It's the Great Pumpkin Cameron!

by mandymld

Cam wants to sit in a pumpkin patch and needs protection. Jason wants another chance with Elizabeth and the boys.

It's the Great Pumpkin, Cameron

Chapter One

Jason looked at the little boy, then at the tall bald guard who was standing behind him smirking and very clearly trying not to laugh at his boss. "Cam, does your mom know where you are?"

"Well, she thinks that I am with Freddy and his Mom. I told his Mom that I knew Cody and had to speak to him. She didn't seem too happy when I came down the hall but when Cody agreed to let me speak to me; she said they would be waiting at one of the tables. So, will you help me, Jason? I really need to find the field that the Great Pumpkin will be in Friday night but Mommy wouldn't me, she says I have to be safe. I need someone to keep me safe and you are the best person for the job, please?"

The hardened man sitting behind the desk said he would do a little research and find the right pumpkin patch. When a happy Cam had left the office, Jason was silent as he thought about the little boy's request and how his words helped him reaffirm something, then looked at Cody and said: "What on earth is the great pumpkin?"

"I have to run out, I will be back in an hour." Cody said as he began to leave then stopping, he turned to Jason and said: "Are you going to speak to Ms. Webber about this?"

"I will have to," Jason replied as he thought about the woman he loved and how they had split up recently to protect their sons from the danger resulting from his current predicament. She had been rather distant even during their casual run-ins for the last week and he was beginning to realize he was going to lose her, completely if he didn't find a way to make things work.

Hearing his former friend entering, Jason looked at Sonny then quickly got rid of the man, shaking his head at Sonny's nerve in asking him to join in a partnership with the Zacharas. He seemed to take his agreeing to help Max, meant that he was not angry with him anymore.

That right there was one of the reasons he had felt it necessary to let Elizabeth and the boys go, but Cam's request, had him thinking twice about his insistence that the danger was too much to change things. He had already made the decision that as soon as this current mess was over, changes would be made and he was claiming his family.

When Sean and Cody returned later that afternoon, Jason was handed a small computer and told to watch the movie. Sitting through the cartoon 'It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown,' Jason couldn't believe how cruel people were to poor Charlie let alone to Linus. He had barely been able to discern the animation, but the words had been very clear.

When he saw the way that Linus and Sally spent the night in the pumpkin patch waiting for his idol only for the beagle to be the only visitor, Jason vowed that Cameron's wait for this great pumpkin would be a success.

Looking at Cody with a calculating expression on his face, Jason saw the moment the guard knew what he was thinking and backing away shook his head no. "No way, Jason. Not going to happen. Will take a bullet for you, boss, but dress up as a pumpkin. Not going to happen."

After a few calls and a bit of cash laid out, Jason had found a man he trusted to dress up as this great pumpkin. He wasn't exactly sure what Cameron thought the great pumpkin should look like but that should be fairly easy to find out.

Early the next morning, Elizabeth wasn't thrilled with being pulled into a supply closet, at least until she realized it was Jason doing the pulling. "Jason is something wrong. Why are you here?"

Explaining as quickly and quietly as possible, he saw her surprise and then when she began to say that she would have a talk with Cam, he hastily stopped her and said "I have already arranged for someone to be this great pumpkin. Now I just need to know what Cam thinks this Great Pumpkin looks like. I was hoping you could get him to describe it for you and that you would draw a picture for me."

Jason, this isn't such a good idea." She tried to warn him. "If for no other reason than I don't want Cam standing around in a dark field without my knowing what is going on. I will just explain to him that there is no such thing."

"Elizabeth, no, look Cam asked me something and what he wanted from me wasn't to create some imaginary great pumpkin. What he asked me to do was be with him so that you would let him go. He said that he couldn't think of anyone he trusted more to protect him. Me, not Lucky, not one of the Port Charles police officers, not even Cody who he seems to know, me. I won't let him down."

Elizabeth was reluctant to agree but after seeing the determined expression on Jason's face, accepted his offer, with the caveat that if something else came up, he gave her enough warning.

"I really don't want Cam to be feeling like I usually do when you end up rushing off to take care of more important things." She warned.

"This can't be pushed off on others Jason. Cam can't be sitting in a field waiting for you only to find out that you rushed off to save Carly or Sonny from themselves again. Or not even getting a phone call as something else, business comes up. I am trusting you with my son's faith, Jason. Lucky did enough damage, please, don't go through with this, tell him and me it will happen only to reject him when you decide it is too dangerous."

Jason felt a sting at her words and asked quietly "Is that what you really think happened between us?"

"Jason, answer me a few questions." She asked about Carly and how he had stopped her from leaving town by taking over, and then brought up his breaking their engagement mere minutes after finding out about Michael.

"You know why that happened." He said a bit hurt yet again at her now crossed arms and closed off stance. With that Elizabeth asked him if he had almost married Claudia.

Seeing his surprise and regret, she was angry as she waspishly said "It shouldn't surprise you, Spinelli has a big mouth. He told Maxie who couldn't resist rubbing it in my face."

Jason didn't know how to answer her question; he just looked at his hands as he began to realize that he would have lost Elizabeth soon enough even if they hadn't temporarily had ended after the fires around town two weeks ago.

"I thought so. Jason, when I found out you might be Jake's father, I just didn't tell the truth because of hurting Lucky and Sam, that part is true, but there was an even bigger set of reasons. Their names are Michael, Sonny, and Carly and how they always come first."

With that, she walked past him and then stopping in the doorway looked at Jason. "I meant what I said, god help you if you hurt my son the way you have repeatedly hurt me."

With that, she walked out the door and Jason faced that it was going to be difficult to fix things. He had thought that maybe, just maybe if things went well with helping Cam, she would see that he could protect the boys, protect her from the dangers.

He could do that, but it would only be the first step because clearly, he had lost Elizabeth's trust yet again. Thinking about her comments, he knew he needed to fix things and to start doing that; first, he had to deal with Sonny's incursions on his business. And that meant dealing with the nonsense he had already agreed to help with.

"Sir, Max Giambetti is waiting for you in your office," Cody whispered as Jason entered the coffee shop. Seeing the bald man's look of confusion, Jason entered and saw Max behind his desk and a large older man seated in the guest chair.

"Jason, we need to speak to you," Max announced with a nervous look at the man seated nearby.

Jason looked between Max and his father then said "Max, I should have never gone along with this nonsense. You came to me, asked me a favor after quitting working for me. So kindly get the hell from behind my desk and out of my office."

Max sat there, mute, unable to speak.

"Sir, Max is Sonny Corinthos', right-hand man. I should have never put my own organization in this situation. Max, if you aren't man enough to face your own father with the truth, clearly you aren't man enough to be in this business."

When Maximus pulled a gun on Jason and threatened to kill him, it was clear to Jason that he was waiting for Max to tell the truth, but instead, it was obvious that the guard was finding it hard to do.

Max stood in front of Jason and looking at the blond with a begging expression on his face said: "Dad, I am sorry, but he is right, I lied to you."

A moment later, there was a flurry of action and Maximus found himself laying on the ground with his own gun held between his eyes and his son next to him, his arms being held by a bald guard who had removed a gun from his hand.

"Max, Mr. Giambetti I want you out of my office now. I get the reason you pulled the gun but never do that again. Its how people end up accidentally shot. Max, out, now." Jason said then putting the safety on, removed the bullets from the automatic and then tossed it at the older man.

Max sat up and without looking at his father, said in a monotone, "He is telling the truth, this is his organization, his employees. I work for Sonny Corinthos."

Maximus scrambled to stand, flicking off his son's help and when he was on his feet, looked at a now entering Carly who stopped stunned at what she saw and asked "Your relationship with Mr. Morgan."

"He is my best friend," Carly stated defiantly as she moved over to where Jason was leaning against his desk with his arms crossed as he glared at the man.

"Really?" He asked skeptically then looking at his son said "You owe Mr. Morgan an apology, then we are going to have a very long talk. Mr. Morgan, I owe you an apology. I am sorry for my own reactions and words as well as apparently raising a son with no backbone or respect for those they owe."

With that, the large man began to leave the office and stopped at the door when he saw the black expression on Jason's face and the way Carly was trying to stop him from escorting her out of the office.

"But Jase-"

"No, but Jase. I am busy and you are in my way. Go home, Carly. Remember why I took this business over and that you are at fault for my lack of free time." With that, Jason looked at Cody, thanked him for his help then at his other employees who had come to his office. "Thank you."

