A/N: This is complete AU. I've played with relationships, ages, genders (Cameron & Jake are DAUGHTERS)… but stayed true to the love of our couple. All FF rules regarding time were adhered to, so forgive the typos.
Standard disclaimer: I own none of the characters or the fictional town of Port Charles… Just my little story. Read, enjoy, review darlings.
Flash Fic #281 –
Prompt: Liar, liar, pants on fire…
She was cleaning up the playroom for what seemed like the 10th time that day. Realistically it probably didn't look that bad, but she had inherited some of her father's OCD. Unfortunately none of those quality cleaning genes had been passed on to her own children. Why they didn't get the concept of play with one thing and put it away completely before taking out the next toy was beyond her.
Learning how not to be a nag was the one way she could distinguish herself from her dear old dad. Instead of harping on the girls to pick up their things she just trailed behind them and put things back in their rightful place. Actually her father and his newest wife were to blame for all of the mess, at least partly to blame. He spoiled his granddaughters with reckless abandon. Elizabeth never interfered with the assortment of extravagant gifts that got delivered to her home because she understood the pleasure he got from making all her little girls' dreams come true. The only time she had really put her foot down was when the pony got delivered. Boy had she hit the roof that day. She made it very clear to her father and her daughters that a request for any living present wasn't to be made or fulfilled without mommy approval. She looked to her husband for support in this area, but to be honest he was just as bad in the spoiling department. But she had other ways of making him bend to her will. It also didn't help that her husband was fiercely loyal to her father and rarely went against him, especially since the business had been turned over to him a few years back.
Cameron was 8 and Jake was 4 and all the yelling and stomping she could hear above her meant they were running through the house playing tag again. Elizabeth had been somewhat of a tomboy when she was little too and understood the appeal of running and screaming and raising holy hell, but there were times when two quiet little girls who loved tea parties and dress up would have been a pleasant change of pace. Making her way upstairs from the basement she prepared to settle them down. She was only working part time, but she was starting to crave the calm of the ER at General Hospital.
"All right you two I'm done listening to the running and screaming you need…" Elizabeth started up the stairs. As she hit the landing she could hear the bickering and the competitive tone in her oldest voice demanding she be allowed to do something. Coming around the corner she saw the reason for all the hoopla.
Larger than life looking as good and put together as he did in his prime was her father. He was being lead to the sofa by his strong willed granddaughters while watching the look of exasperation cross his own off-spring's face.
"Please tell me there isn't a toy of any kind in that bag."
"Oh no mommy grandpa Sonny brought you your favorite desert." Cameron interjected.
Sonny let go of Jakes hand and walked to greet his only child.
"Hi princess, the only thing in this bag is a box of cannolis from Mama Francesca's bakery. Kate shopped for the girls, but per your instructions she limited her purchases to clothes."
The man was notorious for only hearing what he wanted to hear. She did not tell him to restrict purchases to clothes what she had actually said was the kids didn't need anything period, but that if she must his new wife could by them each an outfit for Easter. And even that was only a ruse to prevent her from having to shop for them. Getting Cameron in anything dressy was torture, but for some reason when it came from Grandma Kate it went over so much smoother.
"Thanks for the desert dad. I wasn't expecting you. Is everything alright?" Her father wasn't overly prone to just popping in unless Jason was out of town and he was checking up on her. After being together all these years and finally moving out of Harborview Towers, across the hall from dear ole' dad, he had finally gotten the concept of call before you come. It didn't hurt that he had nearly barged in on some very intimate moments early on in her marriage. She and Jason weren't shy with their affections.
"I'm meeting Jason here we have things to discuss." Sonny said and perched himself regally in her husband's favorite chair.
Taking on a guarded look Elizabeth didn't like the sound of what he was saying. Business was never to be brought, done or discussed in the house and the only exceptions to the rule was extreme emergencies. It was time for her children to make a quick exit.
"Alright girls upstairs please. I need to talk to grandpa alone."
"I wanna talk to grandpa too." Jake answered. Both of her girls were vocal with their wants.
"That wasn't a request Jakelynn. Grandpa will come up to see you before he leaves. Now go you two and find something quiet to do."
She planted herself on the edge of the sofa to look her father in the eye.
