Notes - - -
This is my version of how a Liason Valentine's Day should be. ♥ I hope you like it!
I Declare
Elizabeth closed the patient file she was working on and looked at the clock. Her shift was finally over. She took a deep breath and then exhaled all of the tension out of her body. It had been a long day and she was ready to go home.
She rounded the desk of the nurses' station and walked over to her boss Epiphany, who was talking to one of the orderlies.
"I just wanted to let you know that I'm heading out. I changed Mrs. Hale's bandages and gave Mr. Lewis his meds twenty minutes ago."
"Good," Epiphany replied, "that's one less thing for me to do. Have a good night."
"You too." Elizabeth waved as she walked toward the locker room.
Her night wasn't going to be as good as she'd hoped. It was Valentine's Day, and she was going to be spending it alone instead of with the man she loved.
She and Jason were supposed to be meeting at the safe house to spend time together, but as seemed to be the case lately, something had come up. She was disappointed when he'd told her yesterday, but he sounded so sorry for having to cancel that she didn't want to make him feel worse. Instead she'd put a smile in her voice and told him she understood.
The thing was, she didn't understand.
The two of them had decided that they couldn't be a family the way they wanted; not if they wanted to keep their son Jake safe from Jason's dangerous world. His well being was more important than their happiness.
But after she'd arranged their rendezvous at the Metro Court, they knew they couldn't stay away from each other. That's when they'd decided to have a secret relationship.
Jason wouldn't be able to be a father to Jake like he wanted, but at least they could have a measure of joy to balance the pain.
He arranged for a place to meet where no one could find them. It was a secluded house in the woods that was supposed to be a safe house for him or Sonny if they needed a place to hide, or heal when there was trouble.
She was surprised but happy when he invited her there the first time. Everything they could possibly need was there. Finally, they could see each other whenever they wanted without fear of being discovered.
They'd discussed all the reasons this was the best solution to protect Jake and still be together. He'd told her that being with her made it bearable. That knowledge made the sneaking around worthwhile.
The only problem was that it seemed they spent less time together now than they did when they were just friends. It was almost as if the rest of the world was conspiring against them to make meeting as difficult as possible.
Elizabeth looked at herself in the mirror that hung in her locker. For a woman in love, she didn't look very happy.
The sneaking around had turned out to be more stressful than romantic. More time was spent making plans, cancelling plans, and playing phone tag than actually being together.
It was starting to get to her. She felt more frustrated and sad lately, not to mention lonely. Knowing how she and Jason felt about each other now just made his absence from her everyday life even more unbearable.
Hating the maudlin direction of her thoughts, Elizabeth quickly changed from her scrubs to jeans and a blouse. She gathered her purse and jacket, giving her locker door a slam for good measure, and headed out of the hospital. Once outside she took a deep breath of the crisp air and started toward the parking lot.
The only sound she heard was the click of her shoes on the pavement, which made her shock that much greater when a hand covered her mouth.
Her first instinct was to scream, but she found herself being turned around before she got the chance. Thankfully her eyes met with the pale blue ones of the man who'd consumed her thoughts for the last hour.
"Jason," she said softly.
He took her hand and led her behind a concrete pillar where they wouldn't be easily seen. When they stopped she looked at him and smiled like she hadn't in days. Her arms flew around his neck in happiness.
"What are you doing here?" she whispered, so as not to be heard. "I thought you had to work."
Jason squeezed her back, not wanting to let go, but his desire to look at her won out. He pulled back and took her hands in his.
"I do, but I couldn't spend today without you." He looked into her eyes and gently caressed her cheek with one hand. "I told Sonny I had something important to do, and he'd have to get someone else to handle it or it would have to wait until tomorrow when I could."
Elizabeth stared at him in shock. It was impossible to believe he'd actually told Sonny no about anything.
"What exactly did it sound like when his head exploded?"
Jason laughed lightly at her question. "He was definitely pissed, but he'll get over it. You're my priority." He cupped her chin and kissed her lightly. "I work for Sonny, but I'm not his lap dog. I can't just jump whenever he says. He has plenty of people that are capable of doing some of the things he wants me to. He just needs to learn to delegate more. I'm tired of always cancelling our time together for him; we don't have that much as it is."
