AN:
Finally another update! This a nice long chapter mostly because nearly all my characters are in it. This chapter also sets up a few things for the next few chapters. I hope you enjoy and be sure to let me know what you think.
~Kelly~
Chapter Three
At Mac's words Jason's brain ground to a halt. He couldn't comprehend that Jake might be gone. It just didn't seem possible. Then Lucky's angry phone call replayed in his head. The younger man known something was wrong. And it's, Jason knew now, what Franco's taunting call had been about. Somehow, someway that freak had found out about Jake. He had apparently used the innocent in his twisted games. A game that cost Lucky and possibly Jake their lives.
Poor Elizabeth. The news was going to shatter her. Jason knew he had to see her. He needed to be there, to say something. He had to let her know that he was there fore her. That the younger woman wasn't alone.
With that thought in mind, Jason headed towards the elevators. As he moved, Jason was barely aware that several people were following him. The ride to the sixth floor was one of the tensest he could remember. Stepping off the elevator, he was unprepared for the immediate hostility he faced. He hadn't seen Elizabeth's brother since his return to Port Charles but clearly, Elizabeth had confided to the man.
Steven was stunned to see Jason approaching the nurses' desk. He would have hoped the mobster would have more sense then that. "Get out of my hospital." he ordered in a cold voice.
"I just wanted..."
"I don't care what you want," the chief of staff snapped back cutting the other man off. Steven was pretty sure that his staff was shocked at his behavior. Frankly, he didn't care as long as Jason stayed away from Lizzie. "Especially if you're here about Elizabeth. Don't bother because you're not getting anywhere near my sister."
"Shouldn't that be her decision?"
"You'd think so." Steven said trying not to roll his eyes. "Now get out before I have you thrown out."
"Who do you think you are?" Sam snapped furious at the doctor. Who did he think he was? "You can't talk to Jason that way. He's family built this place."
"So did mine," Steven, replied calmly. He didn't want to get into shouting match with the con artist. The fact either of them showed up at GH sickened him. Seeing Nikolas round the corner, he almost smiled. "But you know what we should get a second opinion." he said waving the younger man over.
"What are you doing here?" Nikolas demanded to know the moment he spied Sam and Jason. Although he wasn't surprised by the sight. His cousin showed a lack of any class or even common decency.
"That was my question." Steven mumbled shaking his head at the couple. Maybe Nikolas could get them to leave.
"Elizabeth didn't see him did she?" he asked temporarily focusing his attention on Elizabeth's brother. He needed a few moments to regain control of his anger. The last thing he wanted was people asking questions. The situation was already complex enough without the town butting in.
"Thankfully no. She doesn't need this crap on top of everything else."
Nikolas nodded in agreement. He might not know everything just yet but he knew Elizabeth didn't need to see either Jason or Sam at the moment. Them being here could only cause the woman he loved pain. "You heard the man get out."
"But Nikolas..." the brunette began to whine shocked by his behavior.
"Sam don't. You have no idea..." he paused, closed his eyes, and let out a deep breath. Tapping in to his Ti Chi training Nikolas finally regained control. "Just save yourself the humiliation and leave."
Finally Jason seemed to get the message he wasn't going to see Elizabeth. As he, left Nikolas was relieved to see the other man was smart enough to take saw with him. However, Lulu and her latest boyfriend remained behind. "You should go take the hint and leave too."
Apparently the cold tone directed at her was all it too for Lulu to snap. "What is wrong with the two of you? I know you don't like Jason but he was worried about Elizabeth."
Nikolas was tempted to tell his sister that the mobster should be worried about himself. However, he chose to hold that bit of knowledge back. He wanted a full report from his men before making any plans. Besides, he knew Lulu would only run back to Jason and warn him. Which was the last thing Nikolas wanted. Instead, he said, "Jason is the last person Elizabeth needs to see. He's the reason behind all this."
"Why can't you see it wasn't his fault? It wasn't!" she shrieked at the disbelieving look her statement earned. "Jason didn't know that some sicko was obsessed with him."
"How in the world can you defend Jason?" Nikolas asked amazed by Lulu's blind devotion to the mobster. "Especially after tonight. Or did you forget that our brother died in that warehouse too?"
Lulu wanted to roll her eyes at Nikolas. She had no idea her bother was capable of such drama. It must be a Cassadine trait she decided. "No I didn't forget. But Lucky would understand. He was working with Jason to take down Franco. Why can't you see Jason is the good guy in all this?" she asked pleading with them to understand her. Jason hadn't done anything wrong and she hated that they were baling him. Some how she had to make them see the truth.
"Listen to yourself you sound just like Carly. Although I shouldn't be surprised since you've began acting just like her."
"How dare you?"
Nikolas shook his head at Lulu's outrage. "I dare because you are standing here defending the man that killed Lucky and Jake. Franco might have set that bomb but Jason is just as responsible."
