I break up with Lucky, I run straight to Jason. If you ask me, that's not real steady ground to base a relationship on."

Emily quirked an eyebrow and smiled. "So this.. thing with you and Jason. It's suddenly relatonship material?"

"Em, you and I both know that what Jason and I have has been relationship material from the getgo. The only thing to think about now is what to do with it."


--------------------------

Jason stared at his boss for what seemed like eternity. "You wanna run that by me again?"

Sonny shrugged and stuffed his hands into his pockets. "She knows about Alexis." He paused as he watched his best friend sigh, put his head down and pinch the bridge of his nose. "Apparently, she was there."

Jason's head snapped up at that. "What do you mean she was there? How?"

Sonny shrugged once more and cast his eyes elsewhere. "She was delivering a birthday card to me from Michael. Alexis and I found it while we thought she was missing. She found it.. then remembered everything that she saw that night."

Jason sighed and took a step closer to Sonny. He didn't know what to say. If anything, he believed that Carly and Sonny were perfect for each other. They were soulmates who were destined to be together forever. That's why he'd walked away from the two of them so long ago- to make them realize that they were it for one another. Now that things were beginning to fall apart, Jason was clueless on what to do next. He asked the only logical question at the moment. "What are you gonna do?"

Sonny looked up at him and rose his eyebrows a notch. "I don't know. I was hoping you could help me out-"

"Sonny, I want to stay as far away from your love life as possible," Jason said as he stalked past his friend.

"But you're her best friend-"

"Yes, and I'm yours, too, but that doesn't mean that everytime something goes wrong between the two of you.. that you guys can come running to me to fix it," Jason said reasonably.

"Jason, I don't know what to do!" Sonny screamed rashly. There was a trace of desperation laced in his voice, evident in his eyes as well. Sonny Corinthos was never one to ask for advice. He definitely wasn't the kind of man who begged for help as well. When Jason looked harder, he found that that was exactly what the man was doing; begging for someone to fix his marriage.

Jason closed his eyes, rotated his head and sighed as he felt the bones crack once, twice. When he reopened his blues once more, he looked Sonny dead in the eye. "Some problems you're going to have to solve on your own, Sonny." He placed a hand in the air when the mob boss was about to argue. "Wait, hear me out. Okay, you and Carly? The two of you are strong together. You've been through hell and back and have always managed to land on your feet. Did you screw things up? Yes. Can you guys get past this? Maybe." He paused when Sonny exhaled a breath of air harshly. "Hey- I'm not gonna lie to you, it's gonna be hard to win back her trust-"

"Win back her trust? What about her love, Jason?" Sonny asked. The fire and frustration of the situation was gone. Now, there was nothing left to look at but the truth.

"Love was never the problem between the two of you, Sonny. What you and Carly have.. it's- it's special, definitely not something that comes along everyday. If I even thought that Carly stopped loving you, I'd tell you to get over her and get on with your life, but that's not the case. What the two of you have is sacred, something worth fighting for. Truth is, you broke Carly's trust in you, Sonny. She has every right to walk away and not look back. The question is, are you gonna let her walk out of your life, or are you gonna fight for her."

Though the statement wasn't a question, Sonny treated it as one. "Of course, I'm gonna fight for her! But I, I need you to-"

"You don't need me for anything, Sonny. I haven't been around for one whole year and the two of you seemed to be doing fine without me-"

"We were separated! I was on the verge of divorcing her!"

"But you didn't. You and Carly.. the two of you always manage to find your way back to each other. You just have to believe that your love is strong enough to make it through this one," Jason pushed, trying to be the voice of reason yet at the same time, wanting to distance himself from the drama of Mr. and Mrs. Corinthos.

"Do you think it is?" Sonny asked, for the first time in a long time unsure.

"If I didn't then I wouldn't be standing here right now."

Now it was Sonny's turn to pinch his temples. "You've always played referee for Carly and I in the past, Jason. I don't understand why-"

He paused when they heard foosteps coming down the stairs, both men sensing Emily and Elizabeth's presence. As Jason kept his eyes trained on the stairs, awaiting their arrival, he offered one reason for being abrassive in helping his best friends out. "Let's just say that I have a love life of my own to worry about now."


