Disclaimer: I don't own General Hospital. This is just to challenge myself as a writer, nothing more.
Summary: What is Elizabeth's reason for keeping Jason's identity secret was more than it seemed? What if she had a good reason to do what she did? What if Elizabeth is playing for higher stakes than anyone knows? And when the actual truth comes it will shake the foundation of Port Charles forever.
Pairings: Eventual Jason/Elizabeth/(unnamed character at this time), eventual threesome pairing
Inspiration: I always despise the lie they had Elizabeth tell. It was so out of character for her. Seriously, if she couldn't lie about a DNA test for more than a day then how is it feasible to even consider that she could lie about something as big as Jason being alive for months. She was sick with guilt every episode, and I wish they had wrote it completely differently. It irks me that they missed on such a chance to play not only on Liason history, but Jasam history as well. Instead, writing a heart breaking story that would have been emmy worthy and would have put GH on top. Instead, as soon as the lie was wrote, the ratings dropped. As much as some Jasam haters like to say Liason almost got GH cancelled—it was only after the lie was written that the ratings went down. When the viewers knew Liason got screwed over again, and weren't willing to watch it, except for Liason scenes. Not all Jasam fans are like this. This is just the bad apples (which Liason has them, too) that ruin Soap Twitter, and can't stand that Liason was popular, too.
Warnings: Sam, Sonny, Carly, Maxie, Monica will not get happy endings. If you don't like seeing them not end up happy, or generally unlikable then jump ship now. Furthermore, this will eventually be a threesome pairing. If you don't like that kind of thing, then you need to jump ship, too. If you are willing to keep an open mind, and want to read further, please do. Constructive criticism is always welcomed, flames just make me write more. :D
History AU:
1.) No Niz affair, and Elizabeth did not reconcile with Lucky, so no third baby. 2.) Franco and Heather were the ones that changed Danny's DNA test, not Elizabeth. Can't stand how often the writers make Liz OOC. 3.) Nicolas threatened Liz into keeping the truth. She did not seduce Jake Doe, she did not have a relationship with him, or was engaged. She kept her distance. (Other changes are pending, and more will be explained as the story unfolds.)
Story inspired by the following:
"Hello, My Name is Human" by Highly Suspect
"Wolf" by Highly Suspect
"Make a Move" by Icon for Hire
PART ONE
"A Shadow in Her Smile"
The mask was made out of pure silver made by hand by a craftsman who had little equal. The delicate stems of metal interwoven to make the make appear like a butterfly, and the two wide deep pools behind the mask surveyed the room with an unsettled and uncomfortable look. The masquerade ball for charity was a big success, and if she hadn't been one of the people that had helped make it happened, Elizabeth Webber wouldn't have been. No, that's not quite true. She wouldn't have been here if it had just been that, but there was more riding on her presence here than anyone ever knew. She sipped down the bubbly champagne, and savored the feeling of it burn down her throat. She could hear the whispers behind her back about Nurse Nightingale on the prowl for her next victim after hiding the truth about Jason Morgan's identity from the world. Nearly a month ago, the lie had exploded at Sam and Patrick's wedding where Nicolas was exposed for what he had done.
And he threw Elizabeth under the bus with him.
She was no saint. She was no martyr. She was the first to even say so yet still people put Elizabeth Webber on a pedestal that she so thoroughly despised. When she wasn't being raked over the coals for even the slightest of errors, she was treated like a porcelain doll or angel of virtue. Like a paragon that must sacrifice her well-being and happiness for the sake of others, and Elizabeth hated it with a passion. Truth be told, she rather be called out on a mistake and show the world that she was a normal human being than be some heroine in misguided idiots' eyes.
However, there was one thing that Elizabeth hated more. Hypocrites.
Like Sonny Corinthos. Like Laura Spencer. Like Carly Jax. Like Sam freaking McCall.
All of the hypocrites who thought they had managed to climb on some high horse after so called redemption—how had they really redeemed themselves? How had they truly paid for their mistakes?—and had a right to judge those they thought beneath them. Now, Elizabeth keeping Nicolas's lie had not been her crowning moment. She had been eaten up with guilt every day, but she would never forget the cold look in Nicolas's eyes. She had intended to march out of the dressing room, and go out on that stage and tell the truth when Nicolas caught her by the arm in a bruising grip. He looked at her with dead eyes that were filled with a dark madness that rivaled that of Helena's, and told her that she should think twice about her actions. Actions always had consequences and children were always the first to suffer, and hadn't she learned that with Jake.
