A/N – Thanks for the comments! For the guest who is not sure they get the story. I'm introducing relationships business and personal and how they intertwine. It's quite simply about these relationships and Jason's secret and the fallout once it's revealed and how it all impacts Liason. Thanks for reading!

Chapter 3

Victoria rested her head on her hands. "So, I want to have a campaign for fresh faces."

"To model?" Jason asked.

"Yeah, but not just younger people, I want to appeal to all ages."

"Kind of like that Dove campaign?"

"Sort of, but I'll try not to offend anyone with my advertising. I want to generate some buzz. No one will know what the product is which will be a part of the unveiling. The people who win will have a photo shoot and maybe a nice cash prize or something. At first, I was thinking about letting people vote all the way through, but judging from social media, people can get pretty mean, so we can have a panel that will sift through pictures for the initial five candidates and then people can vote after that."

"I think it has potential. Maybe we can have some kind of app. People like that kind of stuff. Also, they could post pictures of people they think are fresh faces and submit them to us."

Victoria slowly shook her head up and down. "That's a great idea and I happen to know a computer geek." She had spotted him walking by. "Spinelli!"

He stopped in his tracks and ran back towards the doorway. "Most esteemed and alluring ruler of all things brash and sassy, how can I be of assistance?"

Jason's head tipped to the side as he studied the shorter, thin man with mousy brown hair and nerdy apparel. "What did he just say?"

Victoria chuckled. "Spinelli, this is Jason Quartermaine from—"

"—ELQ Paris. I am quite aware of his most lethal reputation in the boardroom. For that reason, I shall deem him Stone Cold."

Jason's confused expression made Victoria laugh.

"Damian, we need you to create an app where people can post photos and follow us through the steps of our next campaign."

"Do you have a name?"

She tapped her pen against her lips.

"Untouched, Au natural, Back to basics, Unique, Fresh, Unconventional, Brazen, Brashy Girls…" Jason threw out there.

"Those are good," she said writing them down. "We'll take a vote later."

"I assure you that your vision is safe with me. I'll get right on it."

"Thank you, Damian."

Once he left, Jason's eyes locked on Victoria. "Where did you find him?"

"He's really good and came highly recommended and helps us stay ahead of the competition."

"I have one of those too, at least I had her," Jason said quietly.

Victoria sensed the mood shift and shut her door. "Alright, spill."

"It's personal."

Her chest deflated. "Fine, be that way. I just won't tell you who I hooked up with a few weeks ago."

Jason smirked. "I'm scared to ask."

She grinned and then leaned on her hands as her eyebrows lifted and she hummed.

"What? You're really not going to tell me?"

"Nope. Two can play at this game."

He sighed heavily. "This might be a long day then and I'm not sure I really like your humming."

She scowled. "You have such a stick up your ass."

"I learned that from you."

She pretended to throw a pen at him and he ducked. "Since you won't kiss and tell…"

"I wasn't romantically involved with her, she is just a friend and is still in Paris."

"The place you were banished from. So, I heard you're taking Abby to the gala, I—"

Jason's eyes narrowed. "Who told you that?"

"Relax, it's nothing to get bothered by."

"Victoria, who told you that?"

"I bumped into Edward the other day."

"Son of a—"

Her eyes widen. "You didn't know?"

"No—ugh I'm so tired of him butting into my life."

"Just don't hurt her feelings. I think she's really into you."

"How could that be? I haven't even been around."

"She has had a crush on you since childhood. Trust me, I heard about you ad nauseum."

Jason groaned. "I can't get out of it, can I?"

"Not without wrinkling a lot of feathers. Just don't look at her, you have a way of smoldering and don't be all chivalrous cause she'll swoon, and—"

"Am I allowed to breathe?"

She laughed. "Of course, silly. If you don't, she might be forced to give you mouth to mouth."

Jason rolled his eyes. "Why couldn't he try and set me up with you? At least I know you're not interested."

Victoria winked. "Who says I'm not?"

Jason's mouth dropped open.

"You're so easy, Jase. It's true. I am immune to your twisty, hot and cold persona. I mean, you're not bad to look at, but far too complex. I prefer someone—"

"You can boss around?"

"Precisely!"

He shook his head. "I need more coffee."

"Done."

IiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiI

Elizabeth weaves in out of tourists walking on the docks. The mayor had outdone herself with a huge PR campaign to bring more people into the area and it had worked. They cleaned up the docks and hired some of the homeless to work. It had helped several people get back on their feet. The ex-spy Anna Devane is an excellent mayor and everyone is glad she decided to hang around for a while.

She almost bumps into Jason who has his eyes closed and looks like he's slightly sweating. "Jason?"

He physically recoils when someone bumps into him and Liz grabs his hand and leads him over to a bench. "Are you alright?"

"I just need a minute. I don't do well with crowds."

"Well, you picked a hell of time to come to the docks then, but once the lunch rush is done which will probably be a half hour, it will be like a ghost town here."

He nods.

She whips out her sketch book and sits next to him and he's glad that even though she seems like she could be chatty, she quietly starts drawing and doesn't engage him.

When he closes his eyes and leans back, Liz sneaks a peek at him, wondering how someone so big and muscular could have a mild case of agoraphobia.

For the next twenty minutes or so, they co-existed in silence, that is until they are spotted.

"Elizabeth?"

She cringes and slowly turns around. "Hey, AJ."

Jason curses under his breath.

"What's going on?"

"Nothing, I'm just taking a sketch break."

"And how does Jason fit into that picture?"

Jason grimaced. "Here we go…"

Elizabeth can tell that AJ is about to say something he might regret. "AJ, I'm not going to explain why we ended up on the same bench, because frankly, you don't get to dictate who I talk to. I love you, but I refuse to be put in the middle of your feud. Now, is there anything else you want to say?"

AJ is surprised that he hasn't cracked a tooth. "So it begins. You're still clothed, that's at least a good thing."

Her mouth dropped open and Jason turned to glare at his brother. Elizabeth is steaming mad. It's one thing to joke about it behind Jason's back, but AJ had crossed the line.

"Do you practice being an asshole, or does it just come naturally?" Jason asked.

"Dick."

"I'm not the one basically calling her a whore."

AJ lunges towards Jason and accidentally hits Liz's hand and her sketch book flies out of it and she observes in horror as it splashes into the water. "No!"

Jason curses under his breath and then gets on knees at the water's edge and fishes it out.

Tears spring into Liz's eyes.

"I'm sorry," AJ said, knowing he had screwed up. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

Jason glared at him. "You never do."

Liz is trying to shake the water off her pad and then bursts into tears as she realizes that her sketches are probably ruined.

Jason sighs. "Come on. I'll walk you home or whatever."

"Stay away from her!"

Liz glares at AJ. "Again, do not tell me who I can be friends with. I'm really pissed at you right now, but that doesn't mean that I'm choosing him over you. Please AJ, don't go down this road. You never win."

He shuffled his feet. "You're right. I'm sorry."

When he rushed away, Elizabeth threw her hands up.

"Why are you friends with him?"

She dropped the pad onto the bench and then squared her shoulders. "You don't even know him anymore. This person he becomes when you're around is not the person I have grown to care about over the last few years and I'm sure you had a ringside seat to watch everyone judge him. You both are expecting each other to be the same as before and I think it's a big mistake. He has worked really hard to stay sober and run his company without Edward breathing down his neck. You're back for like five minutes and suddenly he's reverting to some insecure crazy person. Do you bring that out in everyone?"

Jason stepped closer. "Maybe you should take your own advice and not judge me. You have no idea what I've been through or how hard it was for me to watch my brother's descent into hell and have someone hate you just because you exist. What the hell do you expect me do when he despises me?"

She rolls her neck, trying to shake off the tension. "Do you hate him?"

"It's complicated."

"It's either yes, no, or somewhat."

Jason sat on the bench. "A part of me understands AJ, but I don't get why he wants Edwards approval and would throw away his life and sanity to get it."

"Do you?"

"Honestly, no. I got into the business because I like making deals and measuring my success. Negotiating is a challenge and an adrenaline rush. AJ wanted Edward's approval like his life depended on it. For a while, I went under the radar, but then they dragged me into it. I tried talking to them, but it was no use. AJ was determined to wreck his life using ELQ as an excuse and Edward was even more determined to try to change him into some pod person. He didn't try that with me because he knew I would walk away." He has no idea why he's explaining his family dynamics to a complete stranger, but he had come this far. "I don't hate my brother, but I don't necessarily like him either."

