Synopsis: I took the events of the day Elizabeth found Jason in the snow and changed them. This is mostly a Liason story but other characters will have their own side stories as well.

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters, I have no affiliation with Disney, General Hospital of or the actors. No copyright infringement intended.

Tears of the Son

It was cold, bitterly so. Just when the snow had begun to brown with the frozen ground beneath it, a new burst of weather would come along and bring with it; a fresh blanket of wintery white snow.

Winter was not Elizabeth Webber's favorite season, she disliked the snow for many reasons, some she could not recall. Still, her artistic eye was not blind to the aesthetic beauty of the season.

The bare branched trees that seemed to reach out into the air like claws grasping for something to hold on to. The white peaked houses with their smoking chimneys that looked like they had been plucked directly from a children's book. The picturesque view of children riding sleds and snow-boards down hills of stark white. Even in her distaste for the cold weather, she could not deny its appeal.

Elizabeth's steps were measured as she walked over the freshly fallen snow, leaving soft impressions of her trek to the boxcar as she went. The downy snow was quiet beneath her booted feet, granting her silence. There was no sound to hear but her breathing. The scarf she wore, wrapped tight around her neck, was no match against the strong gusts of icy wind that found its way through the woolen covering and pierced her skin.

She could see the old boxcar in the distance and she smiled, despite the biting wind. Remembrance of the time she had spent with Lucky in the rickety old railway car brought deep-rooted emotion to her eyes. She blinked back the tears, desperate to get through the day without crying. It was a promise she had made to herself; for this day to be the first one since Lucky's death that she made it through without shedding a single tear. So far she was doing well and she wouldn't ruin her progress by becoming emotional now.

Elizabeth worked her way through the sparse forested area, coming out just feet away from where the boxcar stood alone against the snowy backdrop. Her chest tightened at the sight. Unable to look upon it any longer, she dropped her eyes. As her gaze fell she spotted a a body lying in the snow. Lean, broad, covered in leather. A man.

She became alerted immediately, thoughts of the boxcar rushed from her mind and she rushed over to where the figure was sprawled unceremoniously against icy crystals. She did not hesitate dropping to her knees to offer her assistance. There was only a second of apprehension, right before she turned the body from stomach to back, but she fought passed it and shoved the man over.

She gasped, first- at the blood that was pooled on the snowy ground; bright crimson against stark white, second- at the face of the man. "Jason." Her voice was lost in the cold wind. Panic rose in her. "Jason," she said again, this time louder.

Hoovering above him, Elizabeth yanked on his leather jacket, desperate to rouse him, desperate for a response. When none came, she whimpered low in her throat. The hot sting of tears pressed behind her eyes. She tried to blink them away but they would not be diffused, they spilled from her tightly shut lids. She shook her head, trying to clear it, trying to think straight. She had to think straight.

Her fingers skittered up his jacket to the crook of his neck, he was deathly cold. She ignored the sick feeling of dread that twisted in her stomach as she pressed two fingers against his pulse point. Staying perfectly still, she waited to feel-

There it was!

A pulse. Weak. Barely a beat; but there all the same.

Now she needed to get help. She looked helplessly around, knowing that they were at least a mile from any sign of life. But she could run- she would run. Without another seconds delay, Elizabeth shot to her feet. She stripped herself of her coat and covered Jason with it. She yanked her wool scarf off, lifting his head in the crook of her arm, she wrapped it around his neck.

"I'll be back," she whispered in his ear. "I promise that I'll be back." Elizabeth set away from him, running back in the direction she had come.

Elizabeth stepped on the tips of her toes, trying to look over the medical staff at work on Jason.

She had run faster than she thought herself capable. Straight into town, stopping at the first gas station she came to. She knew that she looked crazy when she burst through the doors; coatless, without a scarf, blood on her hands. It was a wonder that the clerk didn't call the police on her.

"Let's lift him." Elizabeth heard one of the many EMT's say.