Maximus got into the waiting stretch sedan and looked at his son. "You owe that young man; I raised you better than that. Now, what was he talking about? That you worked for him, then went to work for Corinthos this fall. I want an explanation, Max. Now."

---

Elizabeth chuckled as Cam gave her a panicked expression as if he thought she would forbid him to go on his pumpkin then began to describe what the Great Pumpkin looked like. Drawing a picture, she showed her son and he nodded enthusiastically at the sketch she showed him.

"I will hang this on the refrigerator for Jake and you." She said not telling him she knew what he had asked Jason for then the next morning, took it to the hospital. Asking a pregnant Robin to copy it on the main copier since she was busy and needed it before noon, she explained that it was what Cam believed the Great Pumpkin looked like.

"Oh, I love that Charlie Brown cartoon," Robin said as she looked at the sketch and frowned for a second. "I saw the Great Pumpkin as having a really big orange body and a small head with thin green legs."

"You mean something like this?" Elizabeth asked drawing a quick sketch that had the woman laughing as she thanked Elizabeth for the drawing and promised to return both copies later.

Monica saw the drawing Robin was copying and said with a laugh "I hope that isn't your idea of what Patrick looks like right now."

"Cameron wanted a picture of his idea of the Great Pumpkin, Elizabeth drew it." She replied showing the older woman the entire drawing. "I just saw him in daycare and he said he is going to visit with the Great Pumpkin on Halloween after trick or treating here on Friday."

"I miss that," Monica said with a sense of longing. She had missed that with her Grandson, Michael barely knew she existed and unfortunately her idea of Jake being Jason's had to be wrong. She had outright asked one day and had been told by Audrey that no, Lucky was the father of the blond little boy.

Monica offered to deliver the sketch after Robin's beeper went off and was soon on her way to the fourth-floor hub. Hearing Elizabeth speaking to Epiphany, she frowned; she had had no idea that there was any kind of field like that in the outskirts of Port Charles.

Considering finding a way to accidentally show up and crash the party Elizabeth was attending with her boys, Monica gave her the picture and explained that Robin had had to go see a patient.

At the end of her shift, Elizabeth dropped her eldest son off with her Grams who was making plans to decorate and Cam had wanted to help. "Are you sure you don't want me to keep Jake?"

"No, it's fine. I am going to stop in Kelly's and meet with Kelly Lee and Lainey then maybe pick up some of Cam's favorite cookies." Elizabeth said as she got back into her vehicle, waving at her son as she backed out of the driveway.

Across town, she saw that there were very few cars near the studio as she carried Jake up and soon had the door unlocked. Calling Jason, she asked him to meet her that she had the drawing of the Great Pumpkin. When he said he would be right there, she waited and watched as eighteen-month-old Jake gleefully drove his yellow rubber motorcycle around the room.

Jason quickly left the warehouse and walked towards the studio building never seeing the dark sedan arriving. The large man getting out of the back seat saw the man nor knew that he had followed him.

Jason knocked on the door then quickly entered, making sure to shut it behind him even as he saw Elizabeth and their son. His heart stopped for a moment when Jake looked up and smiled then went back to playing with his toys. "Hi."

"Hi, look, I know that you want to keep Jake separated from you, but... It's just, he is starting to remember things, starting to figure out who people are by their faces. I just..." Elizabeth's voice trailed off as she found it impossible to say that she just wanted her son to recognize his father, to not think of him as a stranger.

Sinking onto his knees, Jason sat there, playing for several minutes with Jake as he became even more determined to fix things, to regain his family.

He had been doing some thinking on recent events and had come to realize that the chaos now going on had been created by Sonny not wanting to lose power, but that was fixable.

There were other distractions in his life, but in truth, they were diversions to keep him from feeling all alone when everyone else had a family, a real life. Things that were going to have to be changed, people who were going to have to accept he was making changes or they would be left out of his life.

An hour later, he stood, pressed a kiss to Elizabeth's forehead then whispered that there was no way he was going to be a stranger to their children, then took the folded piece of paper and left the rundown studio.

The man waiting, watching saw Morgan leave with what looked like a very determined expression on his face, then about ten minutes later a beautiful woman exited carrying a toddler with a set of very distinctive eyes.

With a thoughtful expression, the man went back to his car and had it take him back to where he was staying. Getting answers, he stood and began to pace back and forth as he debated what to do.

Jason thanked the seamstress who assured him that it would be tight time wise but that she would have the costume ready by Friday night. Jason then found the perfect pumpkin patch to begin setting up for Cam's visit.

Returning home to the penthouse, he wasn't at all happy to see Spinelli sitting on the sofa with Sam who quickly said that she had come over to get his help with something she was investigating with Lucky.

"You came to Spinelli for help with a computer problem for Lucky. That's odd." He replied and seeing Spinelli's affronted expression, Jason knew he had to backpedal a bit for now and said "Its not a slight on you, Spinelli. However, Lucky used to be pretty good with a computer himself. I wonder what happened to those skills he had."

Sam didn't know what to say, Lucky had said he could do the research but Sam had used needing the answers as an excuse to visit Spinelli and therefore Jason. She had had no idea he knew that Lucky had any computer skills.

When she had left, Jason thought about his present for Spinelli and said to the computer geek. "I would have thought that Maxie would be here tonight if you still need nursing help."

"She is, she ran home to get herself some clothes for tomorrow," Spinelli said as he grinned at the idea of his potential girlfriend returning.

Okay, have you had dinner?" When the boy said no, Jason ordered pizza and bided his time. The pizza arrived and Maxie returned.

With that, Jason asked her if she would be around in the morning. When the surprised blond said, of course, Jason looked at the two of them and said "Good, I have a surprise I have been setting up for Spinelli and I am sure he is going to want your help taking care of some things."

"A surprise, for me?" Spinelli asked.

"Yes, who knows maybe both Lulu and Maxie can help you. I will see you two in the morning around eight." Jason said then went up the stairs and locking his door went to bed.

---

Elizabeth tucked both boys into bed, read them their nightly bedtime story then went to her own room thinking on her visit with Jason. She had been hard on him the other day, but she had been so angry after hearing Sam talking to Maxie about spending time with Jason, after hearing Spinelli telling Maxie about the almost wedding to Claudia.

She was so tired of being last on everyone's list and was beginning to feel like she was nothing more than an obligation to Jason. She had taken it out on the father of her son, but no more.

She looked back with regret at how she had handled things, especially now when she had finally realized that she had been manipulated by Lucky into denying her son his true parentage.

She had come to realize that yes, Jason put Carly, Michael and Sonny first, even Sam and Spinelli but she had never given him a reason not to. She had believed that he would have automatically put his own child first, yet it was clear she had also not told him that after her children, he was the most important person in her life.

That had been her fault, her mistake and while she was worried about how things would fall out with his son, with Cam, she was going to give him a chance to be a dad.

If things went badly, she was seriously considering getting out of Port Charles, there was no way she was going to let her sons see how others were more important than they were to the very people that should be putting them first.

---

It was morning and Maxie saw the uneasy expression on Spinelli's face and asked: "What is wrong?"

"My master has been acting oddly all week. I went to look at the camera feed to find out why, but I saw nothing out of the ordinary except for the ending of the illusion for the stalwart guard's father." Spinelli replied a bit confused.

He had seen the visit by Cam Webber to the coffee shop where the little boy had disappeared. He didn't think that was connected because the bathrooms were also back in that hallway. Besides, Stone Cold didn't visit his own son, why would he bother with the Maternal One's fatherless older son.

Sam grinned at Lucky then said she would talk to Spinelli. Her partner hadn't been able to crack the codes for the Russian warehouse computers, it looks like she really would need to go visit Spinelli and of course make sure Jason saw that she was working to help solve his problem.

Carly was gleeful as she listened to Jason's thanks as she looked around the apartment she had been decorating. When she reluctantly left, Jason took the elevator back to the penthouse and saw that Spinelli and Maxie were seated on the sofa, waiting for him.

"Shall we?" He said indicating for them to follow him. Once they were on the lower floor, he unlocked the door and opened it with a bit of a flourish, grimacing as he did so, but wanting to make sure that there was no doubt what was going on.

"What is this place?" Spinelli asked as they entered the apartment. "Why are we here?"

"I think that this is your surprise," Maxie said looking around the nicely decorated and fairly large apartment.

"Is this for the office we discussed Stone Cold?" Spinelli asked truly not getting it.

"No, this is your apartment," Jason said with a slight smile on his face. "I was thinking about it and realized that you have been stuck living in that pink bedroom for almost eighteen months and since I made a promise to Brenda to never change it, I thought how do I take care of things for you. So, this is my answer. Your own place. Not a single shade of pink in sight."