There's was an unusual relationship due to the way Elizabeth had grown up. Her mother dying in childbirth was a devastating blow and for years Sonny vacillated between avoiding his daughter, because of the pain she reminded him of, and suffocating her. There were nannies and more stepmothers than any child should be subjected to in one lifetime. She considered herself lucky though because he had done his best to make sure his life never touched her and it gave her the strength when she married Jason to trust that they could do the same as parents. Plus most of the stepmothers were very good to her and she even kept in touch with two of them. Wives number 2 and 4 were Brenda Barrett and Alexis Davis respectively. Both were amazing women, who she loved a great deal, albeit for very different reasons. The shrew she could have gone her whole life without ever knowing was wife number 3… Carly Corinthos. She was also the only one who kept the name after the divorce. Technically she kept it after both divorces. Carly was the one wife Sonny thought he should marry twice. Finally there was wife number 5/6, depending on how one viewed Carly, Kate Howard. She was supposed to be it. Not knowing the details she knew they shared a past and that she hadn't seen her father so light and happy in years. And it was thanks to Kate that her father had finally retired.
To look at her no one would suspect that she'd be happy to have her husband in charge of the mob empire her father built from the ground up, but Jason was the best thing for the business in this new time. Her father was old fashion and often unyielding. Jason had brought a semblance of peace and legitimacy to the Corinthos-Morgan organization. However, Elizabeth had grown up in this world and knew that all peace was relative and worried that both her husband and her father still carried a gun. The guards were also still a fact of life, but her girls had become accustomed to them the same way she had.
"Stop looking at me like that Elizabeth. It's not about work and it doesn't concern you. So, why don't you tell me what's new." He flashed those dimples and she laughed falling comfortably on the sofa.
"Dad I know when you're up to something."
"I'm innocent trust me Lizzie. Jason says you've been home all week with the girls. Is that why you're so frayed around the edges. I don't know why you won't just hire a nanny. It's ridiculous for you to juggle them on your own."
"Not having this conversation dad. I told you I will raise my kids on my own. I loved Nanny Leticia, but that's not the way I want my girls raised. It's only a week for school vacation they go back on Monday."
"What and then Jake goes back to the hospital daycare when you're on duty? You should be home with them Lizzie or hire someone."
"She needs to be around other children and she likes it there. Besides she's learning and why am I explain this to you, again. You're trying to distract me. What's up?"
They both heard the back door close and waited for the love of her life to appear. He might be in charge now, but Jason still stuck to his wardrobe of jeans and t-shirts unless a suit was absolutely necessary. His eyes still lit up every time he entered a room she was in and her heart still skipped a beat. Cutting his father-in-law a glare he walked over and kissed his wife.
"Sonny what are you doing here? I thought I told you I'd meet you at the office." Elizabeth gave him the reproachful look that said told you so with her eyes.
Jason immediately went to the closet by the front stairs and locked his gun away. His jacket, however, got draped over the banister. He was vigilant when it came to securing his weapon, but acted like hanging up his jacket was against his religion or something.
"That's where your daughters get it from," Elizabeth said walking to him.
Bending down to kiss her she embraced him and whispered in his ear her suspicions surrounding her father's visit.
"I was just at the penthouse with Spinelli he mentioned Georgie was meeting you at the MetroCourt. Are you wearing that?" Jason asked.
"Oh, my God! I completely forgot she wanted help on some project for Spinelli's birthday. I know," she responded to his look, "it's not for months but apparently she has to start it now. I do need to change and get the girls into something to drop them off at Alexis'."
When Alexis had remarried it was to her Uncle Ric and even though her father and he had a mutual disdain for one another their kids were close. Molly and Kristina were slightly older but were great with the girls. Biologically they were cousins, but since Alexis had been her step-mom she was sort of their Grams too. It could all give you a headache so Elizabeth didn't indulge in over analyzing.
"Well, since I don't have to go back to the coffee house you can just leave the girls here. Just make sure to call Alexis so she doesn't worry." Jason knew first hand how frantic she could get and advanced age hadn't steeled her nerves.
Sonny on the other hand said that part of what killed that marriage was her frantic, hyperventilating, nerves that kept her breathing into a bag for their entire relationship. He added, "Please call otherwise she's liable to spend the day with her head in bag."