Her heart warmed at his words. She was so happy to hear him tell her she meant more to him than his job. His devotion to Sonny had always been one of the many obstacles in their relationship. Not that she wanted him to change or be any less loyal to his friend, she was just happy to know that she was as important to him if not more so.
"Thank you," she said to him. She didn't feel the need to elaborate, because she was sure he knew what for.
"Do you still have a sitter for the boys?"
"Yes," she replied. "I decided to just use the time for myself since we weren't going to meet. I was going to get something to eat at Kelly's and then see a movie."
"I think I can do better than that." A devilish smile appeared on his face suddenly. "So … you ready?"
She matched his with one of her own. "Ready for what?"
"Our date."
"Where are we going?" she asked excitedly.
"You'll have to wait and see."
She grinned and followed him as he led her to her car. He took her keys and helped her into the passenger seat, then he got behind the wheel. She was a bit disappointed they weren't taking the bike, but tried not to show it.
They were together, nothing else mattered.
Jason noticed the slight frown when they got in her car. Nothing about her escaped him. He had a feeling he knew what it was for and intended to erase it from her face.
He pulled into the parking lot behind a small all-night diner and got out. Elizabeth followed, unsure of how a diner was any better than Kelly's. She took her cell phone out of her bag and put it in her pocket, in case the sitter needed to reach her, and left the bag in the car.
When they rounded the corner and she saw his bike, she understood what he was doing. If she'd left her car at the hospital, people would have noticed and wondered why it was there when she'd already left for the night.
He always took care of her.
Excitement began to take over as she watched him get on and offer her a helmet. Putting it on quickly, she hopped on behind him and held on tight as he revved the engine and took off.
As he made his way toward their destination, Jason thought about how good it felt to have her arms wrapped around him.
It felt like years since he'd seen her, though it had only been a week. He'd just gotten back from Puerto Rico, taking care of business for Sonny. It was aggravating enough that he'd had to cancel a meeting with Elizabeth at the safe house to go in the first place, there was no way he was going to disappoint her again on Valentine's Day.
His motives weren't selfless though. He missed her like crazy while he was away. He was always treated like royalty when he went south working for Sonny. They offered him the best rooms, entertainment, and any amenities he wanted. Of course he never took advantage of them, especially the female companionship he was offered; it just wasn't his style.
He'd found himself wishing Elizabeth was there with him in his room that overlooked the water; standing with him on the private balcony listening to the waves crash against the shore. When he tried he could almost picture her, with her chocolate curls floating around her face in the breeze, wearing nothing but that beautiful smile that he lived for.
That picture in his head almost made him miss his turn off.
After a couple more miles he arrived at a dirt path that led to a cliff sight overlooking the city. They got off the bike and he watched Elizabeth's face as she took in the panorama.
"Jason … it's beautiful." Her gaze swept over the city lights and buildings in the distance.
"Breathtaking," Jason replied.
She turned around to look at him and found his eyes steadily on her.
"I was talking about the view," she returned laughingly.
"So was I. I just like my view better."
She walked up to him and put her arms around his neck. "Yeah, I like this view too."
Jason leaned into her and sampled her lips with a kiss. He traced her bottom lip with his tongue and was granted entrance into her mouth. Their kiss deepened, and lasted until they had to come up for air. He groaned as he rested his forehead against hers, his breathing labored.
"God I've missed you."
"I've missed you too," Elizabeth responded. She closed her eyes as she sifted her fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck. "No matter how much time we have together, it never feels like enough."
"Because it's not." He pulled back a little, his aggravation at the situation coming through. "I hate being away from you."
"I know, I hate it too, but we agreed to this for Jake."
Sometimes she hated herself for ever lying about their son's paternity. At times she hated herself for asking Jason to give up his claim to her and Jake. But mostly she hated herself for being afraid; afraid of Jason's life and the danger in it.
"I know we agreed, I just …"
He exhaled and slid his hands down her arms until he had hold of her hands; stroking their backs with his thumbs.
"I just wish things could be different. I want things to be different."
Jason looked into her eyes to gauge her reaction to what he said. She didn't know it, but he hadn't just brought her here so they could meet in secret. He was exhausted from all the secrets and lies. They were tearing him apart inside, and he knew they were hurting her too.
When she arranged their meeting at the Metro Court, they'd talked about the possibility of being together as a family. Both had tried desperately to put the choice in the other's hands; neither wanting to be responsible for causing the other pain.
