Fall of 2006

Carly lay in bed with Jax, their bodies both naked beneath the white sheet.

"You were crazy to go to Africa and leave this behind." Carly said

"I agree."

"Don't do anything stupid like that again." Carly said

He kissed her and said, "Only a fool would make the same mistake twice."

"Exactly."

"Are you calling me a fool?" he asked jokingly

She smiled "You are so lucky I took you back."

"Who else could make you feel like this?" Jax said as he ran kisses down her neck and over her chest, moving ever lower.

Her cell rang. She recognized it was Jason's ring. So did Jax.

"Ignore it." he said, dropping a kiss on her stomach.

Carly was heading for the phone. " I can't." She crawled off the bed, wrapping herself in the sheet, and leaving Jax uncovered.

She hurriedly grabbed her purse on the dresser and pulled out the phone. "Hello? Jason?" All she heard was a dial tone.

"Come back to bed." Jax said

"It might be important." Carly said " Maybe he left a message."

Jax sighed.

"Sorry." Carly said "Just let me check real quick and then I am all yours."

As long as he is around you will never be all mine, Jax thought

"You have one message. Time 11:58 pm." Carly heard through the phone and then Jason's voice was in her ear.

He said, "Hey, if you are still awake give me a call back. I wanted to ask you something. I know it's late so if you can't get back to me tonight don't worry about it. There is always tomorrow. I might drop by Metro Court so we can talk about this in person. I can't sleep and I'm out walking. I was just thinking about how I should have taken your advice and went to see Sam sooner. Now it's too late. There's no going back now with her or anyone else." Jason let out a breath.

Carly was getting worried for him, hearing him go on like this. Jason usually kept his answers short and to the point. But she knew he was going through a lot ever since Sam was shot. It sounded like it was all piling up on him.

After a moment of silence Jason ended with, "I messed up everything, didn't I, Carly? And don't lie to me because I'll know if you are. Call me."

Carly tried calling him back but his phone rang and rang then finally switched to voice mail.

She said "Hey, Jase, where are you? Call me back right away. I'll meet you tonight and we can talk this all out. No, you didn't mess up everything. I'm the one who does that. You can still get Sam back , if that is what you want. I don't see why it would be but... Just call me back when you get this. No matter how late it is, ok?"

Jax was out of bed and slipping on his boxer shorts.

"Where are you going?" Carly asked, still holding the phone, and hoping it would ring any second.

"Jason Morgan is a mood killer for me." Jax said as he strolled out of the room.

Carly watched him go and then dialed Jason again. It rang and rang. The voice mail came on. "Jase, call me!"

Note- This story was written back in the fall during the time when Jason was presumed dead.