The bastard had threatened her child. Her sweet Cameron. She couldn't believe it. The cold feel that burrowed deep into her marrow when she realized he knew the truth about Jason's identity was nothing to the artic plunge her heart took in that moment. It was in that moment Elizabeth realized that Nicolas hadn't been her friend at all. That he had truly changed, and not for the better. Her heart broke, and the damage to their relationship had been irreparable.
"I did warn you he wasn't the man that he once was." The deep, low voice with a British accent crooned from within the confines of her memory. Her hands shook around the glass that she clutched in a knuckle white grip, and her heart pounded in her chest as she ignored Monica's eagle eye fixated on her. Not that anyone had believed Elizabeth—save for Jake Doe and Michael—that Nicolas had threatened her, and so they hounded her whenever Jake Doe came around. Telling her that she was playing to victim, and trying to get her claws into him that only made her roll her eyes. If she were so desperate to get her claws in him why hadn't she in the last year tried to seduce him? Why hadn't she tried to get him in a relationship and marry him? There were a lot of gaps in their argument that Elizabeth could tear apart if she so chose, but she didn't. She kept her mouth shut tight because while everyone else believed it was all over after Nicolas got arrested, she knew better.
She knew better.
Jake Doe had been a good friend, and in a different life, maybe something could have been. Not in this one though. Elizabeth had given away too much of her heart by the time he had fallen into her life to survive if she gave away anymore. The corners of her mouth quirked upward as the newly christened Mrs. Sam Morgan clung tight the arm of her husband, and when the former con-artist caught sight of Elizabeth across the room then pulled him into a kiss. She barely repressed a snort, and took another sip of her drink before she turned a corner to admire more of the artwork in Ava's gallery. While Ava might have questionable morals, she did certainly have an eye for talented painters.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw that the blond hurricane had spotted her. As much as she would love to turn in the opposite direction and get away from Carly, she didn't want to give her the satisfaction of running her off. She was nobody's little angel, and she wasn't afraid of the likes of this bleach blond who thought the world should kiss her ass.
"Jason and Sam look happy, don't they?" Carly commented, with a smug smirk. Like she had won something, or finally gotten the upper hand on Elizabeth.
"Happiness is always good," Elizabeth replied, nonchalantly. Let her think that. It will make everything much, much more easy.
Carly frowned at the lack of a reaction. "Despite everything you did to keep them apart, they still ended up right where they belonged. That must eat you up inside, that no one cares enough to stick it out with you. That after the shiny newness of the relationship wears off they see that how rotten and selfish you are to your core," the blond sneered, hands on her hips.
"You know what, Carly, if it helps you sleep at night to think I'm miserable and pining after Sam's life, more power to you," Elizabeth said, looking over at the blond. She was frankly less than impressed. She expected better snark from Carly. "But I'm not. I'm finally free from Nicolas's lie. I don't have to guilt myself twenty-four seven anymore, so I sleep like a baby and don't miss a wink of sleep. I wonder if you can say the same."
Carly flinched back. In a public blow out several weeks ago, Carly discovered Morgan was gay. One would think that Carly would be more open to her son's sexuality since her brother was gay, but apparently not. She had said several things, and needless to say that Bobbie, Lucas, Michael nor Morgan would say a single word to the blond. "You are such a bitch," Carly snarled, angrily.
"I know," Elizabeth smiled. "Thank you for noticing. Now, if that's all…" She went to turn away when Carly grabbed her arm, and whirled her back around. The champagne sloshed over the glass and spilt all over the floor. "Now, look at you. Always making a mess of things, aren't you, Carly?"
"You can stand here and act all smug because Jason somehow bought you pitiful excuse that Nicolas threatened Cameron, but all of us who love Jason know better. You aren't in his life. Sonny and I are. You don't have his wedding ring on his finger. Sam does," Carly snapped, making her grip on Elizabeth as painfully tight as she could. "Face it, Elizabeth. You lost. You have and never will mean anything to Jason. You aren't a threat to any of us."