There was a shifting of bodies and Elizabeth was finally able to get a glimpse of Jason. One man at his arms, one- his middle, and the last- at his legs; lifted Jason's lifeless body onto the stretcher and hauled it up and into one of the two ambulances.

She wasn't quite sure why two had shown up for one person. Maybe they thought that she might have needed assistance as well. The only thing Elizabeth had been in need of at the time was heat. The Clerk at the gas station, Suzie was her name, had given Elizabeth an old fleece coat from the lost and found bin. It smelled of must but it was some protection against the cold.

One door to the ambulance shut and Elizabeth pushed her way past the gawkers who had accumulated with the sirens. Like moths to a flame.

"Wait!" She called out, rushing forward.

A tall dark haired EMT's turned, eyeing her peculiarly. "What is it, miss?"

"I found him," she said, not knowing what else to.

The EMT, whose badge read: John, nodded. "Good job, getting help the way you did. It probably saved his life."

Relief. That was what she felt, relief. "So he will be okay?"

"Honestly, miss," John said quietly, lowering his head so as not to be heard, "I have no idea. But he's alive now. More time out here in this freezing weather and . . . "

"I understand," Elizabeth replied, her voice raspy. From screaming for help, she thought.

The second door to the ambulance slammed, jolting Elizabeth. "May I ride with him?" she inquired, hopefully. Jason shouldn't be alone.

"Are you family," John asked, his tone becoming hurried. "Then, no," he finished at her silence.

The ambulance raced off in a glory of blue and red lights and sirens blaring.

"They're taking him to General Hospital. I know the police are going to want to question you about what happened here, but I can give you a ride to the hospital and they can do it there." John said.

Elizabeth couldn't seem to peel her eyes from the speeding ambulance. She didn't register what John was telling her. The light brush of a hand on her back brought her out of her daze. She dragged her eyes away from the retreating ambulance up to John's dark brown stare.

"Do you want a ride to the hospital?" he asked.

Mechanically, Elizabeth nodded.

Sonny Corinthos thumbed through the file that had just been delivered to his house by way of courier as he thought about the events of the previous night.

Sleeping with Carly was probably the lowest thing he could have done, but what was worse was that he didn't regret it. Jason needed to see just what type of woman Carly was, the type that would sleep with his best friend without giving Jason a second thought. It was better that Jason see that now than to be hurt by that harsh reality later.

Sonny pushed the papers aside.

All of Jason's interaction with Carly could now be kept minimal, dealing only with Michael. That would ensure that Jason was on his mark when it came to doing his job. Without the dramatic distractions of Carly, Jason could focus all of his attention on the business. If Jason wished for more with a woman then he could find that in a random one night stand.

Distractions were fatal, in this business. The least Jason had the better.

The police questioning was finally over. After Elizabeth told them repeatedly she had no idea what happened to Jason before she found him by the boxcar, They stopped the questioning and handed her a card, instructing her to call the number on it if she remembered anything else. Elizabeth folded the card and stuck it in the pocket of her jeans, letting them know she would.

Now she waited, warming her hands on the hot cup of coffee that she nursed between bone chilled fingers. From time to time she would sip the coffee for extra warmth, but for the most part she just held it there while she thought of Jason.

No one had given her any news on him. They would only release his status to his family, so Elizabeth waited in limbo, not knowing if he was alive or not, hoping that the Quartermaine's would hurry up and get there.

She wondered if Sonny or Carly knew about Jason and figured that they didn't. If they did then they would be here. It was probably better that they hadn't found out yet, she could only imagine the scene that would happen if the Quartermaine's and Sonny and Carly all ended up in the tiny waiting room at the same time.

"Elizabeth!"

Elizabeth turned to her friend, Emily's voice. She placed the cup of coffee on a side table and stood. "Em-"

"How is Jason?" Emily asked in a rush, her eyes wide and scared.