"But Stone Cold, I have come to appreciate the pink bedroom." He said as he began to realize that Jason was not going to be letting him live with him anymore.

"Appreciate isn't loving it," Jason said with a gentle push of encouragement at the boy. "Here you have your own living room and kitchen to stock with as much orange soda and chips as you desire. You can have company over without having to censor who it is. Maxie, your father won't have to worry about being upset at you hanging around my place."

"But what about security?" Spinelli protested as he began to panic if he wasn't living with Stone Cold, how could he protect his master from those who would try to manipulate him like the Maternal One and his parental unit. The Dr. Q had been stopping by recently and he had been assured by the goddess that that wasn't what Stone Cold would want.

"It's going to be fine. This floor is for the exclusive use of my guards. There is a maid that they share who comes in twice a month. Carly began decorating it for you almost two months ago but with everything going on regarding Michael, she just finished it." Jason said then told Spinelli.

"I have arranged for several of the guards to be at the penthouse today so that we can get you moved in and Maxie, I told Carly to leave the guest room alone for you to finish. There are the basics in there but the rest is up to you. I have arranged for a debit card so that you can finish it up."

"But sir, master, you will be all alone in that huge penthouse. Or what if you need your grasshopper." Spinelli said as his desperation grew at the idea of being apart from his master.

"Spinelli, you are only a few floors down and we both know that I am rarely at the penthouse. Its one of the reasons I felt you needed your own place. How large the penthouse is, how alone you must feel when I am not there." With that, Jason suggested that they return upstairs and pack up Spinelli's belongings.

An hour later, the guards were heading down the service elevator with the geek's junk and Cody had made sure that his own personal security measures were in place, he didn't trust the geek as far as he could throw him.

Sam entered the penthouse just in time to see Spinelli reluctantly offering up his key to Jason and was not sure what was going on.

"Its fine, Spinelli, keep the key," Jason said not telling him that he was having the locks changed over the next few days. Seeing Sam, he asked if there was something they could do for her.

"I am actually here to see Spinelli." She said trying to act nonchalant.

"Oh, well good, this is perfect timing. I gave Spinelli one of the guard penthouses. Thanks to your perfect timing this way you won't have to come up all the way to see him anymore. You will already know he is living on the guard's floor." Jason said.

Looking at his watch, Jason said to Spinelli. "Why don't you take Sam down, show her your new place. I have to head out."

With that, all three were on the elevator and on seven, a now silent Spinelli and an inwardly frantic Sam got off. "Goddess, what may the Jackal do for you today?"

Gulping, Sam asked him for his help and they were soon in his apartment, Maxie filled Sam in on Jason's surprise and how Carly had helped and she got that this wasn't some spur of the moment gift, that Jason had been planning this for a while.

Jason walked into the garage and crossed distancing Spinelli off from his list. He had no doubt as to how Elizabeth had heard about his stupidity regarding Claudia and had begun to realize that all it would take was a woman to get Spinelli to spill his guts and thereby endanger his business.

He had arranged for a new man to be hired, one who was damn good with computers and that Cody had known for years. He had passed the background check, had even been vetted by a long-gone old friend so Jason knew damn well that he wasn't a worry.

At the office, he asked the man to look into Mr. Spinelli AKA the Jackal's online activities and the man promised him a report later that day before getting to work. No fuss no muss.

Up next, dealing with getting some distance from Lucky Spencer and hopefully Sam. With a chuckle, he thought about his old friend's sarcastic suggestion and after a moment thought why not. If it was good enough to work for Luke, why not his son.

A few calls later Jason was setting up his alibi as he began to read the research his new IT guy had come up with regarding Michael's coma.

---

Elizabeth was at the Halloween store with the two boys as they picked out their costumes. Cam was already sure what he wanted to be, but he was insisting on helping pick out Jake's costume and seemed to be unable to make up his mind.

When he bit his lip, then looked between the biker costume and the Ninja turtle, Elizabeth waited, then laughed when instead of either of them, Cam turned and picked up the third costume and said: "Mommy, Jake wants to be a race car driver."

"Does he really?" She asked and held the small outfit up in front of Jake and laughed when instead he reached for the Ninja turtle outfit. "Sorry Cam, but it looks like your little brother wants to be a turtle."

Cam shrugged then holding onto his own costume, walked beside his mom to the counter to pay then realized horrified that they hadn't gotten their mom a costume. Elizabeth laughed then said she had already gotten hers and soon had paid for the two small costumes.

"Mommy, what are you going to go trick or treating as?" Cam asked.

Elizabeth laughed as she put Jake in his car seat and helped Cam into his booster. Ruffling Cam's hair, she said: "I am going as a fairy godmother."

---

Jason saw Spinelli seated in the coffee shop, clearly looking upset and waited, letting the geek come to him. When he did, the mobster took the geek to the back and listened as he said "Master, I have been searching for the Goddess to give her the data she requested, however, I have been unable to locate her. I fear that your enemies have grabbed her."

Jason sighed then with a gesture towards the chair, suggested that Spinelli sit down. "I am sure that Sam is just fine. I saw Nik earlier, he mentioned that Lucky and Sam borrowed his jet for a quick trip out west. I am sure that when they return, she will show up, looking for whatever she had you looking into."

Spinelli smiled at his master then asked if there was anything he could do to help him.

"No, things have settled down. Why don't you head over to see if Maxie or Lulu have some need of you." Jason suggested then when the geek had left, he called his man and said: "How did things go?"

"They woke up, its been pretty quiet in the room. No shouting, no complaints just nothing so they might not have noticed." Kurt said. "All we can hear is them eating breakfast."

"Keep an eye on them. Let me know what happens." He replied then went to his meeting with Johnny Zachara. A two-hour meeting followed after which, Jason went to speak to Carly.

"I have found a doctor who can help Michael." It was all he needed to say as he looked at the blond and her husband who had joined them. "I am going to delay speaking to Sonny, to give you a chance to decide what to do."

"Of course we want Michael to have the surgery," Carly replied with a wide grin on her face at the idea of saving her son. "I would do anything to protect my son."

"Are you sure?" Jason asked wanting her to say the words so that when things finally happened, he had her own words to trap her with.

"Nothing, nothing is more important than getting Michael well." She assured him unknowingly playing into his hands as he explained that they could arrange the surgery almost immediately.

Carly was about to throw herself into his arms when Jax asked: "Is the doctor on the way here?"

"No, unfortunately, the surgery is illegal here in the states. Its why I haven't mentioned it to Sonny, he might try to stop Carly from taking Michael out of the country." Jason replied.

"Can't we bring the doctor here?" Carly asked a bit uneasy at the idea of taking Michael out of the country, then realized how fortunate it would be to be away from Port Charles.

Jason would be parted from Elizabeth and she could work on him, make him realize that the nurse was not the one for him and that he needed to have custody of his son.

When Carly suddenly began thanking him, Jason was very careful to not tell her that he wasn't going. Jax noticed but didn't say anything when Jason suggested that she pack up what was needed to leave town for her family and herself. That he would meet her at the airport.

As dusk fell, Patrick was guiding the gurney onto the medical jet that Jason had chartered as Carly watched on. Patrick was flying with them to Australia where the operation was to be performed.

Watching as Morgan was seated by Mercedes, as Jax spoke to the doctor about Michael's condition, Carly looked around then assumed Jason was going to get on at the last moment, instead the jet door was vacuumed sealed. "Wait, Jason isn't on board."

"Morgan didn't say anything about going with us, Carly," Patrick replied. "He asked me to report how things went with the neurosurgeon when I had spoken to him."

"There is no way that Jason would let us go without him. He would want to be with us." Carly replied hotly then picking up the jet phone, called Jason's cell phone number.

"Morgan." She heard.

"Jason, are you joining us later." She asked as she realized he had to stay behind temporarily, at least so that he could tell Sonny, but surely he would join them immediately afterward.

"No, Carly you wanted me to take over so that it was safe for Morgan and you to remain in town. So that Sonny was no longer the man in charge. I can't just leave town." He pointed out.

"But- Michael- needs you." She said almost in shock. "Besides, Sonny wants back in. You should just give it back and come with us. Michael and I need you."

"Carly you have Jax. You don't need me. And no, I am not giving Sonny back the business." He said firmly then placating her, hung up a few minutes later.

Chucking to himself as he made the call that assured that Carly couldn't return to Port Charles without going to jail for at least a year. Relaxing as he crossed Carly off his list of troublemakers.

