Author's note- This story is inspired by the song And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going from the musical Dreamgirls.

Carly carried her suitcase as she rode the elevator up to the Penthouse. Now this is a twist, she thought, me coming to Jason's rescue instead of the other way around.

30 minutes ago, when she was still buried beneath her covers asleep in bed, the phone woke her up. Her hand snaked out from under the blankets and grabbed the cell off the night stand. "What?"

"Carly, it's Sam. Don't hang up."

Carly shot up in bed, fully awake now, her heart pounding rapidly. "Is it Jason? What happened? Is he hurt? Sam, answer me!"

"Give me a chance to and I would." Sam snapped. Then calmer she said, "Jason is physically fine."

"Fine? As is not injured at all?"

"Yes."

"They why the hell are you calling me in the middle of the damn night?"

"Because he needs you. Now. Go to him, Carly."

The moment Sam said that Carly started crawling out of bed and pulling clothes out of her drawers and closet.

"What did you do to him?" she hissed into the phone

"He saw me..." Sam's voice faltered. She didn't know how to finish the sentence.

"With someone else." Carly said, cutting to the chase "Who was it?"

"Ric."

"Oh, God, that is disgusting." Carly was sliding on a pair of jeans. "How does Jason know? You weren't stupid enough to tell him, were you?"

"He saw us. It was a week ago and we've talked about it since. I knew it hurt him but ... I went to his place tonight to talk to him about... some things that are going on with Alexis..."

Carly was completely dressed now. She said "Get on with this, Sam."

"And his apartment was wrecked. The sticks for the pool table were in pieces. We saved some stuff after we..lost the baby.. and it was scattered all over the place. The fireplace was filled with ashes and I found some half burnt pictures near there. They were of you, Carly. I found Jason upstairs in his bed, passed out, with bottles of beer laying all around the place. I didn't wake him up but once I left I couldn't stop thinking about it. I don't know what to do. I can't fix this."

"I got it, Sam. Don't worry. I'll take care of Jason."

Carly didn't bother knocking on Jason's door now. She walked right in and dropped her suitcase on the floor. Stepping around broken lamps, pictures and bottles she climbed the stairs.

Jason had to be really messed up to pull a Sonny-like destruction episode. Jason usually never lost it like that. Carly knew it had to be about more than just Sam.

She stepped into his bedroom and found the bed empty. The sheets were thrown on the floor and, like Sam said, beer bottles littered the floor. Carly could hear the shower running in the adjoining bathroom.

She flipped on a lamp and plopped on the bed. She sat there with her arms crossed thinking He'll have to pay for a maid to clean up this place. Because I am not doing it.

He stepped out of the bathroom wearing a towel, gun drawn.

"Now this is a sight that will be burned into my memory for life." Carly said with a smile

"I noticed the light was on in here and I knew I didn't leave it on." He said "What are you doing here, Carly?"

"I'm moving in."

"Like hell you are."

"Now that is no way to speak to your new roommate."

He placed the gun on the dresser and pulled out some clothes. He headed back into the bathroom.

Carly called out, "You don't have to be modest on my account. I've seen it all before and wouldn't mind seeing it again."

"Don't start with me." he called back but she could hear the slightest trace of laughter in his voice.

She would find a way to make him feel better. Carly knew if everything in her world went upside down she could find a safe harbor in Jason's arms and now she wanted to give him back the same thing.

And I am telling you

I'm not going.

You're the best man I'll ever know.

There's no way I can ever go.

Dreamgirls lyrics