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Carly walked around the docks, loving the smell of Port Charles in the morning. The atmosphere was so calm, so.. clear, yet it possessed a trace of danger that could only be found in the small town. She sighed as she moved to sit in the bench but caught movement to her right. She smiled shyly when she managed who it was, then frowned when she took in his appearance.

"Zander? What happened to you?"

He was wearing a cast on his left arm and his face looked as if he'd ran into a foot. Zander offered no smile of his own but kept on walking. "Don't worry about it."

She grabbed his other arm and held him back. "Hey, I- you can still talk to me." It was said softly, pleadingly as a matter of fact. She knew that whatever happened to him had something to do with Sonny. The beating had Corinthos written all over it.

"Let's just say that I made some.. bad choices. One that I'll never make again. You can tell your husband that when you go home," he said as he began to walk away.

"I can't do that for you, Zander, because I won't be going home. I'm never going back to Harbor View Towers again," Carly said strongly as she crossed her arms over her chest.
Zander turned and kept weary eyes on hers. "Why?"

Carly rose her eyebrows as she took two steps towards him. "I remembered what happened the night I drove off the cliff. What you didn't want to tell me, and what he tried to keep from me. It's over... I left him."

The two just stood there for a while, staring at each other. Before either could comment, the sound of boots along the side steps of the docks interrupted them. Zander turned interested eyes to their new intruder while Carly's narrowed into thin slits.

"Well, this should be interesting. You left Sonny?" Brenda asked with a smile as she mimicked Carly's stance, arms crossed over her chest. "Mind if I ask why?"

[JRK Archiver]

Chapter 18

Sonny smiled when he noticed the woman behind Elizabeth. "Emily? Is that you? Walking?"

Emily laughed as she went to Sonny and gave him a warm hug. "Yes, it's me. Walking and all. How are you doing?"

Sonny's smile slowly faded as he nodded his head. "I've had better days."

Emily smiled sadly and nodded her head as well, knowing that the subject was dropped. She casted a glance at her best friend who was looking back at her as well. She stole a glimpse towards Jason and noticed how he only had eyes for her female companion. There was a light in his eyes that she'd never seen before. She hadn't seen him look at Robin that way. She turned her head quickly when her brother caught her looking and tried her hardest not to blush.

"So what brings you back home, Emily?" Sonny asked, noticing all stolen glances from the side.

Emily rubbed her the palms of her hands on her thighs as she titled her head. "I thought it was about time that I come home. After all, I've been locked up in rehab for way too long. I stayed longer than was neccessary and realized that home was where I wanted to be."

She looked at Jason when she said the last words, and he smiled warmly at her. "Well, I sure as hell missed you," he said as he walked towards her and engulfed her in a big bear hug.

Sonny took the moment to steal a look at Elizabeth, who happened to be adoring Jason with her eyes. There was no doubt that what he saw in her eyes was love. He knew that Jason felt the same way as well. He smiled to himself as a thought crossed his mind. Maybe Jason wouldn't help him out in his love life, but that didn't mean that Sonny couldn't push Jason towards having one. With dimples in tact, he turned towards Elizabeth and spread his hands. "So Elizabeth, what are you doing here so early in the morning?"

Sonny tried not to laugh at the look of surprise on Elizabeth's face. He felt the a chill run down his spine and knew exactly where it came from; Jason's steel blue glare to Sonny's back was so cold it penetrated through his skin.

Elizabeth recovered well and smiled. As she took a step towards the man, she answered, "I spent the night here, Sonny. You have a problem with that?"

Emily and Jason couldn't help but laugh at Elizabeth's comment. She stood there, hands on hips, eyebrows cocked and blue eyes daring him to answer.

Sonny laughed as well and placed his hands in the air, palms facing her. "Hey, I didn't say there was anything wrong. I was just wondering what you were doing here so early in the morning, and now I have my answer."