"Are you even open to seeing him in a different light?"

"I don't know. He has already pissed on so many chances." He lets out a harsh breath. "It would take a miracle for us to let go of the past and start over."

Liz smirked. "Well, you just met your miracle. I'm going to go home and see what I can salvage and once I stop throwing darts at my bestie's picture, I'll go find him before he does something stupid."

"You're a good friend."

"I try, but he's been there for me too."

The sad look on her face made him wonder what AJ had to help her get through. He can understand why his brother is drawn to the little spit-fire. Clearly, she has a big heart and a lot of patience.

"I'll try not to goad him. That's the best I can do."

Liz smiled and held out her hand. "Shake on it?"

He slid his hand into hers, feeling a tingle from their connection. "Goodbye, Elizabeth."

She almost shuddered at the way he said her name. Yeah, five more minutes and her clothes just might dissolve. Jesus, she really needs to get laid. "See you later, Jason."

He watches her rush off, intrigued about, well, everything. She is making him very curious, not to mention that she is also hot, especially when she has a little twinkle in her eyes.

IiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiI

About two hours later, there is a knock on Liz's door.

She puts down her brush and throws opens it knowingly. "Took you long enough…"

AJ smiles sheepishly. "I'm sorry. I know I was out of line and I guess I let my history with Jason cloud my judgment."

"You guess?"

He moves inside when she turns and walks further into the room and then holds up her hand.

"I'm going to say this first, under no circumstances is what you did earlier okay with me. I don't know who that person was, but I never want to see him again."

He plops onto her couch. "I'm not perfect, Elizabeth."

"I never thought you were, but you are also not pod AJ either; at least not anymore."

"I know." He rakes his hand through his hair. "I don't know how not to lash out at him. Not only did he never have my back, but he walked away too."

"I'm not sure what you expected him do. Have you ever thought about that?"

"I just—"

"—wanted him to save you?"

"I just didn't have anyone. He's my brother and just let Edward beat me down."

Liz's face softened. "I'm not trying to make you feel badly, but that isn't his fault. That is all on you and Edward. Maybe he walked away because you were destroying yourself and he didn't want Edward to do to him, what he did to you. Do you really think you would have even accepted his help once you decided to show Edward what a screw up really looks like?"

He groaned. "You always use my words against me."

"No AJ, I just don't want you to go backwards. I want you to see where this could head towards so you can stop it. Something is wrong with your brother, I'm not sure what it is, but he may need you down the line and you'll have a choice to help him or walk away just like he did. It may not be the same situation, but you may have a chance to be a bigger man. The question is will you take it?"

His face contorted. "Damn, Liz."

She smirked. "Sometimes, it's all about forgiveness."

"Like you did with your family?" That is a touchy subject, and one she rarely spoke of.

Liz slowly nodded. "Yes. I forgave them."

"But you never forget that they abandoned you."

"Jason left for survival. Their careers were more important than me. That's a huge difference."

"I get that, but…"

"AJ, you left for survival too."

"Drinking my life away wasn't survival."

"No, it wasn't, but leaving ELQ and walking away from Edward was. And when you got your first sobriety coin, who did you go see?"

"Lila and then Monica."

"And they opened their hearts up to you despite all the damage, because they knew your potential. You know, he'll be at the gala if your grandfather has anything to say about it."

"I know."

"Can you handle that?"

"I won't make a scene especially since my date happens to be the decorator."

She grinned. "I'm not sure what I'm going to do when some bad girl comes along and rocks your world." They equally used each other as dates when necessary. Everyone swore they were sleeping together.

"Why does she have to be bad?"

Liz giggled. "Cause twisty men seem to like bitches like Carly."

AJ laughed.

"Seriously, the good girls never win, so I'm making a spring resolution."

She is so damn cute when she has a brilliant idea. Her face lights up and eyes sparkle. If he could find a way to bottle her essence, he'd be a rich man.

"I'm going to the bad side."

His head fell backwards as he cracked up.

"What? You don't think I can. I already have a mouth on me."'

"Yes you do and I'm very curious about your definition of bad."

She grinned and grabbed his hand and pulled him to the door. "We're going out."