Elizabeth refused to wince or show a sign of pain. "If I'm not a threat and don't mean anything to Jason…then you wouldn't be here warning me off, Carly," she said, with a bitter and sharp smirk. "But fear not, I have no want or need to ruin the happy couple's marriage. Nor do I want to be anything like you or Sonny. Now let go before I drop you to the floor."
"Like you could," Carly hissed.
"What the hell is going on here?"
The two turns to see Sam there with an infuriated Jason. Sam didn't look too happy, either, but that was more for the fact that Jason was trying to ride to her rescue, Elizabeth wagered. Elizabeth took advantage of Carly's stupor and ripped her arm free from the blonde's hold. "Carly seems to be under the impression that I'm out to ruin your marriage," Elizabeth stated, bluntly. "Congratulations by the way."
"Thank you," Sam said, reluctantly.
"Carly, I told you to leave Elizabeth alone," Jason glared at the blond.
"But Jason—" Carly tried to defend herself.
"But nothing Carly," Jason cut her off. "Elizabeth hasn't done anything. She didn't do anything besides keep Nicolas's lie, and avoided me at all cost to keep Nicolas from hurting Cameron. Even after my identity came out, Elizabeth hasn't been constantly hounding me or trying to sink her claws into me like you warned me she was going to. So why don't you back off, and just be happy for Sam and I and stop trying to borrow trouble where there is none?" He finished, looping Sam's arm through his and Sam greedily accepted the grasp while side eyeing Elizabeth the whole time.
Elizabeth wasn't even paying attention. Her eyes fell past the trio on to a man who stood across the room, just in the shadows. His silvery mask matched hers perfectly, and was a Venetian evil skull mask that covered his entire face save for the piercing blue eyes that caused her skin to tingle despite herself. The teeth of the mask were made from diamonds the size of her fingernail and glinted ominously before he stepped back into the shadows out of sight entirely. "If you all will excuse me, I want to look around the paintings. I'm thinking of purchasing some for the new house," Elizabeth commented, off-handedly. She then turned on heel before they could get a word in edgewise, and made her way away from them at a pace just shy of a jog. Her old house had a gas leak which somehow caused an explosion, though the firemen couldn't determine what ignited the gas. She had her suspicions, but she thanked her lucky stars that she and Cameron weren't in the house at the time. The insurance company had been amazing about the whole thing, thank heavens, and she had a new home in no time.
Elizabeth had walked down a flight of stairs to the abstract collections, and nearly cursed when she saw Monica up ahead talking with Bobbie. The universe was surely testing her and her composure tonight. Surprisingly, Bobbie was still kind to her despite Carly ranting and raving about the horrors that Elizabeth committed daily. Bobbie just stated that there was no good choice in her position, and that she put her child first, and that's what a mother should do. Monica did not see Elizabeth in so favorable of a light. Ever since she found about Jake, Monica took everything Elizabeth did or said as a personal slight. She had called Elizabeth selfish for keeping Jason a secret, considering her own needs to be another person to control Jason's life above the fact that Cameron—an innocent in all of this—was in mortal danger. Elizabeth was disgusted because this wasn't the woman she had admired for all those years, and she couldn't believe she had fooled herself into believing that there was still a bit of the old Monica left.
Bobbie walked out of sight, and earshot, and Elizabeth could feel the moment that Monica's eyes pinned on her. Like a buzzard about to swoop down onto a corpse, and Elizabeth looked around with a baleful eye. Where was a waiter with another drink or two when you needed them? She thought, with a weary sigh.
"You know, out of everyone I expected to see tonight…you weren't one of them," Monica commented, her tone polite on the surface, but anyone with two cents could hear the derision underneath. "What are you doing here, Elizabeth?"
"I helped Ava and Michael set up this fundraiser, Monica," Elizabeth said, in a clipped tone. "It would be completely rude of me to just not show up."
"And since when are you worried about appearances? You certainly had no trouble allowing yourself to become a pariah and hypocrite by keeping Jason's identity a secret for Nicolas," Monica stated, with a scathing look. It was impressive that with all the botox that she could manage an expression at all. "Sam and Danny had already lost enough time with Jason due to Heather Webber and Franco changing that DNA test, but for you and Nicolas to add on to that. You both tried to take away Jason's second chance with his family. Thankfully, Nicolas is in a jail cell, but you walk around free as a bird with not a single consequence for your actions. You even have the gall to act like you have done nothing wrong."