"I don't know. They will only let family know of his condition." Elizabeth motioned for Emily to sit. Emily shook her head, and wrapped her arms tightly around herself.

Elizabeth remained where she was standing, ready to offer any support she could.

A loud rumble of voices brought her attention to the swarm of people walking hurriedly in their direction. Elizabeth recognized Monica and knew that it was Jason's family. A flurry of bodies rushed into the waiting area. Alan Quartermaine pulled Emily into a hug.

"How is he?" Monica asked a passing nurse.

"Who is the patient, Dr. Quartermaine?" The nurse asked.

Monica looked at her in shock. "My son. Jason Morgan," Monica informed with a scoff.

The nurses' cheeks flamed in embarrassment. "I'm sorry. I didn't know-"

"Enough of that!" Edward Quartermaine bitterly cut her off, stepping forward. "Out with it. How is he?"

The nurse fumbled nervously with the charts in her hands. "I'll go get a doctor for you," she said then moved away before any other inquiries could be made.

"What kind of incompetent hospital is this?" Edward asked to no one in particular.

"Grandfather," Emily said calmly.

Her softly spoken words seemed to ease the old man, his face relaxed as he heaved a sigh. But then his hard eyes landed on Elizabeth, narrowing in question.

Elizabeth cleared her throat to speak-

"Who are you?" Edward asked, ill-tempered. His bushy, gray brows were drawn tight over weathered amber eyes.

"One of my friends," Emily said.

Elizabeth took a small step forward. "I'm Elizabeth. I found Jason."

There was a unison gasp and all eyes landed on her. Elizabeth backed up a step, suddenly self conscious of her disheveled appearance. She licked her lips and ran a hand over wild curls.

"You?" Another woman asked, pushing through the family to come and stand directly in front of Elizabeth. "Where was he?" She pried.

Everyone was looking at her expectantly, taking in her dress. Elizabeth smoothed a hand over the old, musty fleece coat and wanted to run away. "By the old boxcar's. . . in the snow."

"What did he look like when you saw him?" She continued in her questioning.

Dead. "Not . . . not good. He was bleeding. Hurt somewhere in his middle, I couldn't see the exact location."

"Was he alive?" The questions kept on coming.

Elizabeth motioned to her neck, "He had a weak pulse."

"What-"

"By God, Tracy, let the girl breathe."

Elizabeth looked thankfully to Alan Quartermaine, who had stopped the inquisition.

Tracy threw a hand up and turned away, her hair flipping in the air with the move. She said something to Edward and he said something back to her, then all of the Quartermaine's were talking loudly, at each other's throats.

Elizabeth watched, stunned that a family could be so separate at a moment when they should all be pulling together. A flash of white caught of her eye and she turned just as a doctor came into the waiting room.

A hush fell over the Quartermaine's at the doctors arrival.

"Dr. Jones," Monica said in terse greeting. "How is Jason?"

"At this moment, he's stable. There were two gunshot wounds both on his right side. One bullet entered and exited just below his ribs without hitting any vital organs or nerves. The other entered his right shoulder and was lodged there. We were able to remove it but there is no way to know yet how much damage it caused."

"Oh, God." Monica looked faint and Alan helped her to a chair.

"Is there more?" Alan asked after his wife was settled.

Tony nodded once. "Jason did suffer a great deal of blood loss in which a transfusion was required. And he is suffering from hypothermia, but we are working right now to get his body temperature back up."

Emily sat down next to her mother and clasped her hand around Monica's.

Tony Jones cleared his throat. "There's more," Tony began, his voice grave. "There is a contusion on the right side of his head, along his temple. It looks as though he suffered a blow, we don't know if it was from his fall to the ground or if it happened prior to that, but he will need a CAT Scan to ensure that no internal damage, such as blood clots or skull fracture, have been caused."

"I see," Alan said after the doctor had given them all of the news.

"It's best to keep hopeful in these situations. Jason is young and strong. He's been through much worse."