Two hours later, he got the call that told him Johnny was now in charge of the Zachara family businesses. Sonny was on the outside and thanks to a call he had gotten from Maximus who felt he owed him for what his son had done, with no chance of getting back in unless Jason foolishly gave him back his business.

Friday dawned and Elizabeth hoped that Jason kept his promise to Cam as her son was excited by the idea of visiting the pumpkin patch that evening.

Her 6 AM to 2 PM shift over, she soon had the two boys changed into their costumes and showed them off to Epiphany and Robin who was rubbing her back, wishing that she had already gone into labor.

"Oh, you two are just adorable." Monica cooed as she looked at Jake wearing a Ninja Turtle outfit and Cam's costume. She frowned for a moment as she looked at the familiar outfit but didn't place it at first until she suddenly got it. "Cam, are you supposed to be a GI Joe?"

"Yup, just like Cody at the coffee house, but Mom wouldn't let me shave my head." He said a bit pouty. "I really wanted to paint my face with green stripes too."

"Cam, there is no way that you are going to shave your head." His mom said with a slight frown.

"But Mom, my hair is all curly. It tangles a lot." He said with a sigh as he ran his hands through his hair.

Monica's lips twitched along with the other staff members nearby as Elizabeth tried to reason with Cam who clearly felt she was being unreasonable.

"If I got gum in my hair you would let me cut it." He said under his breath but unfortunately, Elizabeth heard and mentally vowed to make sure that Cam didn't get a hold of any gum for a while until she had reasoned with him.

"So, what are your plans for the rest of the day?" Monica asked hoping to ferret it out the pumpkin patch so that she could join in on the fun.

"Wes is going trick or treating then Jake is going to be staying with great grams. I get to go visit the Great Pumpkin." Cam said excitedly as he grinned at the older woman who asked where he was going to see him. "I don't know, I haven't found out yet."

"Oh. Well, have fun." Monica said as she felt a sense of disappointment as the small family walked away. With a sigh, she went back to work, her mind on how much Jake reminded her of Jason. She sometimes wondered if maybe, just maybe Elizabeth hadn't told her grams the truth about Jake's paternity.

Hearing Sonny demanding to know where his son was, she grimaced as she listened to Robin trying to calm him down as she explained that Carly and Jax had taken Michael to a specialist.

"Why didn't anyone tell me about this?" Sonny was demanding as he glared at the hospital staff that was standing around watching him. "Robin, how could you not tell me what is going on?"

"Sonny, you gave up custody of Michael and Morgan, so the hospital isn't required to inform you of what is going on. I only know what Patrick told me when he returned this morning. There is a specialist who can help Michael but since it is not approved here in the states, they took Michael to the specialist." With that, Robin walked away, then turned to say "Jason knew about it, I assumed he told you."

---

Sam entered the DA's office and grimaced when she saw Jerry Jacks in with her mother. "Mom, I need a few minutes."

Jerry leered and when he was at the door, dropped a bombshell. "So, Sam, I heard you married Spencer. I have to admit, I wasn't expecting that. I rather thought that you would still be chasing after Morgan."

When Jerry had left, Alexis looked at her daughter and said: "Why didn't you tell me that Lucky and you were getting married?"

"We didn't plan on it. Somehow the case that Lucky was investigating landed us in Vegas married. I need you to get it annulled." Sam said as she sank into the chair opposite her mother.

"On what grounds?" Alexis asked. When Sam couldn't give her anything she could legally use, she told Sam it would have to be a divorce. "That will take a bit longer about three weeks."

"That's fine, but can we keep this quiet," Sam asked before letting Alexis know that she was going to be with Spinelli that evening.

Alexis wanted to ask what was it going to take for her daughter to realize that Jason wasn't going to take her back, but before she could Sam had left then suddenly returned and said excitedly to cancel her divorce that she had just thought about and wanted to stay married.

When her other two daughters called later, saying that they had heard the guards talking while at Kelly's about a pumpkin patch and the Great Pumpkin, Alexis quickly agreed to their plan to go. "Do you know where it is?"

"No, but surely Max will tell you," Kristina said hopefully as she watched Viola help Molly put on her costume.

Alexis reluctantly called the guard who said he had no idea what her daughter was talking about. "Would you find out, please. Kristina heard a few of the warehouse guards speaking about it at Kelly's today."

"Alexis, those are Jason's people, they might not tell me anything." He warned then went to make the call and was quickly informed he was correct and that he was banned from the warehouse after Sonny's rather apocalyptic visit that afternoon regarding Michael.

Worried about his boss, Max quickly called Alexis back and told the lawyer that the men hadn't revealed anything before heading to Sonny's. Listening as his boss paced back and forth, angry about Jason's refusal to let him back into his own business, Max stayed silent, well aware that if he did anything foolish, he would be joining Milo on a jet flight home.

Jason reminded the guards that Sonny wasn't allowed in the warehouse anymore then saw a man standing off to the side while another one was practically twitching as he avoided looking at his boss. "What is it?"

"Thompson, here screwed up today. First, he was the guard who let Sonny in." The foreman said with a glare at the man who clearly couldn't obey a simple order. "Then while at the diner for lunch, he along with two other guards were talking about your plans for this evening."

Swearing under his breath, Jason looked at the two men then heard a third one join in on the conversation and was now truly angry as he fired the man. "Cody, is there time to set this up at another pumpkin patch?"

"No, look, Jason, it will be fine. I will keep an eye out for Sonny, you just worry about Cam." He said knowing how important this evening was to his boss.

Thinking on the Zachara family and how Claudia was a loose cannon, he asked Cody to find out what she was up to.

Cody called Sean who said "She is with Lansing in Martha's Vineyard, they are furious about losing the business, but unlike Sonny, their plan involves killing Trevor. Sonny showed up last night, it was typical Corinthos bravado, but he is a paper tiger. Max was warned off by his dad, Milo isn't skillful enough to do what is needed and the men all went with Johnny, most of them were furious about the old man's plans with Sonny."

"Thanks, if anything changes..." Cody let the rest go, knowing that Sean was capable of doing his job without explicit orders. Going to the office, he waited until their new IT guy had given Jason assurances regarding Sonny then turned on the listening devices and with a grin, had an idea.

Once his boss had left, Cody waited until Sam had gone to see her mother at her house then called Alexis and said "Alexis, our men mentioned that Kristina was interested in the Pumpkin Patch. It's on old Route 17. There will be hay rides and of course a bonfire."

Cody hung up a few minutes later, then made sure that Spinelli thought that Jason was on his way to the event. "Well, that should keep Sam and the geek out of our hair this evening."

There was an event on the old Wingate farm, but it was being sponsored by the Take Back the Night, a very conservative political group that felt the world was going to seed. He hoped that the girls would have a good time because he was sure that Sam and her mother wouldn't.

---

Jason watched as Elizabeth dressed in a pink dress with netting covering the skirt carrying a large wand with a star on it directed her boys up the steps of yet another house.

He didn't understand the appeal of trick or treating but the boys and their mom looked like they were having a great time as they held out the bag for yet another piece of candy. He watched as Cam tried to rush ahead but stopped at the oak tree when he realized his mom was not quite there yet.

With a slight smile, Jason saw that Cam went up the next steps then quickly greeted the older woman sitting on the porch, then answering her question made the woman laugh before she handed him a piece of candy for each of the boys. When Cam thanked her, he saw the way Elizabeth smiled her approval then thanked the woman herself but turned down the small brightly wrapped piece the woman had tried to offer her.

Jason knew how much Elizabeth loved candy so he was amused at the scene repeated itself several times during the evening. Deciding that she deserved a treat for being a good mom, he looked at his watch, then mentally timed his errand.

Finding there was enough time, he sped off and went to the nearest grocery store. Exiting the store with a large grocery bag and a bright orange bag like the boys had been holding, Jason sat in the SUV and ripped open the bags until he had dumped every single one package into the container. Driving to Elizabeth's house, he went to stick in on the porch but back off when he saw Robin and Patrick Drake there instead.

Getting out of the SUV, curious as to what was going on, he greeted the couple then asked: "Why are you handing out candy at Elizabeth's house?"

"She felt bad that she wasn't going to be here for the local kids to get candy from, so she talked us into being her substitutes," Drake replied then seeing Robin's cheek growing suspiciously large from the corner of his eye, reached out and removed the candy dish from the pregnant brunette. "The problem has been that Robin seems to not realize that it is for the kids."

Jason saw the pout on Robin's face then chuckling said "And here Elizabeth is being so good. I saw her refusing candy from several other parents."