Elizabeth smiled and winked at him as she relaxed. She stole a glance at Jason who wasn't smiling at her. He just stood there and stared at her, makng her feel like she was (once again) the only woman on the planet, the only person in the room. She smiled softly as she walked towards him. When she stood in front of him, she placed a hand on one of his arms and said, "Emily and I were going to go and grab some breakfast."

Jason nodded his head okay. Emily couldn't help but ask, "Wouldn't you and Sonny like to join us?"

She turned pleading eyes towards Sonny, begging him to agree. She sent the man signals with her eyes, telling him that she needed all the help she could get setting the two of them up. Sonny had to bite the side of his cheek to keep from smiling and considered his options. He could either a) go look for Carly who was probably not in a good mood to talk to him, or b) help Emily Quartermaine set up his best friend with the woman who'd won his heart a long time ago.

He clapped his hands together and rubbed. Looking only at Jason, giving him a smile that made Jason's blood run cold. "Kelly's anyone?"


--------------------------

Carly rolled her eyes as she glared at the small brunette before her. "You again? God, can't you just.. disappear or something?"

Brenda smiled as she studied the air, nose scrunched up, eyebrows bunched together. She took two small steps closer, hands clasped together as she considered the question. She shook her head and looked again and the fake blonde. "Nope." She looked at the little guy behind her and had to scrunch her nose once more. "And who's this little fella behind you?" she asked mockingly. She straightened and looked Carly big in the eyes. "Your bodyguard?"

If possible, Carly's eyes narrowed into even thinner slits. "What's it to you who he is?"

Brenda rolled her eyes and walked past the woman, planting herself firmly between Carly and Zander. She smiled like a child as she stuck her hand out a the man. "Brenda Barrett," she introduced herself. "And you are?"

Zander stared at her hand, then towards the woman behind the short brunette. "Is she for real?"

Carly, who was still facing the opposite directon, turned then and nodded her head. "Yes, unfortunately she is."

Brenda kept smiling. "Oh, so I see you've heard about me. Tell me, anything good?"

Zander couldn't help but smile. The girl was adorable, and even better? She irritated the hell out of Carly. He stuck out his hand to shake hers and shook his head. "The infamous Brenda Barrett? What negative words can possibly be said about you? I'm Zander Smith."

Brenda rose her eyebrows and gripped his hand a bit. "Good answer!" she said with a smile. "You get five points."

Carly couldn't help but roll her eyes. "Zander, you mean to tell me that no one has ever told you about Mizz Barrett? The queen of the crop? The most arrogant, self-centered, self-righteous, backstabbing bi-"

"You're one to talk, blondie," Brenda spat as she turned on her heel to face the taller woman. "Arrogant? Maybe. Self-righeous? Just a tad. Self-centered, backstabbing bitch? Sorry sweetie, but that honor is all yours."

Carly took a step closer. "How dare you-"

"Oh, please Carly. You're actually gonna stand there and defend youself to the truth?" By now, Brenda's flossy spunk had faded. She looked at Carly with honest eyes, no pity yet no hate. "The whole ordeal with Michael? Stand there and tell me that you weren't being selfish."

"I was trying to protect my son from AJ-"

"You know damn well that AJ would've gotten his shit together if he knew he had a kid coming along. And even if he didn't we both know that you stuck Michael with Jason just to hold on to him. You wanted Jason for yourself-"

"Okay, who are you to judge Ms. High-and-Mighty? Huh? What- you come back from the dead and start criticizing people of whom you know nothing about? Please, Brenda. Spare me your lectures.. no, you know what? Let's talk about you, for a minute. Calling me selfish, I'm not the one who screwed around with Sonny and Jax at the same time, constantly dropping one for the other, crying and proclaiming your love one minute and then rejecting that love you so truly can't live without the next-"

"You need to shut your mouth, Blondie! You don't have a clue about what you're talking about." Brenda and Carly were a finger apart. Both stared daringly into the others eyes, pissed as hell.

Zander, who stood on the sidelines the whole time, tried to smooth things over. "If it makes you feel any better, you do have one thing in common." Both women turned their heads to look at him slowly, wild eyes that told him they thought he was crazy.

"Too bad, I thought that I might get to like you there, Smith," Brenda said through narrow eyes and arched eyebrows.