"I didn't keep Jason away from anyone because I wanted to Monica," Elizabeth said, nose wrinkled in distaste. "I kept it because Nicolas threatened Cameron. I have already lost one child, and didn't want to lose another. One would think that you'd understand that, maybe just a little."
"Oh, don't you dare use Jake as an excuse with me," Moncia snarled. "If you hadn't kept him away from Jason, then he would have been safe and sound not outside in the middle of the night to get hit by some unknown car."
Elizabeth gave a sharp and harsh laugh before she could help herself. "I'm sorry, Monica, I don't mean to laugh. I just fail to see how I am responsible for a grown ass man and his decisions?" Elizabeth said, folding her arms over her chest. She gave Monica a look that she would not put up with this nonsense, and did not have time for it. "Jason is his own person, and no one has ever been able to force him to do something he didn't want. I don't have a leash to walk him around, but I hear that Carly and Sonny have been working on one for him. Maybe if you grovel enough to Sonny—you know, the man who killed your other son AJ, but you invite to your house like he's the best thing since slice bread? Maybe if you grovel enough and play nice enough, they'll let you take Jason out for a few walks on a rare occasion."
Monica's expression soured. "How dare you talk about Jason like he's a dog! Have you no shame? You claim to care about the man, but you stand here and demean him like that!"
"I care about Jason. The Jason I knew who was true not only to his friends and his family, but to himself. I just hope that one day that Jason will come back, and not let anyone rule his life or keep him away from the people he loves," Elizabeth countered, her face eerily calm.
"You are the only one that's ever kept Jason from his family. That has ever forced him to do something he didn't want to do," the blond haired woman stated, venomously. "Or do you conveniently forget about making him give up Jake?"
A shadow flashed across Elizabeth's face, and her eyes grew stormy. "First off, do you have anything more than just that in your arsenal? Surely you can come up with some other supposed misdeed you'd like to blame for because you using Jake to attack me is getting old pretty damn quick. Secondly, you don't know the first thing about my relationship with Jason. How it started, or the depths of our relationship nor do you know why Jason and I made that choice about Jake. You weren't a part of that so you don't get to stand there and judge me," the nurse stated, her voice sharp as a knife. "I'll admit that I shouldn't have lied about the paternity test, and that asking Jason to let Lucky to raise Jake was one of the most selfish and stupid things I have ever done. Maybe I was foolish for not pushing Jason harder, or letting myself cave in so easily with the danger excuse, but what is done is done, Monica. I can't change that moment, and I'm not going to live forever beating myself up over it. And I refuse to let you beat me up over it, too."
Elizabeth stormed away, not trusting herself to last another second. Her patience was worn thin, and the people in this town managed to get on all seven trillion of her nerves. She shoved her way out onto the patio—the humid night had driven everyone else into the air conditioned gallery—so she was able to get a moment of peace. Or so she thought when suddenly the man with metal skeleton mask stepped out of the shadows. Pursing her lips, Elizabeth placed her hands on her hips. "Somehow I just knew you'd be here. Have fun watching the show?" She asked him, sarcastically.
"Port Charles is certainly something else, especially given that all the vultures are out in full force tonight looking for the pound of flesh they think they so heartily deserve," he spoke, with that beautiful rich and accented voice made her weak to the knees and other parts of her grow hot.
"Did you expect anything less?" Elizabeth whispered, a tiny bit breathlessly. She hated how at ease that he made her feel. She didn't know him beyond the brief meetings they had—always clandestine, always him with a mask on his face. How could she want or crave a person she truly did not know? Especially someone who carried such darkness inside of him, and was the exact opposite of what she needed in her life.
"No," he said, utterly amused. Running his fingers down across the intricate pattern on the mask that obscured his face entirely, save for the blue eyes that were now even more potent and intense with him so close. "You have danced so beautifully, outmatching and outwitting them at every turn, and you letting them believe they have the advantage…I realize that my choice in challenging you to this game was the right one to make."
