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Chapter 3
He held on until she cried herself to sleep. Placing her on the bed he wage a brief battle with himself. She said Lucky had pushed her into the table. Based on the way she was moving the fucker had hurt her. Finally giving in to the need to make sure she didn't need a doctor he gently rolled her to her side and lifted the bottom of her top. Across her lower back were large bruises. The skin wasn't broken and it was in the wrong spot to worry about kidney damage, still they were ugly. He'd need to make sure she took it easy while she healed. He was clenching his jaw so tightly that it was a miracle he didn't crack any of his teeth. Since she was sleep he stepped into the bathroom to make a call.
"Francis, I need to talk with you." Jason said when the older man answered.
"Twenty minutes." Francis responded giving his boss another number. He hadn't expected to hear from them so soon. The fact that he was getting this call meant something must have happened.
"What's wrong?" Francis asked answering the burn phone as soon as it rang. He got right to it since this wasn't a social call.
"She's fucking hurt." Jason was close to cracking. His beautiful girl was lying in bed hurt and it was pulling him apart.
"Elizabeth?" That was the only person who could make Jason react like this. "What the hell happened? Did you run into trouble?" Francis would leave Port Charles tonight.
"No, it was Lucky. He tried to kill his mother and he hurt Elizabeth when she tried to stop him." Jason spat out.
"She just told you?" Francis asked wanting all the information he could get.
"She was afraid to tell me." Jason relayed to the older guard what Elizabeth had told him.
"Well the events of the last few hours make sense now." Francis told his boss. "Lucky is in lockdown at Ferncliff. He stabbed his cousin Lucas. The kid made it through surgery okay, but it will be a while before he's up and mobile." Francis passed on. "Luke was arrested when he tried to smuggle Lucky out of Port Charles. It's gotten ugly, Nikolas is trying to find his Grandmother to reverse whatever it was she did."
"Has Emily been hurt?" Jason knew his sister would try to hide any injuries as well. At least her telling him to stay away from Elizabeth made some sort of sense. She was trying to protect Lucky. Although he didn't understand why she chose Lucky over Elizabeth.
"No, Emily was at Wyndamere when the stabbing occurred. When Lucas was rushed to the hospital she and Nikolas came. Bobbie is freaking out and so is Carly." Francis filled Jason in on what had happened. "Sonny debated calling you, but in the end stuck to his promise to not contact you for any reason."
"Even if he had called he wouldn't have reached me." Jason wondered how many messages Carly had left on his old phone. Boundaries were not her strong suit. She would expect him to fix this. "Has anyone noticed Elizabeth is gone?"
"Emily thinks she is still in her studio and that's what she told everyone at the hospital. Laura is worrying me. She went over and spent twenty minutes banging on the door demanding Elizabeth come out and help Lucky. The cops coming out was why she left." Francis told Jason. "Laura doesn't seem to be totally connected to the present. She told the doctors at the hospital that the bruises on her neck were an accident."
"The Spencers always protect their own." Jason said disgusted.
"Not always. Bobbie is pressing charges against Lucky. That's why Luke pulled the stunt he did. Apparently she was in the hospital saying Lucky needs to get some professional help. Lucky accused Lucas of hiding Elizabeth. Bobbie was heard to say that she hoped Elizabeth stays locked in her studio because she can't help Lucky and the rest of the family won't accept that." Francis had some respect for the red headed nurse for being honest. He would have more if she had said that from the beginning.
"Carly?" Jason had to ask.
"Is blaming Elizabeth. She is firmly in Laura's corner. I think mostly to irritate her mother." The two women never recovered from Carly sleeping with her step father. She hated that Bobbie was close to Elizabeth.
"We are not coming back." Jason said in a firm voice.
"I know. I wouldn't let you bring her back even if she wanted to come, and I'm guessing she doesn't." Francis was hoping she didn't.
"No, she doesn't." Jason confirmed. "I need to go, but I'll check in again next week. I'll keep this phone until you hear from me."
"I'll keep my eyes and ears open." Francis promised.
Quietly he walked back into the bedroom. Elizabeth hadn't moved. Under the covers he stretched out as close to her as he could without touching her. There was no way she wasn't sleeping in his arms tonight.
Before he could slide closer Elizabeth took the decision from him. Sensing him near she rolled and snuggled into his warmth. "Jason." She sighed softly. "I'm sorry."
"Ssh. Go to sleep baby." He murmured softly. They would talk more in the morning, right now he just wanted to hold her.
Elizabeth's blue eyes popped open as she pulled away from him. She was confused since she didn't immediately recognize where she was. "Jason?" Him she recognized.
"Hey." He smiled trying to set her at ease. She'd been thrashing in her sleep. "You were having a nightmare."
"Oh, I'm sorry." She said softly not looking at him. No one made her feel safe like Jason so Elizabeth had hoped that being with him would stop the nightmares that she'd had since she was fifteen. Since Lucky came home they'd gotten worse. Hopefully being away from the mess that her life had become would help them fade away.
"Nothing to be sorry for. Do you want to talk about it?" He offered rubbing circles on her upper back.
"No. I'll be quieter, I know you must be tired." Elizabeth took a deep breath trying to calm herself enough to go back to sleep. She didn't even question the fact that they were sharing a bed.
"I don't really need that much sleep." She wasn't meeting his eyes and that bothered him. "I could turn on the television if you like, maybe the sound will help you get back to sleep."
"Alright." She gave him a small smile that didn't reach her eyes. Putting her head on his shoulder she got comfortable again.