Zander laughed as he ventured closer. "Actually, think about it. Both of you loved Sonny, yet both of you turned him into the feds." When they continued to look at him like he was crazy, Zander laughed at his own joke then began to slowly back away. He didn't hear the happy voices behind him or the laughter as well. He didn't see where he was going and turned when he bumped into someone.

"Oh my-"

"God."

Zander stared disbelievingly at Emily.. a walking Emily and blinked. Emily just stared at him, eyes wide and mouth a gap.

Sonny knew this wasn't going to be good. After all, Jason and Sonny had just taken care of Zander. What would the boy tell Jason's sister. As he massaged his chin, he looked farther down the peer and noticed the two women. He swore to himself and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, only Carly was looking at him, hooded eyes that one couldn't interpret with the naked eye. He looked deeper and took in her stance. She stood five inches away from Brenda, hands balled into fists at her side, the flaring nostrils.. oh yeah. Carly Corinthos was pissed.

Elizabeth had been behind Sonny and Emily, walking steadily by Jason's side as they held hands. It was a great feeling, one that was cut short by the interruption on the docks. She knew the minute she saw Zander, Kelly's would be the last place they'd be going that morning. She looked beyond the man and saw her sister with her new-found friend. She could tell right off the bat that the two women were going at it.

Brenda saw them coming right before they came. She felt the shift in the air and knew that Sonny was nearby. Amazing, she thought to herself, that she could still feel his prescense after so long. She noticed the awkwardness in the situation when Smith and Emily butted into each other. She watched Sonny's eyes as he took in his wife's angry eyes. But what stuck out the most.. what brought her eyes to narrow slits.. was Elizabeth.. her baby sister Elizabeth.. holding Jason Morgan's hand.

[JRK Archiver]

Chapter 19

Brenda stood in the distance and watched with mixed emotions as the scene played out before her, trying to figure out who was feeling what for whom.

On one side, there was Emily and Zander, staring at each other wearily as they assessed one another with their eyes. While Smith had first looked at her with blissful shock, the emotion displayed turned to confusion in a split second. He assessed her posture with unbelieving eyes, remembered her beauty as he took in the curves of her body, the light in her eyes.

Emily also looked as if she was drinking the man up, but her eyes remained at his face. At first glance, she looked surprised to see him as well, and for a moment, she looked happy at the same time. But the same light that shined in her eyes faded just as fast as it appeared, as if she were hiding a part of herself she’d vowed to never display again. If Brenda didn’t know any better, she’d thought that the two of them were old lovers… but the distaste that lingered in Emily’s brown eyes threw Brenda for a loop.

Then, there was Carly and Sonny—and of course herself. She watched as Sonny and Carly stole glances at one another, Sonny’s eyes filled with sorrow while Carly’s—though she couldn’t see them—probably flashed with anger added with a hint of longing. Brenda’s eyes remained emotionless when Sonny would glimpse in her direction, not bothering to let the poor man in on her vivid interest with the scene before her… vivid interest that reached its peak as she saw her baby sister.

Traces of happiness were slowly fading off of Elizabeth’s face as each second passed. Brenda watched as realization seeped into her sister’s being, observed as the tension began to course through the blood in her body, witnessed in veiled horror as her small, delicate fingers griped Jason’s broader and tanned hand.

That was when Brenda brought her archenemy. She didn’t flinch one bit when she found his eyes on hers, narrowed with hot, animosity directed only to her. She resisted the urge to smirk when he slowly, deliberately shook his head at her. Figures, she thought to herself. There was no doubt in her mind that Jason was going to find a way to blame all of this on her.

Quickly, she placed a bright, cheerful smile on her face, accomplishing her goal at intensifying Jason’s hate for her all the while. She clapped her hands together loudly and rubbed them together as she gained everyone’s attention. “Well isn’t this a twisted coincidence? The four of you along with the three of us all meeting her this very fine morning—”

“Shut up, Brenda.” The woman glared at Sonny, Carly and Jason as they spoke in unison and crossed her arms over her chest.