"Why did you challenge me?" Elizabeth asked. It was a question she had never answered. Even though she couldn't see his mouth, she could tell he smiled just from his eyes. The dark shadows haunted with a mysterious past were pushed back by a mischievous twinkle, and the edge of his eyes crinkled ever so slightly.
The room was so dark that no such thing as light could live in it. The faint outline of a desk, and a figure standing behind it could be barely seen by her eyes. Her face was ashen, all the blood long since dared out of it and her breath hitched in the back of her throat as the figure leaned closer. "Let's be honest here, Miss Webber." The voice was low, deep, and the crisp British accent gave eloquence to each word he spoke. His tone filled with amusement, and the scent of earl grey rose in a cloud of steam from the tea cup in front of him. "Nicolas didn't tell you because he cared, Elizabeth. He told you to pass off the responsibility for his lie. To make you take the fall for his sin, so he won't be alone for the inevitable crash. He also makes you hold your tongue by threatening poor little Cameron."
Elizabeth Webber's lips pursed together, tightly.
"I did warn you he wasn't the man you once knew," the figure commented, a bit contritely as if he were aggrieved by his words that no doubt were salt in the fresh wound of betrayal. "Empty and cold hearted since the death of his sweet Emily, Nicolas has been slowly descending down a dark path and the world was blinded by his seeming philanthropy and charming smile."
"What do you want?" She cut off the tangent with a harsh tone. He had warned her in an anonymous letter right after Jake Doe showed up in Port Charles that Nicolas couldn't be trusted. At that time, she had blamed the letter on Ric and his misguided attempts at trying to restart a relationship with her. Now she knew differently.
"Patience is a virtue, Miss Webber," the man in the shadows chuckled, more amused by her tone than outraged by the disrespect. "And you will need a great deal of patience to play the game that I have set up for us to play. But as you can see," he waves his hand, his long and powerful fingers gestured, towards the chess board that sat squarely between, "you are missing a few pieces on your side of the board."
"I've noticed," Elizabeth commented, idly. The king, a knight and a rook were missing from her side of the chessboard along with a few pawns. Hers was the black set of pieces, and his were the white giving him the advantage of the first move. "Rather unfair advantage you have, don't you think?"
"Now, now, Miss Webber, I may be many things, but I do like starting a game on an even playing field. We are after all equals, and I would never treat you anything below that. Besides, it was not I that took these players out of play you see. I am not the only one working behind the shadows, and while we may be on opposing sides of the field we are not each others' enemies. There are others that will attempt to sabotage this game over time, but we have to start playing the game in order to figure out what other villains like behind pretty smiles and white washes personas, yes?" The man seemed whole heartedly amused by everything, and crossed his arms over his chest. His blue eyes seemed to glow in the darkness, and Elizabeth could see a hint of a smile on what she could make out of his face. "Now to get the game on even ground…you will need all you pieces, and I can get them back to you so long as you do a few things. Otherwise the game will be ruined before it starts."
"What makes you think I would be even willing to play this game you have set up? I have enough worries on my head with Nicolas's lie, and him threatening me every turn with keeping my mouth shut," Elizabeth stated, her eyes narrowed into each slits. "What makes you think that I have the time to bother with you?"
The man laughed outright. He laughed so loudly and so long that it made Elizabeth squirm uncomfortably in her seat, and he then abruptly stopped, rising from his seat faster than a blink on an eye. Placing his palms flat on the surface on the desk, he leaned forward and Elizabeth startled at the black mask that hid half of his face. In voice so quiet that it was barely a whisper, he said, "Let me put this in a way that I know will entice you. Each pieces on your side of the board," he lifted his left hand, and allowed his fingertips to dance across the tops of her pieces, "represents something that is dear to your heart, and the missing pieces have been lost to you for so long through machinations beyond your sight. Do as I say, show me that you have what it takes to play this game, and I will give them back to you."
Elizabeth stared up at him, her heart thumping wildly in the base of her neck. "Things that I have lost?" She whispered out, a lump building in the back of her neck. She had lost so many things in her life, and most of them could never be returned. It seemed like tragedy most of all followed her, and took more than a pound of flesh from her. "I…" She didn't know what to say. She didn't even know this man's name. He had her kidnapped from the hospital parking lot and brought here under the cover of night. How could she believe anything he said? But if there was even a chance his words could be true then could she risk not taking the chance? What if he could give her back something dear she had lost, whatever it may be, shouldn't she try? Could it hurt to try?