"You don't understand." the blonde whined in response. "He couldn't have known Franco would go after Jake. Jason... he never would have let him be hurt. Don't you see? He loved that little boy."
"Why? Because they share some DNA?" he demanded to know smiling at the shocked look on Lulu's face. "What's the matter Lulu you didn't think I knew? I've always known."
"Why didn't you say something? To me? Or even to Lucky?"
"This..." he paused a moment before continuing quietly. "This situation is exactly why I kept quiet."
Lulu's eyes immediately narrowed. Nikolas was up to something she knew it. His voice had that Cassadine quality that always made her nervous. "What are you going to do?"
Instead of an answer, Nikolas just shook his head and directed his attention to Dante. "You should take Lulu home. She's had a long day and probably needs to rest."
"Don't ignore me I want an answer."
Dante had been content to just watch the scene play out. It had given him a lot of information he hadn't known. Specifically the fact that Jason had fathered Jake Spencer. It explained a lot of his unanswered question. However, reexamining things would have to wait until he was alone. Getting Lulu away from this volatile situation came first. "Come on Lulu. Let's go before things get ugly."
"Fine. I'm leaving." Lulu huffed storming towards the elevators.
"For what it's worth I'm sorry about Lucky."
Nikolas noted the sincerity of Dante's statement. It was touching that the other man cared especially since the sentiment was something he wasn't entirely sure he shared. "Me too."
"You knew?" Steven asked once both Lulu and Dante were gone. He had been shocked by the young girl's behavior but apparently, Nikolas wasn't. No wonder Elizabeth hadn't gotten any better the last few years.
"Yeah. I was worried Helena would try something so I had men watching the system," he admitted reluctantly. For some reason he's rather not straight out lie to Steven. "When they ran across the test they informed me immediately."
"Was Elizabeth aware of this knowledge?" Tom asked having heard the end of the conversation. He had just come from checking in on Elizabeth and was happy to see someone who knew her well. And he knew that Nikolas Cassadine knew his niece very well.
"She knew that I knew." Nikolas acknowledged with a slight shrug. "We didn't talk about it much until recently."
The news was good to hear. Tom knew he might end up needing the younger man's help drawing Elizabeth back out. "Good. Excellent. That may be helpful later on."
"Wait. Help? What do you mean by help?" he immediately demanded to know. Something about Patrick's tone told Nikolas he wasn't going to like whatever answers he received. "And more importantly what does it have to do with Liz?"
"Oh you don't know?" Patrick asked more than happy to fill Nikolas in. he doubted the prince, and more import hospital board member, would be happy at what was going on. "Steven here's committed Elizabeth."
"What?"
"It's not exactly like that." Steven denied hoping to calm the two men down. He could handle Patrick or Nikolas being angry at his decision but not both of them. "It's just Tom and I agree having her isolated from everyone is the best course of action for now."
"What is wrong with her?"
"PSTD." Tom said hoping to reassure Elizabeth's friend as much as he could. "Or rather another relapse. Hearing about Jake hit Elizabeth hard."
At the mention of Jake Patrick, remembered Elizabeth's other son. He worried what would happen to the little boy with his mother out of the picture at least temporarily. "What about Cameron? What happens to him?"
"Well I was hoping Nikolas could clear that up for us. Do you know if Elizabeth had something written down somewhere?"
"She... uh... she changed when you moved back to Port Charles. I wouldn't have a clue where to look for it though." he admitted to the group of men. Elizabeth was a lot of thing organized would never make the list. "But she used one of my lawyers. Something about not trusting her previous one..." he paused, sighed, and then continued. "I can call and get you a copy. However, it may take until morning.
"Damn it." Steven mumbled impatiently.
"Did Elizabeth tell you what it said?" Tom asked figuring Nikolas would at least have an idea what was in the documents. "Specifically about Cameron."
"She wanted Steven or Patrick and Robin to take the boys if something happened to her short term."
"And long term?"
Nikolas chuckled at the question. It had caused several disagreements between himself and Elizabeth. "I did try to talk her out of it but Elizabeth... you know how stubborn she can be."
"She asked you." Steven supplied for the group. It was a statement not a question.
"Ask isn't exactly the right word. She insisted." Nikolas said knowing most of them would understand. He may love Elizabeth but she could drive most people crazy with her stubbornness. "Liz thought it would be good for both Spencer and myself."
"Huh." the chief of staff said before asking the one question that needed an immediate answer. "What about medical decisions?"
"She said you were the only person she trusted to... make the same choices she would. I guess this is what she meant."
"Maybe. How soon can you get us everything?"
Immediately.Nikolas thought but didn't out loud. If his lawyer wanted to keep his job he's have the information within the hour. "I'll call Mr. Anderson's and see if I can get things moving. I just want Elizabeth to get whatever help she needs."
