Back In That Summertime, a general hospital fanfic

Back In That Summertime

Disclaimer: I do not own General Hospital or its characters. The song Summertime is by Brianna Taylor from The Real World Hollywood.

Summary: "Shocked and amazed me. Back in that summertime when you were mine." Journey. One Shot.

A/N: It's been awhile but I've suddenly been inspired to write about my all-time favorite soap couple.

"Time stops for no man".

Instead of early childhood memories which normally consists of a sandbox, scrapped knees or anything regarding vague flashbacks of swinging contests on a dirty playground, such quote was always what popped into Courtney's mind when thoughts of her childhood began to consume her.

It was a phrase her mom used frequently – and randomly. She'd return home late at night, down on her luck from yet another long night at the slot machines hoping to bring home enough for a new baseball mitt or bike for her precocious daughter just to prove that she was a good mother and not the gambling, rambling drunk she so often morphed into.

She filled young Courtney's mind with thoughts of "making it big one day, kiddo." Embedding her daughter's naïve mind with dreams of mansions and gaudy cars and rings with diamonds so big they would give you a headache from just a glance. But Courtney wanted something else. And that something else would be found many years later with a Jason Morgan. But, like another saying goes, "It can't last forever."

about seven thirty on a saturday
i was waiting for the phone and hoping you would say
to get undressed
and look you your best, for me

about every night before I go to bed
i take another look at what you took and said
thinking more or less, the more regrets for me

Though not her first boyfriend or, hell, even her first husband, Courtney had considered Jason her first love. It wasn't the typical kind of first love that involved roses, phone calls and surprise boxes of chocolate. It was the kind that involved random trips on the back of a motorcycle to the middle of nowhere and Jason being able to talk a full hour about the little spot he had found years ago. The kind that involved 3AM conversations in bed where both were half asleep but awake enough to laugh lazily because Courtney had randomly mentioned that she left dishes in the sink while Jason was talking about a trip to Italy. The kind that seemed … mature, as, well, immature as that sounded. Their kind of love was different. Who needed fancy caviar and sapphire bracelets when you had Jason Morgan? Of course, had being the keyword.

Courtney hadn't laid eyes on Jason Morgan in nearly ten years. After everything, she packed up and randomly decided to move to a small town near Boston, living rather comfortably from the money she received in her divorce settlement. After putting most of it in savings, she vowed to move on. And she did. Quickly, in fact – in the form of Scott, two months later.

Nine years older than her, Scott was a prominent doctor in the city who was, ironically, impressed with the young blonde during their first meeting – where Courtney accidentally spilled a box of leftover food on him while exiting a restaurant after dinner with a new friend she had met in town. After apologizing profusely, the doctor just laughed and joked about the dry cleaning bill.

A similar situation happened two weeks later. Only this time it involved red wine and a rather harsh brush against a cocktail waitress in a bar. Courtney's face turned as red as the drink as she watched the glasses splatter across the table. She began to stutter out an apology before recognizing one of the guests at the table.

"You must be following me," Scott joked as he and three of the other guests he was dining with scrambled for napkins. "We should introduce ourselves since we'll probably be seeing more of each other."

Within weeks the two were dating and 7 months later, Courtney accepted a simple diamond ring at the restaurant where they first, literally, ran into one another.

Courtney settled into her role of wife rather seamlessly. The only thing that bothered her was Scott's insistence that she not work. But any reservations she had about being a typical doctor's wife were immediately suspended when the couple learned they were expecting. Daughter Madeline came into the world close to her parent's first year wedding anniversary. With olive skin and dark hair, she was practically Scott's twin.

Taylor came along three years later and was the spitting image of father and sister. And while Courtney couldn't be happier with the turn of events in her life, something inside her would secretly ache whenever she watched the two girls with their dad. Not only did they not resemble Courtney in the slightest, save for Madeline's blue eyes and a trail of freckles across the back of her neck that she and Taylor shared, both little girls adored Scott, making Courtney feel more like the help rather than their other parent.

But, like the other doctors wives in her small circle of friends, she smiled and spoke of ballet recitals and PTA meetings in stride. But nights like these, nights where Scott's colleagues filled their suburban home and she was simply standing alone in a corner with just a glass of champagne while keeping a watchful eye on Madeline and Taylor as the two chased one another in brand new party dresses, her thoughts would drift back to her other life.

now it feels like forever
its all been a dream
but I wonder...
do you think of me
early in the morning
late in the evening
back in that summertime
when you were mine, you see

It was a late, unsuspecting summer day when everything came to an end. As usual Courtney awoke first and got the coffee started; leaving most of it in the pot as she often drowned hers in 5 packets of sugar while Jason liked his black. She went back upstairs and, sitting her own cup on her nightstand, placed herself back under the pale green sheets and moved closer to her husband, rubbing a hand gently along his forehead. She frowned as she noticed the expression on his face. Even in his sleep, he seemed distressed.