"We all have reasons for doing what we do. Some do it for riches, or fame, clamoring the hot blaze of the lime light. Some believe what they're doing is for the greater good, that whatever ends they make their means of obtaining it are justified. And on occasion, some even do evil things out of love. Love can drive a person to madness, and that which lies beyond it. So tell me, Miss Webber…" the man smiled, sitting back down in your chair. "What is your choice?"
Elizabeth swallowed, thickly. "If I say no, what happens?"
"Then I return you home, and continue on with my game regardless. Any offer I have made here is null and void. I will not bother you and yours again," the man promised, his voice sincere. "There is no retaliation for saying no. I'm not that kind of man."
Elizabeth mulled over that. He was honestly giving her a choice. He was doing his best to entice her, but he wasn't forcing her back into a corner. Something you have lost, the words taunted her and her heart pounded against her ribcage. She lifted her gaze from her lap and her blue eyes clashed against her. She opened her mouth, and gave him her answer.
The memory was so fresh in her mind even now so many months after. Elizabeth waited for an answer patiently, but the more seconds that ticked by the more she knew that he wasn't going to give her what she wanted.
"I believe…" He tapped his fingers across the bottom of his mask, his gaze shrewd and contemplating. "That you have performed admirably. Your strength and resilience these last few months have been nothing short of extraordinary considering you have done so much on just the words of a man whose you don't even know. I think it is high time that such incredible faith was rewarded, don't you?" He asked, with a nonchalant shrug of his shoulder. "I have saw fit to leave a present for you in your bed."
Elizabeth looked at him, skeptically. "In my bed?"
"Yes."
"That's a rather strange place to leave a present, don't you think?" She tilted her head to the side.
"It was the only place it would fit and rest comfortably," he stated, nonchalantly. Clenching his hands into fists at his side, he composed himself and his eyes became unreadable to her gaze. "I do hope you like your gift. It was difficult to acquire, and keep safe until such a time that I could bequeath it onto you."
Elizabeth wanted to ask exactly what this gift was, but being forthcoming wasn't his strong suit. "You're leaving?" She asked.
"People to see, and people not to get seen by. It's such a bothersome rule, but one that my life must adhere to. Until we meet again, my dearest Elizabeth." And like that he walked out of her life once again. He melded the crowd with a practice easy and in less than ten seconds, Elizabeth managed to lose sight of him. He was elusive like a ghost, cropping up to haunt her every now and again. A ghost she couldn't even call by a name.
It was another two hours before she was able to get to go home. Michael was giving her a ride to the house because her babysitter had taken care of little AJ along with Cameron. Despite Sonny's best attempt to reconcile with Michael, the young man couldn't do it this time. While Elizabeth didn't know every single thing that had happened because she was not exactly friends with Jason's brother, she knew the man had been desperately turning over a new leaf. He had managed to convince Tracy to partner with him, and had ELQ back in making a big profit with Pickled Lila as the starting point. After that, they made several smart investments that paid off. There was a man named Raymond Berlin that almost swindled them out of a good deal of money, but his daughter Rachel had ratted on him.
AJ was making a comeback, and he had managed to sit down with Michael, to have an honest discussion about the past. AJ told Michael everything, even the wrongs he had committed and allowed Michael the choice in whether to get to know him. Having AJ back alive had made Sonny gnaw at the bit, but to have him trying to 'brainwash' Michael nearly made Sonny go nuclear. It all came to a head when AJ had put money into Ava Jerome's gallery. Sonny had convinced himself that AJ was working with the Jerome family to overthrow him, even though the Five Families had confirmed that the Jerome family had not a single finger in any illegal businesses.
Sonny wasn't convinced, and shot AJ dead. Ava, who had been present, thought she was next so she did what she had to in order to survive. She played up to Sonny's ego, seduced him—something Ava admitted to Elizabeth made her feel dirty—and ended up with Avery aka little AJ nine months later. If Sonny hadn't pulled a fast one and bribed a judge, he'd be in prison right now due to a recording of him admitting what he'd done to Ava. Needless to say, it was only Avery that kept Sonny from taking the other woman out. Elizabeth had always thought Sonny had a good heart, but the years battling with inner demons and mental illness as well as mob threats had made him cold. He wasn't the man he used to be. It was a sad thing to see.