Emily’s head snapped up at the voice and thought her eyes were playing a trick on her until Sonny, Jason and Carly confirmed that the sight before her was real. On a shaky breath, she whispered the name, “Brenda?”

Brenda brought her eyes to Emily’s hopeful ones and smiled, mentally kicking herself in the process. For a minute there, she forgot that the whole town still believed she was dead. She nodded her head in confirmation and held her arms open. “Yes, Em. It’s me.”

Emily didn’t hesitate as she walked swiftly into her old friend’s open arms. Brenda noticed the slight limp in her stride but decided to go against mentioning it. “Ohmygod, ohmygod, ohmygod,” Emily repeated over and over as she hugged the smaller woman tightly. She pulled back abruptly and stared into Brenda’s eyes. “How is any of this possible?”

Brenda rolled her eyes and laughed. “Jesus, Emily—you act as if you’ve never met anyone who’s come back from the dead.”

Emily thought it over and then nodded her head. “Point taken.” The two women laughed as they hugged each other once more, swaying their upper bodies side to side like little girls. “I’m so glad you’re okay.”

Emily pulled away once more and then swung herself to Brenda’s side as they held each other with one arm around the other’s waist.

“So, what was going on before we interrupted?” Sonny asked as he stuffed his hands into his pockets.

Carly looked the other way and shook her head. “I was just leaving.”

As she made her way to the stairs, she was intercepted by Elizabeth, a move that surprised them both. “Carly, we were just heading to Kelly’s for breakfast. Why don’t you join us?” she asked with a hopeful smile and a reassuring nod.

Carly didn’t want to hurt the poor girl’s feelings, but she also didn’t want to be subjected to breakfast with her husband, either. “You know what Elizabeth—”

“That sounds like a great idea!” Brenda blurted in before Carly could refuse. All eyes were on her now as she continued. “Breakfast at Kelly’s sounds undeniably rejuvenating for this back-from-the-dead-momma right here—”

“I don’t remember Elizabeth asking you to join us, Brenda,” Jason cut in quickly and coldly. He didn’t know what the little snot was up to, but he was going to figure it out.

Brenda glared at her enemy before shifting her gaze to her sister. “Elizabeth?”

The woman in question felt like a deer caught in headlights. If she didn’t extend the invitation to her sister, than she could ruin any chance at forming a family bond with her sister. However, it she invited Brenda to come along, she would no doubt be placing everyone else in an uncomfortable position.

Seeing that Elizabeth was put in a tough spot, Carly extended the invitation for her poor little friend. “Yes, Brenda. Do come along. Who knows what kind of trouble you’d manage to get yourself into.”

“Thanks, Blondie… I think. But I’ll only go if Elizabeth here gives me the okay,” Brenda answered back. She hated putting her sister in this position, but it was the truth. All she had to say was that she didn’t want her to go and Brenda would back off.

Elizabeth flashed a cheery smile on her face and walked towards the middle of the dock, right smack in the middle of the group before her. “If it’s all right with everyone else, I’d love for you to join us.”

Brenda looked around at everyone else and got their nod of approval, at least from all but Jason who simply continued to glare at Elizabeth’s sister. His distaste towards her attendance intensified her desire to come along. She smiled peachily as she linked arms with both Emily and Elizabeth, consequently leaving her baby sister far away from Jason Morgan’s hand. “All right, then. Let’s go! Smith, I assume you’ll be joining us as well?”

Brenda once again felt Emily stiff as the tension rolled into Brenda just from the connection of their arms. Whoa, Brenda thought to herself, this girl has got it bad.

When Brenda noticed that Zander was about to decline the offer, Carly soon jumped in and told him, “You’re more than welcome to join us, Zander. I’d like to have you there as well.”

The words made Sonny steaming mad. Brenda could tell by the way his eyes never left his wife, the way his hands remained unclenched by his sides, the way his eyebrows hovered lowly… just above his eyes, and more importantly, the way his lips were parted, making a thin slit for the air to blow through quietly as his calm reserve was placed to veil the frustration that boiled inside.

Brenda also noticed that Jason had had a problem with the offer as well. Something was going on here… something more than beyond the surface. She decided at that moment that she was going to have fun beating it out of everyone.