"Be nice dad. I'll call her from the car. Thanks for staying with the girls." Elizabeth said heading up the stairs. Midway up the landing she turned back to both men.
"You're sure you're not up to something? You know I'm going to find out. I always do."
Jason climbed to meet her where she was saying, "stop finding things to worry about and get going. You don't want to keep Georgie waiting. Besides we're not discussing anything you need to know right now."
Putting her nose to his she tilted her head up kissed his lips and looked him in square in the eyes. "In the words of your daughter… liar, liar, pants on fire!"
She took off to get dressed and Jason took her spot on the sofa facing his father-in-law.
"You know not to show up here unexpected it just makes her suspicious and worried. I was late getting to the office because Spinelli was still looking for the villa in Tuscany I wanted and he needed me to look at some possible choices. Everything needs to be perfect."
"Spinelli, your patience for the kid amazes me. How is it you don't want to put him in a straight jacket? All that bouncing around…"
"Forget Spinelli did you have Kate get the ring reset and resized?" Jason had a little bounce going on too. He had come up with the idea for this vow renewal as a birthday present for his wife a month ago and the closer it got the harder it was to keep the secret without telling her an out and out lie. It also meant relying on everyone in their lives to help him sweat out the details.
Sonny stood up and went to the fire place. "Stop worrying her mother's ring never looked more beautiful and Lizzie is going to love having Lily's ring."
When Jason and Elizabeth had first gotten married it was a quick quiet ceremony in Sonny's penthouse. Fr. Coates had presided, the rings were beautiful but not special, Carly was there, Emily couldn't make it and bigger issue still Elizabeth had been three and half months pregnant and her father was less than happy.
Cameron wasn't Jason's biological daughter, but he was the only daddy she knew. Jason was six years older than his wife and even though they had toyed with their attraction until she was done with college Sonny made it perfectly clear she was off limits. What he hadn't planned on was her getting pregnant during her semester abroad. Frankly it was a bit of a shock to her too. After confiding in Jason and hiding it from Sonny for three months she decided to come clean. She refused to give her menacing father any details on the boy and try as he might he couldn't find anything out on his own. Elizabeth was starting to show, and with only a few weeks left before graduation she threatened to leave town and never return if her father didn't back off.
Jason remained supportive and kind and most of all loving through it all. Their bond was like nothing she had experienced before. He was the ideal expectant father and became completely invested in Elizabeth and her baby. There was still a lot of yelling and a number of Sonny-esque solutions, none of which Elizabeth was willing to live with, but it was Jason's declaration of love and commitment to her and her baby that finally settled things down. When the yes left her mouth even she was surprised, but the small house ceremony was arranged by her overbearing step-mom and before she gave birth she was Elizabeth Corinthos-Morgan.
"She deserves something special that she can truly look back on as one of the most wonderful days of her life." Jason said.
Looking back at his best-friend, "brother", son-in-law, Sonny knew the best thing he'd ever done in his life outside of Elizabeth was bringing Jason Morgan into his world.
"It'll be special because she's…" He stopped when he heard the footsteps on the stairs.
"…because she's what? Sonny?" Elizabeth was flanked by her daughters who couldn't resist coming down to say hi to their father.
"Let it go Lizzie."
"Hi daddy, mommy says you're staying with us the rest of the day. Can we take the bikes out?" Cameron asked flopping down beside Jason as Jake climbed in his lap.
"No one goes out until those rooms are put back in order." Elizabeth slipped into her sweater and grabbed her purse. She gave the two most important men in her life one last glance before closing the door behind her.
They waited until they heard the car leave the driveway before they burst out laughing. Looking at her father and grandfather Cameron said, "I think she knows and this time I didn't say a thing."
Jason rubbed his oldest head and deposited his youngest back on the floor. He walked over to the closet, "go fix whatever you destroyed up there and come right back down. You're spending the night with Grandpa Sonny." He watched as his girls squealed with delight and took off then completed the task of getting his jacket and gun.
"Where are you going now?"
"I worked too hard to pull this off I'm going out to make sure she stays off track. Tell Kate we'll be by in the morning to pick the girls up."
As the door slammed Jason could hear Sonny calling his name and he knew the man wanted to know what he had up his sleeve this time. Hopping on his bike Jason peeled out smiling that he was keeping them all off track.