"Thanks for asking you sitter to take care of Avery at the last minute," Michael said, cradling his sleepy baby sister in his arms. He had custody of Avery because Sonny and Carly put Ava's past misdeeds out in the open, and while the judge decided not to let Ava keep Avery, he didn't want to hand her over to Sonny. Michael was the best option. "Kiki was ready to take care of her, but with working at the hospital, she ended catching the flu."
"Yeah, I heard that was going around pretty bad," Elizabeth said, with a sympathetic frown. She wouldn't know much about the hospital. She had reduced her shifts to the minimum amount when Ava allowed her paintings to go up in the gallery. Her works, especially the Wind, were a big hit and some even sold. Meaning Elizabeth had plenty of money in the bank without dipping into the five million that Jason had left for Jake. She had never felt right about having it. It felt like Jason was trying to pay her off, and that just made her feel sick. "And it's not a problem. Karen didn't mind it, and in fact, she was ecstatic to do it. Her nephew just turned three so she said she'd been missing be able to cuddle with a baby baby. In fact, she told me to give you all her number just in case you ever needed her to babysit again."
"That would be nice," Michael said.
Elizabeth quickly wrote the number down on a piece of paper, and handed it to him. "I was going to ask earlier, but your mother showed up at the gala a little earlier than expected…how's Morgan doing?" Elizabeth questioned, concerned.
"He's…hanging in there. With the maniac depression diagnosis, and finding out he is attracted to males has been rather hard on him. Mom's reaction to it didn't help, at all," Michael said, somberly.
"I can imagine," she whispered, sadly. "You tell him if he ever needs anything, even if it's just a place to hide out then he's more than welcomed to come here."
"I'll let him know," Michael smiled. "And thank you, Elizabeth. I know that you and my mom don't get along very well, but…"
"But nothing. I would never hold anything Carly did or said against you all," Elizabeth said, earnestly. "And I'm not the kind of person that can just ignore another in need."
Michael nodded, lightly. "I know. I think…I think that's why Jason loved you so much. You were just…always filled with such compassion, even for someone who didn't rightly deserve it," he said, stroking Avery's hand carefully.
Elizabeth saw the motion, and felt her heart clench in her chest. It was so reminiscent of when Jason was caring for Michael. She hadn't been a part of Jason's life then, but she had seen him around with Michael at Kelly's on occasion. "That's very sweet of you to say, Michael, and I like to think I am a good person, but I'm not always one. I have my moments just like everyone else," she stated, handing him Avery's diaper bag.
"And that's another thing that sets you apart," Michael acknowledged, after pressing a kiss to the crown of his baby sister's forehead. "You admit that you aren't perfect. People like my mother and father just make mistakes, blindly and act like they have a God given right to step upon other people's lives."
Elizabeth sighed. "Look, I am not Carly's biggest fan or Sonny's, but hear them out. You may not agree with them by the end, or even change your opinion of them. Only that you will regret it if you don't. Get that bit of closure, not for them but for yourself," she encouraged him, gently.
"I will take that under advisement."
Michael left, and Elizabeth suddenly remembered her mystery man's words. Her eyes darted to the staircase, and she rushed up them, with her pulse pounding in throat. Finally, she stood face to face with her bedroom door. Her stomach was a massive ball of tangles knots, and she felt her breaths came in swift sharp gasps. Her quaking hand reached for the door, and she pulled it open. She could see a person—a body—laying on her bed, and she flipped of the light, only to feel her knees crumble out from underneath her.
"Emily?!"
A rook chess piece sat as a silent observer on the windowsill.
END OF CHAPTER!
AUTHOR'S NOTE: As the summary has told you, these are General Hospital stories centered around Elizabeth Webber that I have started, but for one reason or another have decided not to continue at this point in time. My GH Vault: the Unfinished Stories. I didn't want to delete them and get rid of them completely, so I figured I would show them to all of you so even if I don't get around to finishing them, or adding to them, people can still enjoy the regardless. Also bear in mind that these are different stories for each chapter, and rarely will you get two chapters that are connected one right after the other.
RRs are appreciated.