--------------------------

“Whoa, big party for breakfast we have here, don’t we?” Bobbie asked as the seven of them walked in, not one with a smile on their face.

Bobbie was shocked to see Brenda alive and well and told her that much as she gave her a hug. “I can’t say I’m surprised. Nobody can stay dead in Port Charles anymore.”

Brenda laughed as she took her seat at the round table in the middle of the room. “Amen to that.”

“Hallelujah, indeed.” Bobbie then noticed a walking Emily and couldn’t help but hug her as well. “Welcome back, sweetie! Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes?”

Emily rolled her eyes as she smiled back at the older woman’s compliment. “So they say. The limp is still there, but you can hardly tell that…” Emily informed the woman. Bobbie nodded and then paid attention to the rest of the crew.

“Do you all know what you want or do you need a few more minutes?”

The group in question knew their orders and gave them to Bobbie before she went on and served the rest of her customers. The table was left in an uncomfortable silence. Seated to the right of Elizabeth was Jason, to his right Carly, to her right Zander, to his right Brenda, to her right Emily and to her right Sonny. Small talk was definitely out of the question as neither members of the party bothered to speak up.

It was an uncomfortable silence that Brenda just couldn’t seem to stand any longer. “Okay, so let’s get this all out on the open. Emily was away and now she’s back, she had a thing going on with Smith over here and that’s why there’s tension between them.

“Blondie and Casanova over here had a big fight last night, and now Carly thinks that she wants a divorce—that she wants to let go of the one meal ticket she’d been able to hold on to for so long.

“Then we have my dear, sweet sister here, who feels caught in the middle of it all. I mean—here you are, friends with both Smith and Em, but neither of them are talking and you feel helpless. For some, Godforsaken reason, you’ve formed a friendship with the devil herself, causing you to feel helpless again now that your new buddy and your boyfriend’s best friend are having problems. Speaking of which…

“You also feel torn between your sisterly duties where Jason is concerned. Granted that I hate Jason more than Barney loves kids, you still can’t help but feel a little hope that the two of us will learn to get along for your sake.”

All six people at the table stared wide eyed at Brenda Barrett, surprised that she’d even opened her mouth to speak. All were surprised, except for one: Jason Morgan. He’d expected her to throw everyone out for a loop; it was her kind of thing to do. He knew that she took pleasure at everyone else’s expense. But this time… this was a little different.

What is Brenda trying to do? And more importantly, why did Jason have a gut feeling that he wasn’t going to like it?

[JRK Archiver]

Chapter 20

"Whatever youre planning, I suggest you drop it right here and now."

Brenda kept on drumming her fingers on the countertop at Kellys as she smiled sadistically with narrowed eyes. "Why Jason, whatever do you mean?" she drawled sarcastically as she threw him a glance. She wasnt surprised to find him glaring at her, one feature of their fights she hadnt grown to miss.

"Dont act innocent with me, Brenda. I know that youre up to something, and Im here to tell you that it ends now," Jason said in a grave tone.

Brenda braced her right hand on the countertop as she turned her body to face his, left hand on her hip as she glared her brown eyes back into his blues. "Lets get one thing straight here, Morgan. As much as it may surprise you, my life does not revolve around you, your boss or his cheap excuse of a wife. And for the record, what I plan on doing while Im home she took a step forward, is none of your concern."

Jason stood forward as well, their bodies a mere inch apart as they stared lethal daggers into one another. "Thats where youre wrong again." He didnt pause when she rolled her eyes and backed away. "See no, youve always made it a point to be a part of Sonnys life whether it was through Stone, Robin, Lily or even when you threw Jax in his face time and time againyouve always placed yourself in a position that would make him come running into the palm of your hand. And that would be before you slap him down once more." He paused and managed to take one step closer. "I know you, I know your game, and Im telling you right now, whatever it is you think youre about to do? Forget about it."

She nodded her head slowly as if she had understood him, her eyes narrowed as she studied his demeanor. "See if I didnt hate you so much, I would actually respect you." She laughed when he glared harder and became more upset. When a waitress behind the counter gave her her cup of herbal tea, she turned back to Jason, all traces of sarcastic happiness gone and replaced with a seriousness no one could fake. "Dont worry about her, Jason. Im not gonna hurt her."

