Carly stood in the rain at the edge of dock looking out over the water. The tears slowly ran down her face and added to the small puddle of water that was already forming at her feet. She was holding tightly to an object in her hand and her sobs were being drowned out by the sound of ships horn.
An hour ago she was happy. She wished she could go back in time and erase the last hour from her mind. Wipe out the memories. Remove those haunting words that refused to stop ringing in her head.
"Jason is Jake's father."
When Liz said those words to her she went into instant shock. She didn't want to believe it, but when she looked back over the last few months it explained a lot.
Liz was telling the truth. Liz had continued on to tell her that Jason didn't trust his so called "best friend" enough to keep his most intimate secret.
Her words cut her to the core, but Liz didn't stop there. She had to twist the knife.
She began to rattle off all the names of people in town that knew the secret.
Sonny, Spinelli, Lulu, and Sam.
Carly couldn't take anymore. She left defeated and without a word.
She had no clue how she ended up on the docks or for how long she had been standing there starring out at the water.
How could he do this to me?
How could he keep something this important from me?
I've always been there for him.
I've always been on his side no matter what.
I was there when there was no one else.
I thought I meant something to him. I thought I meant everything to him.
The tears were now an endless stream that flowed from her swollen, red eyes. The words replayed again in her head, "he didn't trust you."
She wanted to scream, but her voice was lost to her and instead the only sound that escaped was an inaudible whimper.
Her hands were locked around the key chain that bore her name on it, "Caroline".
She looked at it through blurred vision and wondered how they got to this point.
How could he? The question screamed in her head.
How could he do this to me, to us?
He must have known how I would feel when I found out.
If I found out.
Why didn't he trust me?
Why did he trust them?
She started to replay the conversation between herself and Jason over the past few months. There were several where she had felt as though something was wrong and she had asked him, but he had denied it and she left it alone.
How could he do this? She asked herself again. She clinched her hand around the keychain.
"Carly" A voice called her name in the distance behind her.
Carly did not move. She didn't hear the voice.
Her mind was lost in the turmoil that was now her life.
A hand touched her shoulder and she still did not flinch. She was soaking wet. Her hair dripped and her clothes clung to her.
"Carly" She did not respond which made Patrick very nervous.
He turned Carly around towards him so he could see her face.
She was crying silent tears, her eyes were swollen and her nose was running.
He quickly looked her over and saw no signs of any physical damage, but clearly something had happen.
"Carly" he yelled this time as he shook her by the shoulders.
Carly's eyes made contact with Patrick's and she fell into his arms.
Patrick took her in, scooped her up and carried her away from the docks.
Patrick laid a blanket around her once he had gotten Carly into the back seat of his car and laid her down. He did a more through examination to re-assure himself that she was indeed not physically hurt. Once he had secured her in the backseat he got into the driver's seat.
"Carly. I'm going to take you to the hospital." He started the car.
"No hospital." Carly finally managed to say in a low hoarse voice.
Patrick turned around to look at her.
"I'm fine." Carly continued.
"No you're not." Patrick replied in a concerned voice. "I found you soak and wet out there. How long have you been standing in the rain? Why didn't you answer me? "
The barrage of questions was too much for Carly and she shut down again. She pulled the blanket up high over her head and mumbled, "Take me to the hotel."
Patrick looked at her and shook his head. "I should take you to the hospital."
Carly eyes widen in argument. "but since you aren't physically hurt I guess I can."
"Thanks" Carly muttered and then closed her eyes.
Patrick had dropped Carly off at the hotel and made sure she was safely into one of the suites. He had some hot tea brought up and had left after she had promised him to take a long hot bath, but he was still worried about her.
He tried to call Jax, but there was no answer. The hotel manager had said Jax went out of town on hotel business and was not expected back till next week, so Patrick called the only other man he knew could take care of her, Jason.
Carly had taken a hot shower and changed into a pair of blue jeans and t-shirt that she kept in the room. She always kept this room booked. It was there for Jason if he ever needed it, but she kept some of her things there too just in case.
She looked at the tea kettle that was sitting on the table and then her eyes moved over to where the bar was, "much better", she thought to herself.
She walked past the table and to the bar. She poured her self a drink and swallowed it in one gulp. Then she poured herself another.
She was numb now.
She had cried till there were no more tears physically left in her.
All the questions that were running through her head at the docks were gone.
Her mind was blank, and so was her heart.
She gripped the glass and sat down on the couch her legs curled up underneath her.
She sat in silence. Starring and sipping her drink.
Jason was at the coffeehouse when Patrick called.
He dropped everything when he got the call and raced across town to the hotel.
Patrick had described the way he found Carly on the docks.
He used words like, "broken" to describe her demeanor and fear consumed Jason.
He couldn't imagine what could have done this to her.
Jax? If he hurt her he would break every bone in his body.
He raced across the hotel lobby and into the elevator.
He knocked on the door. There was no answer.
Jason looked at the number on the door once again. This was where Patrick said he left her.
He knocked a little harder this time and called her name. "Carly."
No response. He gripped the door knob and turned. It opened.
He saw her and his heart dropped.
She was sitting on the couch. Her legs curled under her. Her hair was still wet, but not dripping and her hands were wrapped around a glass. Her eyes were swollen, red and empty. She was looking in his direction, but his presence did not seem to register with her.
He closed the door behind him and slowly walked towards her.
"Carly." He said softly. "What is it? Tell me what happened, so I can help. Who hurt you?"
Suddenly he could see her snap out of her trance.
Her eyes hardened and peered at him in disgust. "You did."
She went back to starring blankly past him and Jason stood still.
Those two words had just cut him deeper that any knife ever could have.