"If you saw Elizabeth was out trick or treating with the boys, why are you here?" Robin asked after swallowing her bite-sized piece of snickers.

"I was going to drop something off," Jason said then looking at his watch, realized he didn't have time. "Robin, do you have the keys to Elizabeth's place?"

"Yes but I am not going to just let you in, Jason." She said with a bit of a scowl. When he just shook his head then returned to his large vehicle, she saw the oversized satchel and the overflowing candy. "I will make you a deal, I will let you put that inside if you share with me."

"No time, here you put it in for me." He said handing it over to the man who stood next to her. Then finding the last bag of candy that he hadn't had room for, he tossed it at Robin and said: "Here, eat these."

Looking at the bag of Oh Henry bars, Robin tore it open and then looked up to thank Jason but he was already backing out to of the driveway and heading down the street.

Patrick looked at the huge candy bag and then with a shrug took it inside, curious as to why Morgan felt it was necessary to bring this much candy into a house where the two little boys had been trick or treating all night.

Jason stopped in front of Kelly's and was about to get out of his truck when he saw Elizabeth crossing the parking lot with an excited Cameron.

Looking around, he saw that Jake wasn't there and she quickly explained that her grams was keeping Jake for the night while Elizabeth went to the hospital. "When Cam and you are finished if you want you may drop him off there. I am going to volunteer to scan candy."

"To what?"

Seeing his confusion, Elizabeth explained that the hospital annually offered to check candy for foreign objects inside. Jason wanted to ask why she would take the boys out trick or treating if that was a threat but when her phone rang, he let it go, deciding he would ask her later.

Cam was excited, not only had he gotten to go trick or treating but now he would get to visit with the Great Pumpkin or at least someone dressed up as the Great Pumpkin, hopefully, he would be able to pass his wish on to the real wizard so that Cam could get what he wanted most in this world.

Jason smiled at Cam who was seated in the middle of the back seat and asked how his evening had gone so far. "Mommy wouldn't let me eat any of my candy earlier, she never does but we had fun. We got to eat pizza for dinner and have pop. Mom never lets us have that, she says it will make our teeth rot. Then we went trick or treating and it was lots of fun. I can't wait 'til Jakie is old enough to walk with me though, it will be lots more fun. We saw my friend Freddy, he was dressed as Spiderman, but his web thing wouldn't work."

"Your mom said you wanted to be bald like Cody." He stated.

"Yes, but Mom said no face paint and no cutting off all my hair." Cam said sounding a bit bummed then with a happier expression said: "Guess what, Jason?"

Before he could even answer, Cam said "Lucky got married, I heard grams say that that was good news because it meant he would stop annoying my mom about getting backs together. That she hoped he and the blowup doll would be very happy together. That she hopes it means Elizabeth, I think she meant my mom, not my classmate Elizabeth would finally be free of the Spencers, well except for Jake being his son."

Jason hid his laughter, in spite of Sam and Lucky's attempts to keep their 'marriage' quiet, it was all over the place thanks to the well-placed message that had Jerry Jacks and Maxie Jones hearing about it.

"Anyhows, Grams friend Gail said that it was a shame that Jake was a Spencer and Grams said that she wishes it weren't so but that the only other possible candidate wasn't much better, that he had some nasty and infected boils attached to his butt and that they had gotten larger over the last few years. Also that he had a bad reputation. Jason, what are boils?"

Jason wasn't sure how to answer, but simply said they were infected cuts as he mentally chuckled at the idea of Sonny as a boil let alone Carly.

"Oh," Cam said then went silent before suddenly saying. "Well whoever this is should go see my mommy, she has all sorts of medicines for getting rid of icky stuff like that. She would clear it up in no time."

"I agree," Jason said as they arrived at the large farm where he had arranged for Kurt to show up in costume in an hour. "So, where should we wait for this friend of yours?"

Looking around the field, Jason saw Cam pointing to a distant spot then heard him asking if Jason could carry his backpack. "I's have a blanket so we aren't sitting on the ground."

Jason followed Cam to the spot and checked it over carefully as they spread the blanket out and sat down. Cam looked around then saw Jason had something in his hands. "Jason, what time is it, cause the Great Pumpkin isn't supposed to be here until he is ready to."

"We have a bit of time. So, why do you want to see the Great Pumpkin, Cam." Jason asked expecting to hear that Cam wanted a toy or something similar as he leaned back against the tree behind him and stretched out his legs.

When Cam moved so that he was sitting directly facing Jason, then crossed his legs and putting his elbows on his knees, Jason found it hard not to laugh at the serious expression on his face.

As the little boy propped his chin upon his fist, Jason listened as he sighed then said "Good question. See, I know that I want to talk to him but it is very important to ask for the right wish."

"If you could have anything, what would you want, Cam?" Jason asked softly.

"Well, lots of things." He reluctantly said. "I want Mommy to be happy and not to have to work so hard."

Stunned at the words out of a five-year-olds mouth, Jason gulped as Cam spoke of how much Elizabeth worked not only at her job but at home. "I also want Jakie to get bigger but Mommy said that will happen at some point. I really want a dog, but Mommy said not right now. I want to draw with Mommy more."

Jason found himself unable to resist lifting Cam and placing him on his knee as the little boy continued to ramble on. "I really want Lucky to be happy with his blow-up doll because I really, really don't like that Sam woman. Her smiles don't reach her eyes and she looked at Jake really strange all the time."

A few minutes passed then Cam said softly "I also want Miss Georgie and my aunt Emily backs but I don't think that the Great Pumpkin can do that. I know Santa can't cause I asked."

The lump in Jason's throat grew as he listened to the little boy talk about his babysitter and his aunt, unaware that Emily was Jason's sister. "And well, you can't tell Mommy this because she gets sad when Lucky says stuff but I really really wish Lucky wasn't Jakie's daddy. And that Mommy would find a nice new daddy who would have time for us and would play with us."

Jason fought his instinct which was to assure Cam that he would get his wish, as he watched the little boy fall silent again then begin to speak. "See, its hard to choose one thing and Mommy is always saying we can't be greedy. And I am not sure what the Great Pumpkin can and can't do."

The man who had been carefully approaching in the costume was about to make his grand entrance when Jason's phone rang.

Jason looked at the caller ID and when he saw it said Spinelli, turned it to vibrate and looked around to see the large man wearing the costume nearby along with Cody who was there for security.

The phone rang again, this time the vibrations making Cam laugh as he said: "Someone wants to talk to you really, really bad, Jason."

"They can wait, we have a great pumpkin to meet." He assured Cam as he found it hard not to look towards the costumed man heading their way.

"Are you sure?" Cam asked then whispered softly to Jason. "Cause I am not so sure he will come. I was bad this year and he shows himself only to good boys."

"I am sure. Cam, I can't imagine anyone else that the Great Pumpkin would visit over you." He replied as he went to turn the little boy around.

Hearing his phone vibrating before he even felt it, Jason was getting annoyed when he saw Cody doing some weird movement with his hands. Looking around for the danger, he was about to grab Cam and run when he heard Cam gasp and point behind Jason.

"It's the Great Pumpkin, Jason!" He shouted excitedly but before he got to greet the orange pumpkin the skies opened up and rain began to fall. When the pumpkin rushed off, Jason was vowing to threaten the man but found that Cam was thrilled to have just seen the man.

"Jason, did you see that it was the great pumpkin." He said excitedly even as Jason lifted him and the blanket they had been seated on.

Once in the back seat of the SUV, Jason reached to grab the bag he regularly kept there and pulled out the towel from inside. Drying Cam off as best as he could, he said: "I am sorry that you didn't get to speak to the Great Pumpkin Cam."

"It's okay, Jason. I just wanted to see him." The little boy said with a satisfied smile. "'sides, this way I don't have to decide what to ask him for. Thank you."

Hugging Jason tightly, he felt the bigger man's arms go around him and felt the strength of his embrace as he sighed then said: "Jason, are you married?"

Pulling back, Jason looked at Cam and said "No."

"Would you wants to be? Cause I think you would make a really great dad and you and Mommy are already friends so would you marry my mommy and be Jakie and my new daddy cause I really would love it."

"Me too, Cam." He said his voice husky as he sat there holding the little boy who should have been biologically his son. The chance of having him still as his, gave Jason chills as he found his heart almost exploding as Cam went on and on about all of what he considered his mom's assets.

Jason saw Cam shivering and realized that it was more than likely getting cold so he helped Cam climb into the front seat then eased over the seat himself before pulling out the keys and starting the truck so that they could have heat.