And with that, she made her way back to the table.

_________________

Emily had been picking at her eggs the entire morning. So much for a welcome back breakfast, she thought to herself.

She wasnt expecting Zander to be there. Shed hoped against hope that she wouldnt run into him for at least two more days. She also hadnt expected the reunion to be so awkward. Emilyd hoped that she would appear calm and cool instead of like a deer caught in headlights, but luck just wasnt on her side.

"Hello? Earth to Emily?"

She snapped out of it when she noticed that Sonny was trying to start a conversation with her. With a cheerily fake smile, she asked, "Im sorry, what?"

Sonny laughed at her confused expression and stole a glance towards his wife. She was ignoring him like a block of ice not that she didnt have the right to.

Shaking his head, he smiled back at Emily and asked, "I was talking about how you never told us about the re-hab center youd stayed in."

By now, Jason and Brenda were already back at the table and listened intently at the different programs theyd offered, the friendly people and the hard work the staff had demanded from each of their patients. "It was cool, but I missed home way too much."

"We missed you, too, Em," Elizabeth concluded with a warm smile that managed to reach her eyes. She was telling the truthshe did miss Emily, immensely. Thered been no one to talk to, no one to share her good times or fears with in the capacity of a year, so no one was happier than Elizabeth about Emilys homecoming.

"So anyone wanna fill me in on whats been going on here?" Emily asked. She looked pointedly at Jason who raised his hands in defense. "Dont ask me, Ive only been back for three days."

Brenda threw in her two cents there, too. "Yup, I came back from the dead two days ago so nothing to report on my end."

"Yes, nothing except for the fact that Elizabeth is your sister," Carly added spitefully as she studied her manicured nails.

Brenda smirked in her direction but opted to say nothing out loud, the word heifer running circles in her mind.

"Wait a minute, here The two of you are sisters?" Zander asked beguiled. He looked earnestly from one woman to the other and saw a slight resemblance in petite-ness and the amount of beauty shared between the two of them alone was enough to send Victorias Secret Angels straight into the fires of hell.

"Yes we are," Brenda gushed as she threw an arm around Elizabeths shoulders. "Aint it cool?" She giggled and was taken aback by the happiness that engulfed her when her little sister laughed along with her. The moment struck her as odd at that moment, but she knew that it would be one of those memories that would live on with her forever.

Carly studied the two of them and laughed as well, her laugh lasting longer and louder than the rest. When she stopped, she looked pointedly at Liz and said, "Trust me, sweetie. Run while you can. The woman has no sense of loyalty. Just ask Sonny."

Brenda rolled her eyes as she retrieved her arm from around Elizabeth. "Oh, please are we really doing that again? What? I wear one fucking wire and all of a sudden Im some big traitor that cant be forgiven?" She looked pointedly at Jason when she said her last words. "Give me a break. You she looked at Carlyturned him into the Feds! You made a deal with the devil, and Im a traitor for wearing a wire? Sheesh. Great to see nothings changed in good old Port Chuck."

_________________

"I want to strangle her."

Elizabeth closed the door after herself as she followed Jason back into the penthouse. As expected, breakfast went horribly. The tension in the air caused by Emily and Zander was so thick it could be cut with a chainsaw. Because the discomfort was too much to bear, Zander excused himself early, causing Brenda to make yet another barb at Carly for his disappearance. The two continued to go at it until Carly threw down her napkin and stormed out, Sonny hot on her heels. Emily exclaimed she hadnt had enough excitement in a while and invited Brenda to join her on a trip to the Quartermaines, which she thankfully accepted. That left Jason and Elizabeth alone, both deciding to go back to the penthouse.

Jasond been fuming on the walk back the entire time, all because of her sister. Shed done nothing but listened as he bitched back and forth, cursed the day that Brenda was born and such. Looking back on all the years shed known him, she was sure shed never heard Jason speak so much in his life.

The best part? He still wasnt finished.