The room was in silent agreement.

"I will let you know as soon as he's out from the CAT Scan. He should be able to take visitors then." Tony smiled faintly at the family then turned and left the waiting room.

"Looks like it will be a long day," Tracy said, plopping down into a stiff metal chair.

Elizabeth looked away from Jason's family, her heart in her throat. Jason had come to be someone she could talk to when there was no one else. He'd helped her out of a jam or two and offered her rides on his bike where she was able to lose herself and just be. He had been her savior in a lot of ways, there for her when no one else knew how to be.

She thought in bittersweet memory about the previous night; Jason dancing with her in place of Lucky. He had done that to make her feel better, to make her feel whole, and now he was suffering.

She glanced up, her eyes traveling over all of the fretful faces, worried and anxious, waiting on word about their son, brother, grandson, nephew. Jason needed to be okay, not just for them but for her as well.

Elizabeth returned to General Hospital after a going home 'to get some rest' as Emily called it. She hadn't been able to rest but she did shower and put on clean clean clothes. After poking at a bowl of microwavable chicken pasta she pulled on a coat and bundled down in a scarf and gloves and set out for the hospital to check on Jason's condition.

When she left the hospital, he hadn't gone in for the CAT Scan but that had been hours ago. She was sure that he was out by now. She walked into the waiting area and saw Emily awkwardly curled up in a chair.

"How did it go?" Elizabeth asked taking the chair next to Emily.

Emily dropped her feet to the ground and stared blankly at Elizabeth. Her eyes were puffy and red rimmed. "They found a blood clot and had to take him into emergency surgery."

Elizabeth felt her own eyes water. "Is he in surgery now?" she scratched out.

"Yes," Emily nodded. "They are going to attempt to remove the pressure it's causing on his brain, but there are risks."

Elizabeth went rigid at Emily's last word. Of course there were risks, there were always risks, but brain surgery . . . Elizabeth knew enough about medical procedures to know that anything could go wrong and Jason would never be the same.

"Everyone left," Emily said absently. "They're all are wandering around trying to find a way to deal with it. I-I . . . " she broke off.

Elizabeth grabbed her friend's hand, squeezing reassuringly at the reappearance of tears in her eyes. "It will be okay, Emily." She hoped that it sounded more convincing than it felt.

The first thing Jason realized when he came to was that he was alive. The second realization was that he was in a great deal of pain; his whole right side was on fire, racked with inconceivable throbbing.

He attempted to open his eyes but found he couldn't. Panicked, he attempted to lift his right hand to his face, a flash of pain ran down his side at the attempt and he found that his arm wouldn't move. He tried his left and was able to raise it a little but it became quickly weak and dropped heavily back down.

Jason opened his mouth to speak, but no sound came out. He tried again, nothing. Agitated, his breathing became erratic. Beeping sounded around him and then noise, voices, above him, beside him. Feeling, poking, prodding.

"Mr. Morgan? Jason, can you hear me?"

He tried to answer, no sound.

Yes I can hear you. But it was only a thought, what he wanted to say. The words died in his throat. Dissipated away before they ever formed.

"Jason, I'm going to remove the tape from your eyes, try to stay still."

Jason thrashed away from the touch of fingers on his face.

"Doctor, does he need to be restrained?"

"No. He doesn't seem to be able to move his arms."

"Jason, do you hear me? Stay calm, I'm going to remove the tape from your eyes so that you can open them."

Jason forced himself to relax. There was a slight pull on each lid then he was slowly able to open his eyes. He blinked hard, his eyes adjusting to his surroundings. Immediately, he saw that he was in a hospital; the bright lights, the nurses in scrubs, the doctor leaning over him.

"Welcome back to the land of the living," The doctor said with a slow smile. "How does it feel?"

Jason tried to speak, he strained to answer. With no success he shut his eyes. Feels like Hell.

To be continued...