"Jason…", she whispered, softly grazing her lips against his ear. He didn't flinch. "There's a man in here with a really big gun and I'm really scared..." she said aloud. He didn't move. She shrugged. He didn't get in from work until nearly 5AM and still found time to wake his wife up for, well ... Yes. That was it. He was simply exhausted.

"Pancakes it is!" she announced loudly getting out of their large bed and walking on her tiptoes towards the door. "But I don't want any complaints about the blueberries and whipped cream!" She turned around once more before going downstairs. He twitched a bit before rolling over. Courtney smiled before finally heading down the stairs.

She smiled mischievously as she carefully sprinkled blueberries into the batter. Jason never understood her fascination with all sorts of trimmings such as blueberries in pancakes and lemon wedges in water. Why couldn't things just be simple and as they were? Who decided to chocolate chips were okay for pancakes?

"Look who finally arrives," Courtney said as Jason walked into the kitchen. He smiled sleepily as he planted a quick kiss on her lips before sitting down and rubbing a hand over his face. His pajamas were wrinkled and his hair a mess. He looked as if he'd been buried alive somewhere.

"I'm exhausted," he yawned, ruffling his hair.

"I would be too," Courtney smirked as she carefully slid a pancake onto a plate.

Jason smiled again. "You acted like you hadn't seen me in months," Courtney said retrieving the whipped cream from the fridge. She sat down next to him, giggling as she spread a massive amount of whipped cream on his plate. He rolled his eyes sarcastically, but as usual, dug in.

She watched him as he ate. His actions were slow, as if he could barely function.

"Are you getting sick?" she asked suddenly concerned sitting her fork down.

He shrugged. "No … I'm good. I'm fine … I just had a, you know, long assignment last night. A lot of work." He continued to eat.

"So you're okay?"

"I'm okay."

"Not getting sick?"

"Not getting sick."

"You weren't drugged by some crime lord named Vinny Three Thumbs or anything?"

Jason laughed. "No Vinny Three Thumbs."

Courtney grinned. "Okay, good." She allowed him to grab her arm and pull her onto his lap. "I just worry about you…" she said quietly.

"I know," he replied. "But you don't need to. I'm fine."

"Good," she answered before swirling a pinch of whipped cream on her finger and dotting his nose with it. "Because I need you. And I love you."

you made me so crazy
shocked and amazed me
you were my tear to cry
my lullaby to sing
now I wanna be, I gotta be your girl
I just wanna be, I gotta be your girl

Courtney wasn't surprised when later that evening Jason had convinced her to cancel plans for dinner. She was hoping to step out with her husband for a few hours but Port Charles was in the very midst of a heat wave at the moment so who could blame him? Instead the two sat on the couch in the penthouse, her legs swung over his lap. Jason flipped through a few channels as Courtney skimmed over an old issue of a catalog.

Normally, being this bored, she would walk across the hall and visit Carly but since the couple was out of town that was out of the question.

"Let's go for a walk," Jason said randomly placing down the remote control.

Courtney laughed. "A walk? Jason it's burning up outside. Let's just stay inside with the air conditioner. We can just stay inside … or go back upstairs…," she said inching towards him. But Jason remained adamant. "No, I just … I want to get for a little while."

"Do you think it's hotter here or where Carly and Sonny are?" Courtney asked as she and Jason walked hand in hand through the park and little while later. "Where are they again?"

"Cabo," Jason said quietly.

"Oh, that's right," Courtney said. She looked dreamily at Jason. "We went there! Remember? God, it was beautiful. We have to go back, okay? You know, we should take all of our pictures from each vacation and get albums specifically just for them. Or, I could even make a few scrapb—

"I want a divorce," Jason said.

At first Courtney nearly laughed out of nervousness. "What?" she said in a near whisper.

Jason looked her in the eye. "I want a divorce," he repeated.

She paused, feeling as if the wind had been kicked out of her. "A divorce?" Courtney asked. "Wha-what do you mean you want a divorce?"

"Courtney this isn't working anymore…" was all Jason could offer. He stood there with his hands in his pockets, speaking in a hushed tone.

