Note – This is very, VERY loosely based on the Mel Gibson and Helen Hunt movie, "What Women Want," in which Gibson's character electrocutes himself in the bathroom and discovers that he has unwittingly obtained the ability to hear the thoughts of the women around him. This was posed as a challenge by Jenna/jennabrady at The Canvas. I was told that I would be writing it, LOL. It won't be too long (not a full-length, fifty-chapter fic or anything) and I hope you enjoy it. Thank you for reading!
What Women Want
Prologue
"Jason, hi. Hey. You got a minute?"
He tucked his phone into his pocket and turned. Elizabeth was staring at the top of the stairs, looking down at him hopefully. A small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth and he nodded. "Yeah, sure. What's going on?"
She descended the steps carefully, one hand on the wooden railing. At six months pregnant, she looked undeniably pregnant and her light spring jacket parted over her prominent baby bump. She stood awkwardly by the bench and knotted her fingers together, offering him a small smile.
"I just…wanted to talk to you," she said softly, ducking her head. She cleared her throat but remained silent, and the water gently lapping the docks was the only sound that stretched between them for a good long moment.
"I was out of town for a few days," he told her needlessly, kicking himself as soon as the words came out. There was no need to say it; she already knew.
It was a depressing slip-up. When had they begun feeling so awkwardly around each other? There had been a time when she knew she could tell him anything and now as she stood there, dressed in those baby pink scrubs, scuffing her toe against the wood, telling him that she had something to say, all he heard was silence.
"Yeah, yeah, I figured," Elizabeth smiled kindly. "Business?"
He watched as she scrunched her brows and shook her head. "No – forget I said that. Anyway, I'm…glad you're back."
"How – How are things with Lucky?"
That was the last person Jason wanted to talk about, but he heard himself asking anyway. Somehow, their conversations always came back to Lucky and Sam.
"Lucky's fine," she finally answered. "He's…relentless. Follows me everywhere, shows up at work, makes scenes, pesters my friends…"
"He wants you back," Jason replied softly.
She nodded jerkily, unable to meet his gaze. "Yeah. Well." The soft rustle of her clearing her throat yet again. "That's not going to happen. I've already made up my mind. He's not what me, Cameron, or this baby need."
"You sound like you've given it a lot of thought."
Elizabeth nodded, more confidently this time. "Yeah, I have. I'm going to raise my children as a single mother, like I wanted to from the start. Lucky…Lucky has no place in our lives anymore."
"He's this baby's father," Jason reminded her, though it was hardly something she needed to be reminded of. "He's always going to be this baby's father. I'm not pushing you one way or another, but…I don't even need to tell you this. You were a single mother with Cameron when he was a baby. But it gets tough, especially since you'll have two little kids now. It's not easy."
"I'll manage," she replied with a tight smile. "But, anyway, no, that's not what I wanted to talk to you about."
Jason nodded and cautiously moved toward her. She mirrored his movements when he sat on the old wooden bench. "Okay. What do you need?"
"I don't…need anything," Elizabeth replied carefully. "You've been more than generous already; I don't want anything else. I mean, Cameron's daycare, the Christmas gifts, the-"
"I was happy to do all that for you," Jason reminded her gently. "You're a great person, Elizabeth, and I want to make sure you're taken care of. Don't worry about all those things. And don't ever hesitate to come to me when you need something – even if it's just someone to talk to."
She picked at her nails. "Yeah, you're good at that, huh? You always listen…even if I don't know what I'm talking about."
Something about the way she said it made him laugh. "You make sense to me…most of the time."
This time she joined him. "What are you saying? That this pregnancy is making me crazy?"
He smiled, appreciative of the familiar tone their conversation had taken. "Not one bit."
Elizabeth beamed softly back at him and leaned against the armrest. Both remained silent for a long moment before she gained the courage to speak. "I actually wanted to tell you something. Something that's been…bothering me for some time now. I tried calling you while you were away-"
He nodded. "I got your calls, but I couldn't answer."
She waved away his apology. "It's okay. I only called those two times to make sure you were really gone. I wanted to call you about this, too, but I figured that it would be better to say it in person. Not easier, really, but better."
Jason nodded encouragingly. Lately it seemed that all their conversations started like this. She always showed up at his door or on the bridge or on the docks and she always wanted to tell him something. They'd talk for a few minutes, she'd start with a few vague sentiments, and then something always cut them short.
Sometimes it was someone else literally stumbling onto the scene – Sam, Lucky, Lulu, it didn't matter. Elizabeth always clammed up and insisted that it was nothing they couldn't discuss later, and then she'd make her hasty getaway. Sometimes it was a phone call – usually Sonny or Carly for him, the hospital or Audrey for her. And if it was either of his best friends, Elizabeth would insist that he go see to them. She'd practically shove him out the door. Sometimes, it was just this look she'd get on her face, the way she'd look up at him, and he'd always know whenever those moments struck that whatever she was about to say, she wouldn't be able to anymore.
He leaned forward intently. "Yeah, whatever you want, whatever you need. What is it?"
"Jason? There you are! Oh, hi, Elizabeth. I almost didn't see you."
Elizabeth whirled around to find Sam descending the stairs with a giant grin on her face, and Jason noticed her shoulders deflate. "Hi, Sam."
"You two enjoying the beautiful day, huh?" she asked, heading over to Jason and holding out her hand. He took it as she expected him to and stood. Sam beamed up at him and leaned against his side, wrapping her arms loosely around his waist. "It's the first one in a long time. I keep trying to convince this one to take me out on his boat again but he's got the lamest excuses – something called 'work.' Am I right?"
Elizabeth tried to laugh and jerkily tucked her hair behind her ears. "Yeah, yeah. Well, I hope you guys do make it out on your boat. It's a shame to waste a day like this. I'd be enjoying it, too, but I actually have to get back to the hospital."
Jason's brows furrowed. "Are you sure? You said-"
She tapped her watch and gave them a half-smile. "My shift starts in a little while and if I'm late again Epiphany will go off on me. It was…nice talking to you. I'll see you later."
Sam waved as Jason watched Elizabeth practically flee. "Yeah…see you later."
"Poor girl – doesn't it seem like she's always at the hospital?" Sam asked, rubbing his back over the cotton of his blue t-shirt. "I swear, it's like she's got no life outside that place. I don't know what she's thinking, letting General Hospital take over her life like that."
Jason nodded absently as Sam pulled him toward the other staircase leading away from the piers. It wasn't the first time that he found himself wishing for nothing more than to know what Elizabeth Webber was thinking.