"Thanks, Jason." Cam said as he slowly got warm then said "I guess I should tell you that Mommy also makes you eat all your vegetable and you can't just cut your hair whenever you want. She also makes sure to check behind my ear for dirt. Too."

The warmth had invaded the tired little boy's body and he slowly drifted off to sleep as he curled up against Jason. The blond grimaced at the unsafeness of what he was about to do, but he put the middle seat belt around him and slowly started to drive towards town.

Arriving at the hospital parking lot, he saw Cody pulling in behind him and the man walked up to Jason's truck. Rolling down the window, he listened as Cody announced that Kurt had sprained his ankle when he fell down and that they had to get him checked out.

"I will call Elizabeth and wait out here with Cam until she is free to go home," Jason said then after checking to make sure Cam was still asleep, watched as the large guard still dressed in his costume was helped into the ER doors.

Elizabeth was about to head out for the night. They had had a good night, no dangerous candy had been found, the lunatics that usually came out on the holidays were apparently staying inside...

"Elizabeth-" Turning to see Lucky standing there, she muttered to herself that apparently not all of them as she asked what Lucky needed.

"I was working but just got off. I was hoping to see you and the boys tonight." He said. "I waited at the station with candy to give them for almost two hours. I thought I would go home with you and give it to them tonight."

"Lucky it's almost midnight. The boys are fast asleep." She pointed out and was about to exit when she heard Alexis complaining to someone as they entered the hospital from the ER doors. When Lucky crossed over to the group standing there, Elizabeth was almost able to escape until Nik called out to her asking for her help with the now hobbling Sam.

"Sam lets get you into a room." She said as impersonally as possible then quickly left and got help for the idiotic woman who admitted going to some Halloween party in a field dressed in heels.

"I was surprised not to see you with the boys tonight," Alexis said as she followed Elizabeth to the hub. "I was hoping that I could see the boys for a bit. After all, Cam's father was once my client and now that Sam is Jake's stepmother..."

Elizabeth waited until the nurse there had arranged for a doctor to see Sam, then pulled Alexis off to the waiting room. "Alexis, you have never once mentioned Cam's name to me without it being part of my divorce from Lucky, so don't you dare mention Zander. As for Sam being Jake's stepmother, let's get one thing straight. I don't care if she is married to Lucky, the last thing that is going to happen is your daughter being anywhere near my children."

When she saw Alexis' affronted expression, Elizabeth gave a mirthless chuckle and then filled her in on all that had happened. "So, you see, your daughter watched a mentally disturbed woman kidnap my son and then came to tell me that it made us the same. Then hired two men to attack us in the park. Why on earth would I ever let Sam be Jake's stepmother?"

"How do I know you are telling the truth?" Alexis asked.

"Ask Jason, or better yet, ask Sam, ask her all about her moments of weakness and how instead of being woman enough to go after me, she went after two children," Elizabeth whispered angrily. "Now, Lucky refused to do anything about it and unfortunately I stupidly let things go, but I truly felt that Sam was using Lucky and never expected them to get married."

"There is no way that Lucky and Sam are going to be playing happy families with my sons," Elizabeth said firmly.

"Clearly you are bitter at Lucky finally jumping off this roller coaster of a relationship the two of you have had but that is no reason to deny your son a relationship with his father," Alexis said.

"Alexis, you are a fool but I have no intention of being one. If you want to let Sam near your daughters, after keeping Sonny away, you did marry Ric who is even worse, after all, that is your business. If you want to forgive your daughter for sleeping with your husband, that is your right to forgive her moments of weakness."

"Well, we will just see about that." Alexis huffed as she warned Elizabeth that she would be sure to make sure Lucky knew she was refusing to let Sam near his son. "After all you were hanging around with Jason Morgan and were seen publicly hugging him after his trial. The man you committed adultery with."

"As a mother, I have to do what is right for my children and frankly you should know, I contacted Diane already about terminating Lucky's parental rights, Alexis. I would speak to your client, he has been playing least insight with me for the last few days, he knows what is going on and is trying to pretend it isn't happening. Well its too late for that now. Now if you will excuse me, I have to head home."

With that, Elizabeth's knees were trembling as she left the hospital, hoping that she had done the right thing. Her awakening the other day had been an eye-opener and she was going to stick to her guns.

In the parking lot, Cody who had followed her outside pointed out the large dark SUV waiting off in the distance and within minutes, Elizabeth was climbing up beside Jason and holding Cam as they headed to her place.

When her son was being carried inside, half awake, Elizabeth was calling her grams who assured her that Jake was already in bed and fast asleep. "I will be over first thing tomorrow Grams, to pick him up."

Hanging up, she saw Jason returning downstairs carrying Cam's now ruined costume and smiled as he took in Elizabeth's own messed up outfit. She was wearing scrubs but still had the glitter from her costume in her hair and on her face. "You look so beautiful."

Blushing she asked, "So how went the Great Pumpkin hunt?"

"It was- well I am not really sure what to tell you about that." He said explaining what had happened in the last few minutes. "Anyhow, Kurt had sprained his ankle so Cam didn't get to see him, but he seemed happy."

Elizabeth was about to ask him if he wanted some coffee when she saw the bright orange bag filled with candy and moved towards it. "I guess that Robin forgot this."

"No, that is for you." He said slightly flushed as he walked over to where she was poking around inside. "I saw you being a good mom and refusing candy earlier so I just decided-"

"To give me enough to last me for a year." She said with a chuckle and then looking at Jason said: "Still such an original gift giver."

Reaching out, he gently pulled her into his arms and said softly "There is one thing we have to talk about."

"Let me guess the danger speech?" She asked almost bitter as she looked at him.

"No, though, there will always be a danger, Elizabeth." He warned then said, "No, see, I was wondering where my ring is?"

"What ring?" She asked totally confused.

"Cam, while we were on the farm proposed to me, as your proxy and I said yes, so you have to buy me a ring." He said softly and when he saw her begin to pull away, stopped her and pressed a kiss to her lips. "I have proposed three times, meant each and every single one of them. You have only said once yes, but each time, I meant it with my whole heart. Even when I stupidly gave into my fears. Cam's request to go with him, he asked me because he felt safe with me. I want to know if you can find it within you to feel safe with me."

"My physical safety yes." She said. "With the boys, safety yes at least physically. It's the emotional and mental damage of your life I am worried about. Not your job, your life, Jason."

"I know and I am working on it. Now I would like us to work on it together." He said pressing a kiss to her forehead then leading her to the sofa. "I did suggest marriage to Claudia, it was idiotic, I was trying to prevent a war and for some stupid reason seemed to forget that if I married her, it meant I would be her husband. I just wanted to spike Sonny and you know what, I regret that so much. It was beyond stupid."

"It hurt, Jason. It felt worse than when you told me you would try and mere weeks later had moved on with Courtney." She told him softly.

"I know." He said as he held her tightly. "Even worse was that instead of me telling you-you had to hear about it from the woman who slept with your husband and blames you for his dumping her."

"It did, but to be truthful, it's not the first time that someone in your life has done that to me. Told me that you were with another woman and telling me that is where you wanted to be. I was beginning to be jealous of Sam if you can believe it."

"You don't have any worries, Elizabeth. I will always regret my past mistakes and now realize that my mistakes were out of fear of losing you and yet... Yet I lost you anyhow. I won't let that happen again."

Seated together, they talked most of the night and it was almost dawn when Elizabeth asked him to go with Cam and her to pick up Jake. "I want to tell my grams the truth. I think that we also have to tell Monica."

"I agree," Jason said softly while chuckling as he inwardly kicked his own rear as he realized he had created a way for Lucky to go for custody of Jake and for Sam to be near Elizabeth's and his son.

That very morning, a resigned Audrey listened to her granddaughter then looked at Jason and said: "I wish I could say that I am happy about this, but I will admit to not being truly surprised."

"Mrs. Hardy, one more thing..." Jason wasn't sure how to tell her this but felt he had to warn her. "Uh, Cam overheard you talking to Gail Baldwin, that you described Lucky's new wife as a blowup doll then what else was said."

"Oh dear." Audrey turned bright pink as she recalled the conversation. "I thought he was asleep."

"He likes to play possum," Elizabeth said ruefully. "It is a new trick he discovered."

"I will have to watch my words around him," Audrey promised then admitted to her granddaughter. "I will have to say that I wasn't lying. I am grateful that you are over this mess with Lucky."

"The thing is, Grams. I was over it when he returned from the dead. I let old feelings for the past and those around me, push me into something that should have died a quiet death a long time ago." She said with a frown.