"I don't understand," Courtney said having to steady herself on a nearby bench. She shook her head. "I … I don't understand. Whatever it is, we'll work it out, you know? We'll work it out. We'll go to therapy, we'll spend more time together… if it's your job and me being worried all the time then I'll stop. Just don't … just don't say that you want a divorce and that's it."

"It's not you…or me…it just… we can't do this anymore," Jason said. He turned away from her with both of his fists clenched, exhaling deeply. Before he could gather anything else to say, Courtney had turned from confused to livid.

"You know what?" She was beginning to blink back tears. "I'm not even sure why I'm so surprised. Jason Morgan, Married Man. Sounds kind of crazy anyway, right? But I guess I'm the real idiot, huh? Thinking you could possibly be satisfied in a marriage. Obviously the joke's on me."

"So what was that at the penthouse this morning? Last night?" she continued. "What? Just a … just a goodbye fuck?"

"Courtney…" he started, walking towards her. But she took a few steps back.

"Don't!" she yelled. "Do not come near me."

"You can have it all … money, our other properties…I'll take care of you," Jason said sincerely.

Courtney laughed. "Oh, please stop with the hero act because you're not. You're a liar. You act like this knight in shining armor and its nothing but lies. Women fall in love with you and then you break their hearts. You've done it time and time again and I was no different, right? You know what? You're nothing but a cold-hearted robot that every single person besides Carly and Sonny sees you as. I should have listened to everyone else from day one."

She took one last look at Jason before walking back to the penthouse in the dark.

So when you told me baby that you needed time
well, did you mean to say you needed peace of mind
cause well, you cheated me, and treated me so bad
if I could take it back I know I would for sure
back to rainy nights and kisses at my door
remember whens and now and thens we had
and now I'm not mistaken, it is what it seems
but I wonder...
would you still want me

Courtney hadn't spoken to Jason since that night in the park. When she returned to the penthouse, she gathered her purse and left with the clothes on her back. A few days later Carly had tried calling her cell phone but she didn't pick up. In all honesty, she had planned to get in contact with both Carly and Sonny but as time went on and Courtney had began to settle into this new world, she began to realize that she actually had nothing to say to them. And the more they tried to make contact, the more she fielded their calls until eventually the only recognizable number from Port Charles was her divorce attorney. And ironically, she liked it. She liked that no one worried about her. No one was prying or constantly breathing down her neck.

But, admittedly, and even naturally, for a while she did miss only one thing about Port Charles. And that was Jason. It took her awhile to actually understand why their marriage was suddenly over, despite the papers citing Irreconcilable Differences. In the small apartment she rented before meeting Scott, she'd often find herself staring outside the window, wondering the exact moment Jason decided he wanted out. Asking for a divorce wasn't exactly asking for someone to pass the salt. Did he discuss it with Sonny? Had he tried to tell her before? Drop hints at any time?

Courtney never spoke to Scott much about Jason. Only telling him that the marriage was short and a bit rocky at times. She was honest and upfront about the miscarriage as well as how Jason made his living, almost giggling at the expression on Scott's face. "See why I don't even want the girls playing with water pistols?" she laughed, trying to reassure him that she had absolutely no connections to business back in Port Charles.

"I wouldn't trade any of this for world," she told him one morning over breakfast. She looked over at their two daughters. Taylor had insisted on a play table and chair set after a visit to a toy store but refused to sit at it unless someone else joined her, that someone usually being Madeline who often had to be coerced into doing so. "I have everything I've ever wanted."

And she did. She had an amazing husband. And so what if Scott worked late nights and did unbelievably cheesy romance film things like leaving jewelry under her pillow or winking at her from across the room? And so what if Madeline and Taylor were spoiled rotten; both being known to turn beet red before the word "No" could even escape from Courtney's lips? This was her life and she was proud.

But still, even though she could admit to herself that she was over her ex-husband, she would wonder every now and then if he felt the same way about her.

early in the morning
late in the evening
back in that summertime
when you were mine, you see.
you made me so crazy
shocked and amazed me
you were my tear to cry
my lullaby to sing
now I wanna be, I gotta be your girl
I just wanna be, I gotta be your girl

"So when's the last time you talked to him?" Scott asked out of the blue one day as the two walked steadily behind Madeleine and Taylor who rode on bicycles a few feet ahead of them.

"Who?" Courtney asked, genuinely curious. She waved to a woman across the street who was gardening.

"Jason," Scott replied nonchalantly.