Jason found a music station and just held her close. He hoped the rest of the night passed more peacefully for her.
Elizabeth managed to finally fall into an uninterrupted sleep after waking up twice more due to nightmares. When she opened her eyes the next morning she was still really tired. She was also alone.
She thought maybe he'd moved to the other bed to get some sleep, but it was empty and still neat. Getting up with a small groan, mornings sucked, she checked the bathroom but he wasn't there either. Coming back to the main room she saw a note on the desk by the lamp. "Gone to get breakfast." She read aloud. Taking her clothing into the bathroom she got changed.
Jason tried to be as quiet as he could when he opened the door to the room. He had no idea if Elizabeth was still sleeping or not. If she was he intended to let her stay that way as long as possible even if that meant keeping the room for another night. It was clear that she was exhausted.
Walking in he found her sitting crossed leg on the bed brushing out her hair. He smiled and she smiled back at him. "I got you a hot chocolate and a blueberry muffin." He told her setting the food down on the desk.
"Thanks, I'm actually hungry." She told him coming over to get her breakfast.
"You say that like you're surprised." He was happy to see the shadows under her eyes were lighter. She was still moving stiffly though.
"I haven't had much of an appetite lately. I guess adventure agrees with me." That or being out of Port Charles.
"Adventure is the best cure for what ails you." Jason said grinning.
"Jason?" She started slowly.
"Yeah." He looked over as he sipped his coffee.
"I just want to – I can still come with you right? After last night I won't blame you if you changed your mind." She looked away and chewed on her bottom lip.
"I want you to come with me." He told her smiling. She smiled and blushed before taking a bite of her muffin. "So I'm planning on taking us to Canada but we are going the long way."
"I've always wanted to see Canada. What exactly is the long way?" Elizabeth took another bite of her muffin.
"We are going to Philadelphia first." Jason explained.
"Okay." That really was the long way considering how close to Canada Port Charles was. Despite the long hours in the car last night she knew that weren't too far from where they started. "Can we see the Liberty Bell or are we not staying?" Elizabeth didn't know what the itinerary was.
"We won't stay for more than one night but I think we can squeeze in some sightseeing. When we cross the border we will start staying in places for longer stretches." He told her. Mostly they were staying in Philadelphia to pick up some paperwork. Francis had ordered several sets of identification for both of them. Jason wanted them to disappear for a bit. "While we are there I'd like for you to get the immunizations you will need for international travel." While she did have a passport it hadn't ever been used. She got it for her brother's wedding that was canceled at the last minute.
"Okay. I guess it's a good thing I remembered my passport. I wouldn't want a stupid thing like me leaving it to slow us down." Elizabeth cleaned up the coffee table where she'd been eating.
"Don't call my friend stupid." Jason said teasing her.
"Is that what I am? Your friend?" The mood turned serious with her question.
"Until you say otherwise." The ball was firmly in her court. When she was ready for more they would take the next step.
"Otherwise entails what exactly?" She was nervous.
"We can figure that out as we go." He told her coming to sit next to her on the small couch. "I understand what the words no and stop mean."
Elizabeth looked away. "I didn't mean to insult you Jason. I know you would never force me." Just thinking about being forced made her shiver.
"Hey, come here." He held out his arms and she moved into them. Holding her tight he just let them sit in the silence for a minute. "Don't ever be sorry for saying what you think or feel. I need to know so that I don't hurt you." Jason understood that it was time for him to open up some. "I want you to be my girl when you're ready we'll fully explore the physical side of what that means. I won't rush you. I can wait."
"Won't you get…frustrated." Elizabeth asked blushing deeply.
"There are ways of relieving pressure." He was blushing now as well. "And I don't mean going out and being with someone else. Trust me Elizabeth, I will be fine. I want to be with you and only you." He assured her.
"I want to be your girl and I want to be with you too Jason." She told him blushing deeper. "I'm just not there yet, but for the first time I believe that I'll get there."
"Good." He moved needing to put some space between them. He would be patient but there was no need to torture himself in the meantime. "Did you open the bag that Francis gave you last night?"
"No, I totally forgot." She got up and pulled it out of her duffel.
"You want me to take a walk?" She might want privacy, he had no problem with that.
"No." Elizabeth unzipped the parcel. Inside the satchel was a burn phone. She knew what it was because she had one back in Port Charles. She knew that Francis's numbers were programmed on it. There was a journal with a pen attached. She liked to write out her thoughts or do quick doodles. In the bottom was a wallet with a debit card inside. There was also a note she unfolded it and read it out loud. "Jason will take good care of you. However if you ever feel unsafe call me. The card is for a bank account with fifty thousand dollars in it. Access it if you need to, Francis." On the bottom of the paper were four numbers and she understood it was the pin for the debit card. The numbers would be easy to remember, it was the date she first met Jason at Jake's. "Wow." She said looking up at Jason a bit stunned.
"He loves you and wants you to understand that you don't have to stay with me to be safe." Jason hadn't know what his friend passed to Elizabeth, but he wasn't surprised.
"When you talk to him again can I tell him thank you?" She loved Frannie too.
"Shouldn't be a problem. You ready to head out?" They had a lot of miles to cover, especially if they needed to stop for breaks so she didn't get too sore. "Here." He handed her a small plastic bottle of over the counter pain pills. "This should help some."
"Thanks Jason." Elizabeth took two. "Let me get my stuff from the bathroom and we can head out."
"Take your time." He told her smiling. They weren't in any rush.
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