Ever since they'd agreed to the affair, he'd thought more about that talk. He realized that he might have been unfair, expecting her to carry the burden of decision maker. It was a lot to live with. Either you're the one who kept the person you love from their child, or you're the one responsible for that child being hurt.
He remembered clearly when she'd told him that she sometimes wished he would just make the decision for her and claim Jake as his son, insisting they be a family. As he'd replayed the moment in his head he began to focus on her face. He realized that she had a pleading expression on her face.
She was asking him to help her and he hadn't seen it.
The woman he loved more than life was begging him to save her from this situation, and he'd been too busy being noble to notice.
That was a mistake he intended to rectify tonight. He only hoped he was right.
He let go of her and took off his jacket. As he walked over to the bike he saw her do the same. He reached into his saddle bag and grabbed the object he sought, putting it quickly into his pocket before she saw.
Jason walked over to the cliff and stood with his hands on his hips looking out at Port Charles below him.
Elizabeth saw how close he was to the edge and came near to him.
"Be careful," she warned.
He laughed at her words and edged a little closer to the rocky ledge.
"Don't you ever get tired of being careful?" he asked, turning his gaze up to the stars. "We agreed to meet in secret because we wanted to be careful. We're always being careful that no one sees us together, careful that no one finds out that Jake's my son." He took an exasperated breath and blew it out forcefully.
"I can't imagine how hard it's been for you." Elizabeth backed away from him to give him some space. She let her head drop and looked at the ground. "I get to see him everyday, and I know how unfair it is. I don't know why you don't hate me."
Jason heard the catch in her voice and turned around. He saw the tears fall from her cheeks and into the grass.
"Elizabeth, I told you when Jake was born that I could never hate you. I meant it. Not just because you're the mother of my child, but because I know your heart." He walked over to her and lifted her chin so she could meet his eyes. "I know you didn't lie about Jake to hurt me, or to gain anything for yourself. You did it to protect everyone around you; even though it hurt to do it."
He moved away from her some. There was a lot to say and he couldn't do it with her standing so close.
"I'm not the only one hurting. You're hurting yourself too. All the lies and secrets cost a lot to keep hidden."
"I caused this whole mess though!" she cried out. "I started this ugly, twisted lie; I should be the one to pay for it."
"No one should have to pay for anything! Don't you see?" He shrugged his shoulders in confusion. "What's it all really for? We said it's to keep Jake safe, but … is he really? He just almost died in a house fire Elizabeth."
He saw her flinch and knew she was blaming herself for it.
"No. Stop. That was an accident. It wasn't anyone's fault. That's what I mean. It was a fluke, but it could have taken his life anyway." Jason ran his hands through his hair, feeling he was on a roll. "After that he was involved in a bomb scare with a desperate man who wanted to help his wife." He threw his hands up in the air in frustration. "He was kidnapped by a stranger before that; a sick woman who could have done anything to him! All this happened because of things that had nothing to do with me or my business Elizabeth. He could have died each time, and then what would all this have been for? I would have lost whatever time I had with him, and it wouldn't matter why then."
She watched him with the tears still coming. He was angry, she could see it around him like a fog, but she instinctively knew it wasn't directed at her. This situation was killing him, but he agreed to it for her sake and Jake's.
Words wouldn't come at that moment, so she just nodded to show she agreed with what he was saying.
"It's not just the secret about Jake that's painful. This is about us too," he said gesturing between them. "I can't stand not being with you, even when we're in the same room."
She saw the tears glistening in his eyes and watched him turn away for a moment. Her heart actually hurt to see him in pain. She bit her lip harshly in punishment for her part in it.
Jason looked at her again with some of his composure back. "Do you know how much I hate not being able to touch you when I see you, or kiss you, or even hold your hand?" He held up the backs of her fingers and kissed them reverently, closing his eyes a second to savor it. "I hate that I can't even look at you for fear that someone will see how much I love you. I can't make my eyes lie about that."
"I'm so sorry," Elizabeth said softly. She put her hands up to stroke his face. "You are the last person in the world I'd ever want to hurt, and you're the one I've hurt most."
Jason knew he had to risk it all. He had to put his cards on the table and hope he walked away a winner with the prize he sought; his family.