"Where did that come from?" Courtney said turning to him. She flinched as one of Taylor's training wheels wobbled.

"Just a question" her husband said.

"That's not just a question, Scott" she said, suddenly getting defensive. "If it really matters, I haven't talked to him since that night in the park. Not sure why you would care…"

"I don't but I just wanted to know," Scott shrugged. "You told me a little bit about him. Seems like you had friends and family back in Pot Charles and you don't speak to any of them. I just find it kind of strange…"

"Oh, so suddenly you think I'm hiding something?" Courtney accused.

Scott was taken aback. "That's not what I meant at all…"

"Then what do you mean?" Courtney said, her voice rising a little bit. "I told you… his name was Jason. I loved him and he loved me, we got married and it was all downhill from there. Fights and tears and heartbreak over and over again. It was the biggest mistake of my life, alright? What else do you need to hear from me to make you understand?"

By this point, she was nearly yelling and was oblivious to her two daughters who had stopped on their bikes to face their parents with concerned expressions on their tan faces. The two had hardly fought and when they did, it was never in front of the children and usually resolved in 10 minutes.

Courtney turned to look at her daughters before looking back at Scott. "I'm sorry," she said quietly taking his hand. "Look, can you finish their bike ride? I, um… I need to go do something."

I been talking 'bout you leaving me, deceiving me
I been thinking about you shaking me, heart breaking me
I been dreaming away
would you still want me...

Upon returning to the house, Courtney had locked herself in the master bedroom.

She sat on the bed, debating on what to do next. Surely one serious argument wouldn't have her packing and leaving. She was married and married people argued. It was that simple. No, this decision was a lot more serious with even more serious repercussions if handled the wrong way.

She slowly pulled out her cell phone and slowly dialed the familiar numbers.

It rang three times before he picked up. "Hello?" He had to repeat himself before she finally spoke up.

"Jason?"

There was a small period of silence on his end before Courtney interrupted.

""I just want to why," she began. "I want to know what happened."

She heard him exhale before finally speaking. "I was a coward," he admitted. "I was a coward that night. That year."

"Yes, you were. And you still are, I'm sure," she replied feeling her eyes begin to brim with tears. "And I guess I am too because for some reason you continue to haunt my thoughts every now and then. I'm not sure if you care but I'm married now. Yeah, his name is Scott and he's a doctor. Very respected here. Oh, and two little girls. Madeline and Taylor. Madeline's the oldest. She can play the piano like a professional but she also likes karate. And Taylor is the comedienne of the house. She's a ballet dancer with absolutely no coordination but she always gives the crowd a good time during the recitals. We have a beautiful house. Nothing too flashy. I cut the grass every now and then. I have great friends. I bake cookies for school fundraisers. But you know what the best thing is? I'm happy. I am amazingly happy. And you didn't make that happen." She sniffed and then exhaled deeply.

"Well, if you're happy then I'm happy," was all Jason could muster up.

Courtney smiled through her tears, not surprised at his response. "Normally I would say that's good to know but quite frankly, I don't think I even care what you think anymore. There have been so many times when I'd pretend it was you falling asleep next to me instead of my husband…"

"If I could take it back Courtney…the way it happened…I would," Jason said.

A part of Courtney wanted to smile, another part wanted to laugh. She looked over at her nightstand and at a small portrait of her, Scott and the two girls on vacation taken last summer and smiled.

"A few years ago if I had heard you say that I would have hopped on a plane and been back in your bed by tonight," Courtney said still staring at the picture, "but I … I don't need you anymore. And that's okay. I'll never forget what happened between us. But I'll never want it bad enough again."

She began to go on when suddenly a knock came to the door.

"Mommy, are you in there crying?" Taylor asked still knocking.

Courtney got up from the bed and unlocked the door, letting her youngest daughter in.

"Anyways," she said into the phone. "You can't go back in time. I don't need to. Wouldn't want to if I had to chance. So the only thing I guess the only thing left to say is have a good life." And with that she hung up.

Taylor jumped into her lap and stroked her a few pieces of blonde strands in Courtney's face. "Were you and Daddy fighting?" she asked.

Courtney shook her head. "No, sweetie. Just … a disagreement. Do you know what that is."

Taylor shook her head earnestly and Courtney smiled, knowing her daughter had no idea what she was talking about.

"And about that boy, Gregory, in your class that's been putting stickers in your hair and trying to push you down the slide? That means he likes you," Courtney said playfully poking her daughter in the rib.

Taylor looked at Courtney with disgust.

"And that, honey, is a very, very bad thing."