"I mean, I understand completely that shes your sister, Elizabeth, but that woman is the devils spawn, I guarantee it! Shes like the annoying thorn in my ass or something worse, of another. Shes like an itch that you want to scratch but cant seem to get rid of! Sonny thinks shes poison? I think shes"

He paused, for the first time since he began his little tirade, when he realized the position he was placing Elizabeth in. He backtracked and walked towards her, holding out his hands to cup hers. "Im sorry."

She laughed at him as she tossed her purse on the leather couch. "Sorry? For what?"

He was taken back a bit by the gleam in her eyes, not sure how to take it. "For going on about Brenda." He took her hands and led her to the couch, facing her when they were both seated. "See, you have to understand that I can not he paused when his face began to scrunch up, stand her. I just cant. Shes like"

"Polluted air? The thorn in your ass? Spawn of the devil?"

"Okay, I got your point," Jason interrupted with a look of mocked seriousness. "I dont trust her, Elizabeth."

Her smile began to fade as she nodded her head. "And based on your history with Brenda, thats completely understandable."

"Stop doing that," Jason softly ordered.

"Doing what?"

He sighed as he looked into her eyes, taking in the sadness that he hadnt had the pleasure of noticing since that fateful night he arrived back in town. With their hands still joined, he led her to the couch where they both sat facing each other. "Talk to me. Tell me whats going on in the beautiful little head of yours."

She smiled at that and shrugged. When she failed to tug her hands away from his grip, she laid back on the leather couch and pulled him with her. When his body lay pinned beneath the back of the couch as well as her back, she snuggled into his embrace and tilted her head back, looking at the ceiling. "Honestly? I dont know how I feel."

Judging by the expression on her face, he didnt push her, didnt ask any questions. Stroking her hair away from her face, he waited her out until she figured out how she felt.

"Its weird, you know? I meanall my life, Im stuck with the family from hellQuartermaines and Cassidines excluded he smiled at that and then all of a sudden, I have this famous, beautiful sister that died before we could get a chance to get to know each other Not that she knew we were related at the time."

Jasons eyebrows hunched over his eyes at that moment. "I dont remember Brenda explaining how she knew you were her sister."

She tilted her head back and smiled at him. H"er mother told her right before they went over the cliff. Supposedly she was telling Brenda to say her goodbyes to Sonny, Jax and her sisters Julia and me." Elizabeth shifted in his arms so that her head was in a more comfortable position. "Little Elizabeth Webbe rher words exactly."

Jason was still confused. "When did she tell you this?"

Elizabeth yawned and looked at the clock on the other side of the room- one oclock in the afternoon. She felt like she needed a nap. Snuggling in deeper to Jasons embrace, she answered softly, "On the way to Kellys. Emily brought it up, and she told us both." She stifled a yawn and felt Jason smile behind her. "Whats so funny?" she asked sleepily, her eyes already closing.

"Hmm? Nothings funny youre just really cute when youre about to fall asleep," he answered, the smile never leaving his voice as he began to caress her arms.

She frowned at the answer, her eyes still closed. "I am not about to fall asleep."

He raised an eyebrow and stifled a laugh. Shifting just a bit to get a reaction out of her, he replied, "Oh really? Well then maybe I should get up and see whats"

"Move one more inch and Ill shoot you myself, Morgan," she threatened playfully, though with a stern voice. Her hand went to wrap around his wrist when he attempted to remove himself from the couch. With her eyes still closed, she smiled to herself when she felt him relax behind her, hugging her closer to his body.

"You wouldnt kill me," he muttered right when sleep was about to take over.

She smiled. "No but Id beat you down with a bat," she answered playfully.

"You dont have one," he countered.

"You can always buy me one," she replied back.

She felt his chest rumble behind her as he chuckled softly. "Elizabeth, if I ever bought you a bat, it would be for self-defense, and trust me you wouldnt need to use it on me."

She shrugged in his embrace. "True but I could also use it to persuade you to do what I want."

He scoffed. "Persuade? Is that a nicer word for threaten?"

She laughed and smacked him lightly on the arm. "Jason! Let me go to sleep!"

He kissed her on the side of the neck and let her do just that.