Chapter 1 –
The music drifted out over the garden… Elizabeth had slipped out from the party to think. It was hard being in this house again, without Emily and yet her mind wondered to Jason and his forgotten childhood. Did he toss and turn at night like Jake? Did he hate waking up in the morning like Cameron? Was he a terrible toddler? What was his adolescence like? If only she could ask Monica but the world still believed that Lucky was Jake's father.
But today, well today they could see each other without exposing their secret. Today she was Emily's best friend, and he was her brother and Alan's son. Today if they were seen together it was acceptable. Everyone would believe they were merely comforting each other. Today they could be seen together in public and she was planning on a romantic walk in the rose garden.
The small service they held was beautiful. Alan and Emily would have been proud of the Quartermaine's today. Even with Edward, Ned, Tracy, Monica, and Luke, the service went without a hitch and the gathering after had remained civil. Monica had even turned to Jason during the service for a shoulder to cry on.
She knew exactly what Emily would say to her if she were here "Follow your heart Elizabeth. You two love each other and you've been dancing around each other for too long now. You owe it to yourselves to try to be together." If only she would listen to her own advice back when Emily was still dating Sonny, 'Love shouldn't be safe.' Sometimes she wished she could go back and make different choices, declaring to the world that Jake was Jason's son when she first got the results back.
"Oh, hello. Do you like the roses? My Maria used to love Roses." She would recognize this man's voice anywhere; it still gave her nightmares. Turning she found him, Anthony Zacchara, standing just a few feet away from her. This man had made her stand on the edge of the parapet and threatened for her to jump when Jason arrived and together they made it out safely.
Elizabeth was not going to let this man scare her again. She took a second to muster up her strength and replied to him. "Lila had the best Rose Garden in the state."
"Yes, my Maria would have loved this garden. I saw them from the road and I had to see the roses. Maria's roses were more beautiful than these before Johnny came along."
"Is Johnny your son?" Her heart was racing faster and faster the longer she was there with him. What if he snapped and went crazy again? No one inside could see her and surely they wouldn't hear her if she screamed. She was kicking herself for walking to the edge of the garden alone. She wished Jason were there with her, but she hadn't seen him since the service ended.
"Yeah, my little boy Johnny, everything changed after he was born. Do you have any children?" He sat down on the bench beside where she stood as he asked the question. The look in his eye frightened her, like he was watching and waiting for her to make a mistake.
"I have two boys." She began envisioning the paths in the garden and the smartest way to get past him and back toward the house.
"Oh that's nice. Daughters will corrupt your sons. They will betray their fathers, and some day their husbands. Even you, I bet you don't love your husband now that you have children." The look on his face was the same from that night at Wyndemere. He looked like a maniac.
"I'm not married." Her voice quivered and her hands and knees bad begun to tremble. This time there was no Jason to save her.
"Did you love your sons more? Is that why he left you? Why is it women cannot stay faithful to their mates?"
Elizabeth was taking small steps away from Zacchara and closer to the path leading deeper into the garden. Then she heard steps behind her. Her heart was beating a mile a minute. Her body locked ready for one of his goons to snatch her.
His arms wrapped around her waist, and pulled her toward him. His head found the nock between her shoulder and her neck and nuzzled there. He whispered into her ear, "I love you Elizabeth."
"JASON!" She turned to face him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. She knew Anthony was only steps away but she couldn't contain herself, she had been so frightened.
"Hello Mr. Morgan," Anthony said coolly. Jason looking up and realizing that he was watching this tender moment. He had taken off into the garden after the service, he thought it would be easier to avoid everyone and had just gone back to see Elizabeth. Now Zacchara knew Elizabeth meant something to him, and if he heard him, that he even loved her.
"What are you doing here Zacchara?"
"Just enjoying the view …and the roses." An evil smile crossed over his face as he stood from the bench and turned to leave. He had valuable information now, Morgan had two sons.
"What are you doing out here alone Elizabeth?" Jason asked concerned.
"I came out to think, I didn't know he was wandering around out here. Do you think he heard you?" The fear for her boys was evident on her face and in her body language.
"Yes, and that makes you a target Elizabeth."
"He knows about Cameron and Jake…"
"Marry me Elizabeth. It will be so much safer if you three live with me so I can have guards on you; I can easily up the security at the penthouse."
"Jason I'm not going to marry you just because it would be safer."
"Then marry me because I love you."
"Of course I will" she leaned and kissed him. She knew that she should be scared for her boys but in this moment, she was just too happy.