Now or never.
"I don't want you to be sorry," he said, taking her hands from his face carefully. "I want you to be brave. Can you do that for me?"
Elizabeth looked at him, a bit confused, but willing to do anything to take the pain away. She nodded fiercely.
He steepled his fingers together and breathed deeply, praying his gamble paid off.
"I'm claiming Jake as my son."
Her eyes widened at his statement. That's what it was, a statement. He wasn't asking her what she thought about it, or if he could; he was making a declaration of intent. He'd made a decision, and this time he wasn't uncertain of it.
"I love you and I love our son. I will do whatever it takes to protect you from the danger in my life. I have kept Sonny and his family safe for a long time, and I'm good at it. If I can do that for them, I can do it for my own family. I need you to trust me, to believe in me."
"God Jason! I do trust you. I trust you more than anyone in the world. I trust you with my life."
He gave her a small smile. "I know you do … but do you trust me with Jake's? With Cam's? That is the true test of faith."
Elizabeth closed her eyes. She couldn't just blurt out yes. When it came to her boys, it took more thought. But when she looked in her heart, she knew the answer had always been the same.
"Yes. I have complete faith that you would give your life for me and the boys; that you would do anything to protect us."
Jason let out a breath of relief he didn't know he'd been holding. All the tension drained from his body. He took her hand again and led her back to the cliff's edge.
"I'm not just claiming Jake," he said looking at her. "I'm claiming all of you. You, Cam, and Jake; my family. I love you all, and want us to be together. If you'll have me."
Jason turned her to face him and got on one knee before her. He heard her gasp as he reached into his pocket and smiled to himself. He pulled out the small blue box he'd taken out of his saddle bag and held it in one hand as he took her hand in the other. His eyes locked with hers and held.
"I know I've messed this up the last couple of times I tried it. This time I wanted to do it the right way." He cleared his throat that was suddenly dry from nerves and swallowed. "Elizabeth … I love you so much. You are the best thing that ever happened to me. You are my every dream come true, because you are the reason I can dream. You bring me light and love and happiness in a world that is full of the opposite. I have two sons that I love, because of you, and I am a better man because of all three of you. I would be honored if you would be my wife. So, I'm asking you here, before God and all of Port Charles … Will you marry me?"
Elizabeth put her free hand to her mouth when he flicked the ring box open.
Inside rested a platinum band on which sat a two carat ruby heart with two small hearts made of red glass inlaid in the band on either side. He'd had it specially made for her. The ruby represented her and the two pieces of red glass were for their sons.
They were his heart.
"I love you Jason. There's nothing in this world I want more than to be your wife. So yes, I'll marry you."
She smiled bright enough to put the moon to shame; tears streaming down her face.
Jason took the ring out and put it on her left hand with a grin as wide as hers. He got up and swept her in his arms; kissing her breathless. When they stopped to breathe, he kissed her forehead and cheeks and nose before brushing her lips gently with his again.
Elizabeth was shocked once more when he released her and faced the cliff edge looking over the city to shout.
"I LOVE ELIZABETH WEBBER!! YOU HEAR ME PORT CHARLES?! JASON MORGAN LOVES ELIZABETH WEBBER!!"
Elizabeth laughed at his childlike enthusiasm. She had never seen Jason do something so out of character and spontaneous. He turned to look at her and his eyes were bright with happiness. For the first time in a long time, he seemed free.
He pushed her hair behind her ears and held her face in his hands. "I love you, and I want the whole world to know it." His eyes became serious for a second, and vulnerable. "No more secrets?"
Her smile was as wide as ever and her eyes shone back the light he had given her.
"No more secrets," she said softly.
Her eyes widened again and she put a hand to her mouth in shame. "I'm sorry … I did that wrong."
She turned to face the city like he had and framed her mouth with her hands to get more volume.
"ELIZABETH WEBBER, SOON TO BE MORGAN, LOVES JASON MORGAN!! NO … MORE … SECREEETS!!!"
The two of them laughed hysterically as she fell into his arms. They hugged each other tightly as the wind wrapped around them and carried their laughter and their love outward over the city of Port Charles.
They didn't know what might happen in the future or what everyone would say when they were out in the open, but at that moment, they didn't really care. All they knew was that they were together and happy, and that they'd never felt so free.
THE END