"I am sorry my dear," Audrey replied then saw Jason going over to where Jake was asleep. "He will be a good father, a good husband as much as he can be with his career choice. I listened to what he had to say and if he keeps his promise, well I have hope for you."

When they had left, Jason asked if they should pick Cam up from Freddy's house. Elizabeth called and then thanked Ms. Garth before telling Jason that the boys were playing outside in the leaves.

Calling the guard he had on Cam, Jason was told all was well as they drove to the Quartermaine mansion. Monica's calm expression had them worried until she admitted "I am afraid I did something I shouldn't have last night. I looked at Lucky's medical records and then at yours Elizabeth as well as Jake's and Jason's. I know. I know I shouldn't have but I did."

Jason wanted to say something but he knew that he should have told Monica long before this moment so he just said "Please, don't ever do that again. We were staying apart to protect the boys but I finally realized that they are much safer with me than apart."

"So may I ask what happens next?" She asked.

"We are getting married," Jason replied and saw Elizabeth's surprise and reminded her. "Cam proposed, remember, I said yes and you have to get me a ring."

Monica saw the teasing expression on Jason's face and asked: "You want Elizabeth to buy you an engagement ring?"

"No, a wedding ring will do." He said then told Monica about his proposing and how he had been so scared he had taken it back. "Now, we aren't getting engaged, we are simply getting married. Today if I could arrange it."

"Why don't you two elope?" She suggested.

"I want a wedding, here, in town," Jason answered softly to the surprise of both women. "In a church, with a priest, both boys and your grandmother as well as you, Monica. If you want to attend."

"Jason, are you sure?" Elizabeth asked. Seeing his hurt, she whispered "About the church wedding and well my grams and Monica?"

"Yes, I am." He replied.

"Then let's do it." She answered, her mind on what he had told her about those in his life and what she knew Lucky would try. There was no reason to wait and she was quite willing to marry him whenever and wherever he wanted.

Two hours later, Elizabeth saw her grams waiting for her at the church doors and that Edward was inside standing next to Jason as his best man. "Grams."

"Elizabeth, your groom is waiting," Audrey said with a smile as she watched her granddaughter wearing a simple watercress silk gown walk down the aisle to where Jason was waiting dressed in a gray dress shirt and black dress pants.

Handing Monica her buttercup yellow tulips, she was watching as Jake slept and Cam watched with wide eyes as Father Coates married them. "You may now kiss the bride."

Jason kissed Elizabeth, then felt a tug on his pants. Looking down he saw the solemn expression on Cam's face and asked: "Cam, is something wrong?"

"No, its just I have a question." He said then looking between his parents and his new grandparents and then at his grams before asking. "How come the Great Pumpkin is here?"

"What?"

"That man, over there, he was with the great pumpkin," Cam said pointing at Kurt who looked at Jason with shock in his face. "I know cause I saw his arms and his legs and he has a painted mark on his leg like the Great Pumpkin."

"Uh, Cam... See..." Elizabeth didn't want to lie in church, nor to her son, but she really was stuck on what to say. Thankfully before she could come up with anything, Edward blustered forward and asked who the Great Pumpkin was.

Cam turned to inform the older man who the great pumpkin was and soon forgot he wanted to talk to the pumpkin about how he had known what his secret wish was. That somehow the pumpkin had known he had wanted Jason as his dad.

Kurt quickly exited, while Jason held on to his bride as they admired the rings that Audrey had given them. "Audrey, how is it you just happen to have a pair of wedding bands."

With a laugh, she admitted "They belonged to Steve and me. I have kept them for years as a reminder of how happy we were. He had just bought me a new set a few weeks before he died I just thought-"

"Thank you," Jason said as he looked at the simple gold bands that were clearly expensively made. Lifting his, he could barely see the light band around the edges as he realized with a smile that they were the medical symbols for doctor and nurse engraved repeatedly.

"I rarely wore my engagement ring when I was an active nurse because we have to be careful with jewelry around patients. I thought that this way Elizabeth would be able to wear her ring to work. I was just happy that they fit the two of you." With that, Audrey hugged her granddaughter and shook Jason's hand. "Just take good care of her."

Then looking at her great-grandchildren, said "Of them, they have tender hearts, Jason. Open and loving hearts that I almost let get destroyed in my belief that Elizabeth was still in the past, in truth, it was me who was living in the past."

The happy couple loaded the boys into the SUV, they were heading to a nearby cabin that was also a Hardy family retreat. Well aware that Spinelli would be trying to locate Jason and that he would never think to check under that name they were going to spend the weekend out of touch.

"Jason, what about the business?" Elizabeth asked as they lay in bed that night, holding onto each other. "What about the retribution from the Russians?"

"I had Max's dad deliver a message for me. It has been dealt with. Johnny is nothing like his dad, he will be a stable influence and as for his sister and Sonny. Well, Claudia flew back to Milan last night. Sonny has no power left at least none that will allow him to threaten us."

"He was your friend," Elizabeth asked probing a bit.

"He was, a long time ago. Elizabeth, he isn't stable and as long as he is in charge, whatever is going on in his love life will endanger our family. I can't allow it. I won't allow it." He said firmly.

"I just feel bad for him." She admitted. "The man I knew years ago, he is long gone, but I did like him."

"Me too, but I think that Carly and he turned each other into the worst versions of themselves. Jax is good for Carly, at least he would be if she would let him. Its why I did what I did, as for Sonny, I am hoping that he gets back with Kate eventually."

Flipping them over, until he was on his back and Elizabeth was straddling him, Jason pulled her down into a kiss and said: "The last thing I want to discuss on my wedding night is Sonny or Carly or any of the rest of that crew."

Cam sat in the bedroom with his back against the wall he was sharing with Jake and tried to figure out what was going on, how had the Great Pumpkin heard his wish.

Clearly, he was more powerful than Cam had thought. As he recalled all of the items on his list, Cam smiled and thought to himself that who knows, maybe he could get all of his wishes and he would be more than happy to share them with Jake. After all, he was his little brother, it was his job to protect and guide him.

Laying down, he looked up and squinted so that he could barely see the moon through the slit in the curtains as he recited again all that he had mentioned to his new father earlier that day and hoped really hard that this time all of his wishes came true...

Cam sat under the elm tree in his backyard three years later, his elbows propped up on his knees as he thought about what he had heard earlier that day.

That there was no Great Pumpkin, that it had been Daddy's worker Kurt in a costume because his daddy had wanted to spend time with him, he found he was more curious about who had made all of his wishes come true than upset at being tricked by things.

Cam's Mommy had stopped working so much. Elizabeth went to part-time nursing a month after the wedding Cam was sure she was happy but there were a few dark days when things weren't so good even if he didn't understand why someone tried to take Jake away.

But by springtime the following year, things were just settling into peaceful existence when to Elizabeth's everlasting annoyance, Johnny who mere weeks earlier she had been grateful to for his protecting the boys from Sonny, had bought the boys a dog when they had moved into their new home with a huge yard.

A Siberian Husky that was pure mischief and that when the boys weren't around she called El Diablo to Jason's amusement. Cam knew that Mommy didn't know that he knew what she called their puppy but he did and he knew that it meant devil.

He thought it was funny.

Alice had taken to stopping over one day a week to help around the house and the Husky was always thrilled to see the large woman. He associated her with his most favorite game in the world. She would try to fold the sheets and the dog whose real name was Georgie would try to run off with them. Miss Robin still laughed when she thought about the dog Cam had named after his at the time dead babysitter.

To Cam's delight, Jake did get bigger but so did his mom and then they had a little girl, he wasn't so sure about her, but his mom had told him that one day he would love having a little sister.

He just wanted to know when she would stop trying to eat his fingers and Georgie's tail. Then there was Miss Robin's little girl who was learning to walk, she had been chasing after him since she had learned to crawl. Cam only hoped she didn't learn to run, cause he was tired of trying to escape Emma.

On his seventh birthday, Cam was happy to be given his own art set and a place in his mom's studio that was all his own as he and his mom created masterpieces. He had found it as a place to escape from the girls that had become a part of his home.

He sometimes was curious about his other dad but it was a distant idea to him, that someone other than Jason being there for him. To him, dad was daddy, the man his mother called Jason. His now legal dad thanks to the adoption.

"Jason, what are you doing?" Elizabeth said as she entered the family room where her husband stood holding a bottle of beer halfway to his mouth as he stared out the window at something.

"Watching Cam. He was going to help rake the leaves but for some reason, instead, he is just sitting under the tree staring off into space like he did when we told him that his newest little brother was going to be a sister.

Chuckling as she recalled his asking if they could send her back to trade her for a boy, she said: "How long has he been sitting there?"

"About twenty minutes. I was thinking of going out to ask him if he wanted to talk about it." Jason replied as they watched their son having a clearly silent conversation with himself.

"Do you supposed that he is still upset about Kurt and the costume." She asked as she recalled how the large guard had been unable to be the Great Pumpkin that year due to his wife's family being in town.

"No, at least I don't think so, he doesn't look upset, just thoughtful," Jason replied as he moved out of Cam's line of sight and sat down on the sofa.

"What was that call about earlier, the one that had you laughing?" She asked as she sat down near him on the sofa.

His mind going back to what he had been told he looked at her and said "You won't believe this one. Somehow while in Ireland last year, Sam slept with a guy who looked just like Lucky. He happened to be an IRA hitman."

"Are you serious?" She asked convinced it was some kind of joke.

"Yup and she is now pregnant. This Ronan guy is the father and now to the other part. Lucky was apparently asked by the Interpol to play this Ronan which he did about as well as he does everything else in his life. Now Lucky is on the run from the IRA remnants, Sam is stuck in Ireland because she has no passport to leave the country."

"Alexis will fix that for her." Elizabeth had come to forgive Alexis when the woman had apologized for not believing her about Sam and what she had done. While they were never going to be friends, Elizabeth did understand why she had gone to court on Lucky's behalf.

In the end, Lucky had been fired from the police department, lost any contact with the boys and Sam had fled town because Audrey Hardy's bridge friends had made her life a living hell.

Elizabeth couldn't resist a grin as she recalled all that had gone on as a result of the members of the Port Charles Junior League. Alexis had almost in tears when she had quietly been informed when they had told her they would not be supporting her for DA. That those she kept around her were not what they considered future members of their organization.

When the ladies with tentacles in all sort of volunteer and political organizations had made it clear that her daughter was trouble, Alexis had reluctantly encouraged Sam to leave town after yet another case of Lucky and her verbally bashing Elizabeth.

There had been a few scary moments when the judge had insisted on another DNA test to prove Jake's parentage when the case had still gone to court but in the end, it had been settled permanently and no one would ever take their children away.

Sam had even tried to find a way to get Carly back to town to help but thankfully she had found out she was pregnant and had been unable to fly.

Seeing the grimace on his wife's face, Jason asked if she was feeling fine.

"It's not the baby, I was just thinking about all we have gone through, including Carly's games." She said with a sigh as her hand rested on her small pouch where their next child was even now growing.

Jason's own eyes went stormy as he recalled how Carly after hearing about his marriage had tried to fly back to Port Charles only to find out she was on the no-fly list.

Jax wouldn't let her fly on his jet because she was in the middle of a high-risk pregnancy that had come about during Michael's recovery.

So Carly had attempted to fly home commercial, it hadn't worked and she had begun to get desperate. She had endangered Michael to the point that he had almost relapsed but thankfully Jax had prevented it from getting that far. When that hadn't worked, she had called Sonny who thinking she might just be his way back in, had attempted to fly to Australia to bring her home.

Thankfully the birth of her daughter and the slight stroke she had had settle Carly down. Now she rarely bothered them, other than cards sent addressed only to Jason, she never called, never visited and most importantly had left them alone.

Unlike Sonny who had even paired up with Spinelli for a bit, which had quickly ended when the older man had gotten upset with the geek who had left in a huff at the harsh treatment. Johnny had arranged for the geek to work for him, mainly to keep the world safe from his stupidity.

It had been ugly for almost six months between Sonny and Jason, then a previously unknown son had turned up and Brenda had returned to Port Charles. In the end, Sonny had left town with Brenda only to end up dead at the hands of his own son. Dante had killed him for dishonoring his mother yet again then abandoning her and their newest child for a woman who was only with him for his money.

Brenda was broke, she had lost all of her funds to a con artist and had gone to find the biggest richest sucker she could find to take her in and keep her in the style she had become accustomed to.

Cam was getting chilled so standing up, he entered the house through the French doors, being careful to kick off his sneakers to keep the leaves outdoors. Seeing his parents he waved hello then went up to his room to change clothes.

Cause he had a date!

Sure enough at almost four o'clock, there was a ringing of the doorbell and Jason went to let in his son's steady date. With a straight face, he reminded the woman that there was to be no drinking, that her date was too young for that. That they were to go directly to the movie theater and then to Kelly's then home.

When Cam came rushing down the stairs followed by his brother, he smiled brightly and said: "Aunt Emily, you are late."

Oh, yes, the great pumpkin had returned his Aunt Emily one dark and stormy night. There was a knock on the door and then Cam could hear hushed voices as lots of footsteps came up the stairs to the medical room that his mom kept fully staffed.

The next morning, Cam had been surprised to see a sick looking Johnny seated at the breakfast table and his Uncle Steven ordering him to eat the oatmeal he had prepared for him.

When the dark-haired man had protested, saying he wasn't hungry, Cam watched as his uncle threw up his hands and said: "You are on your own."

Cam had gotten them both bowls and went to the pantry to get his favorite cereal. Offering Johnny some of his raisin bran, he said quietly "We can let Georgie eat the oatmeal. Its what Jake and I do when Mommy goes to take care of Gillian."

The little boy waited until they had begun to eat then making sure that there were no other adults around, called out for his dog. "Georgie, here Georgie."

Wondering why he wasn't answering, Cam frowned and went to make sure that the husky hadn't been trapped by his closing his bedroom door. "Johnny, keep calling for Georgie, she loves eating oatmeal."

Up the stairs, and down the hall, Cam was looking for his dog when he heard a familiar sounding voice. Stopping to knock before entering, he asked without looking up from his shoes "Mommy have you seen Georgie?"

Hearing a gasp, he did and saw his Aunt Emily sitting on his parent's bed and shouted her name before throwing himself into her arms. "Where have you been? I have missed you?"

Emily hugged the little boy who had practically been a baby when she had left and said: "A bad person kept us away but I am home now."

That was almost two years ago and now every single Thursday night was Cam and Emily night. Sometimes Jake joined them but Jake also liked to go with his mommy to the hospital on those nights and Cam wasn't interested in the hospital.

"So what are you to going to see tonight?" Elizabeth asked as she joined them in the entrance way.

"We haven't decided yet," Emily admitted. "Penguins would be my guess."

"Mommy, I am ready," Jake said as he walked over to hug his aunt before waving at his dad. "I want to see Miss Georgie before she has her babies."

"Baby, not babies." Cam corrected. "Remember the doggie had babies, people usually only have one at a time."

"Why?" Jake asked as he reached for his mom's hand as they drove off to her classroom at GeneralHospital. Jake loved the class his mommy taunt one night a week because he liked playing with his grandma's ear thing that let him listen to heartbeats and her bone man while his mom worked with the new mommies.

Elizabeth tried to explain it at Jake's level but her son clearly didn't get it as he frowned and asked the question all parents dread "But how did the baby get inside her stomach?"

Two hours later, Johnny was hoping that Georgie gave birth to a girl in three months, not a boy. At least he hoped his son wasn't as analytical as Jake was at four.

Looking on as the woman he fell in love with over a bowl of oatmeal did her Lamaze breathing, he couldn't help laughing as he remembered calling out for the dog and offending the woman who didn't know that her former babysitting charge had named his dog after her.

"What?" She asked scowling as her husband laughed.

"Nothing, just thinking about how we finally met." He replied as he helped her stand. As they joined Elizabeth in the waiting room, they listened as Monica tried to deal with a curious Jake's questions.

Back at home later that evening, Jake was being put to bed after a long talk with his dad that STILL didn't answer his question as to how the babies had gotten inside of Georgie. Finally, as he settled down, he said to his dad. "I am going to ask the Great Pumpkin, he will know the answers."

Cam who had been heading to his room after his 'date' stopped, then with wide eyes waited for his daddy. "Daddy, since Mr. Kurt was my great pumpkin, who is going to be Jake's?"

Jason went to bed that night and hugging his wife said: "You aren't going to believe this but Cam has known all along that Kurt was the Great Pumpkin."

"What?!" She asked shocked.

"Yes, he asked me who is going to be Jake's great pumpkin," Jason said with a shake of his head as he went through a list of all of his employees to try and figure out who would fit in the costume and be a good sport as he kept his son's imaginations alive.

After where would they be without the Great Pumpkin?

TBC