2012:
"Crowds of eager Dallas residents stand on the curb in front of the Texas School Book Depository. The president won't pass by for three hours, but they've come early to get a good spot." Jason read looking down at the wide eyes of his baby girl. He had been reading to her for the past ten minutes without any sign of drooping eyelids.
"Best of all, it looks like the sun might come out. Maybe they'll get a glimpse of John F. Kennedy and Jackie after all. Lee Harvey Oswald peers out a first-floor window of the depository building, assessing the president's route by where the crowds stand. He can clearly see the corner of Elm and Huston, where John Kennedys limousine will make a slow left turn—"
"What are you reading my daughter?" Maxie said walking into the nursery where Jason and fourteen month old Zoey were sitting in the glider in the overtly pink nursery. Coincidentally it was the same room that was previously the regrettably pink room as Spinelli had called it when he had lived there.
"Why is she always your daughter whenever you don't like what I'm doing?" Jason smiled closing the book. "It's not like she actually understands and comprehends the words I'm saying." Jason responded looking up from the book to Maxie and then back down to Zoey whose eyes were moving around the room from Jason to Maxie.
"But really Presidential assassinations? You couldn't have picked a brighter topic?"
"It's American history." Jason said, "That was on the allowed list."
"But I said—"
"It's not a war." Jason said holding to the stipulation.
"You're daddy's crazy Zoey." Maxie laughed kissing the top of both of their heads before leaving the room.
"Ignore her Zo—"
Present:
"Zoey?" The voice called to her causing her to look into the diner and meet eyes with the man she wasn't quite ready to see.
"Hey, dad." Zoey sighed slowly moving from the stairs further into the diner towards where her father was sitting with a well-dressed man in a suit.
"What are you doing in Port Charles?" He asked taking in her form, that she was really standing there in front of him.
"Oh ya know, just getting some food." After that answer didn't suffice, "My room is right upstairs so this seemed like the most convenient place."
"Upstairs? You're staying in Port Charles." Jason asked confused. "Zoey what on earth is going on? Is your mother here? Are you in town visiting Monica?"
"You know what, don't worry about it. I am not your problem. So just forget you saw me." She said moving to the counter to order food to go. She knew that Jason wasn't going to let this go. This was not the way things were supposed to go. She wasn't supposed to see him. Especially not this soon.
"Zoey, how was your first night?" Mike asked smiling at the young girl.
"It was great Mike thanks for asking. Now I know its lunch time but would I still be able to get French toast?" She asked turning on the charm.
"Absolutely." Mike winked, turning to Jason who had approached to see if he needed any coffee before disappearing again into the kitchen.
"What?" Zoey asked turning to Jason who was just staring at her waiting for an explanation. "I got in yesterday. Mom told me about Kelly from when Aunt Georgie lived here with Dillon." Zoey explained, "I haven't talked to Monica since graduation. Don't you have somewhere to be?"
"Does your mother know you're here?" Jason asked turning to face her fully.
"Leave my mother out of this." Zoey said with just as much bite as her mother would have. "Look, I'm here. You saw me, just pretend you didn't." Mike came back out with the French toast giving Zoey and skeptical look at her interaction with Jason. "It's fine Mike."
Which a cautious nod Mike walked away leaving the father and daughter to their awkward silent interaction.
"Mystery girl!" a voice called from the entrance of the diner. "What was that about you were never going to see me again?"
Zoey turned thankful for the distraction from Jason to turn and see Cameron from the night before walking into the diner with a few other college age men. "Wishful thinking?" she joked.
"Hey Jason." Cameron said shaking Jason's hand.
"Cameron." Jason said shaking the younger man's hand.
"I'm guessing you want your sweater back?" Zoey asked taking another bite of French toast.
"That would be nice. I don't really make it a habit of giving it out my clothes to random girls."
"Well when I finish my breakfast I'd be happy to retrieve it for you."
"Sounds good to me." Cameron laughed moving back to the table his friends sat at near the corner.
"You hung out with Cameron last night?" Jason asked once the younger man was out of ear shot.
"That is also none of your business."
"I am your father."
"Since when?" Zoey nearly shouted letting her fork fall to the plate with a loud clatter. Mike turned back towards them to make sure everything was okay, and just in time to see Jason reach out and grab Zoey's arm as she tried to pass him."
"Jason—" Mike called out causing Jason to look down at the grip around his daughters arm, slowly releasing her. Zoey wasted no time putting distance between the two of them racing up the stairs. The eyes of all the diner's following her retreat before going back to their own meals and conversations. Everyone except Jason and Cameron.
Cameron had been watching the interaction between the mystery girl and Jason since walking away. Spencer had woken up in the morning wondering where the "bargirl" had gone, his drunken brain not remembering the finer details of the night before. He hadn't expected to see her again, least of all in Kelly's with Jason Morgan of all people. His mother was friends with the former mob enforcer, but his father had always made his feelings about that perfectly clear. Jason Morgan was no good, and somehow the mystery girl from last night knew him.
Cameron watched as Jason threw down money for his coffee and for the girl's food before pulling his phone from his pocket and leaving the diner. Keeping his eyes on the stairs while still trying to talk with his friends, he wasn't surprised to see her peak down ten minutes later checking to see if Jason was still there.
"He left." Cameron called out, excusing himself from his table of friends towards the stairs.
Moving down a few steps she checked to see if he was really gone before continuing down the staircase carrying Cameron's grey sweatshirt in hand.
"Thanks again." She whispered barely making eye contact.
"So how do you know Jason?" Cameron asked getting right to the question.
"I'd rather not say." Zoey said moving back towards the counter to pay for her food.
"It's already taken care of Zoey." Mike called stopping her before she laid the money out.
"Zoey—"
She turned around just in time to see the recognition wash over his face.
"Please not here." Zoey pleaded, grabbing his hand and pulling him up the stairs towards her room. Moving quickly up the stairs Zoey opened her door shoving Cameron into the small room before closing the door up behind them.
"Zoey Morgan."
"Jones. My name is Zoey Jones." She corrected moving to sit on the bed rolling onto her side to hide her face behind a curtain of blonde hair. This was getting out of hand fast and she'd only been in town less that twenty-four hours.
"What are you doing here? What was that with Jason downstairs? Is your mother here too?"
"Slow down—"
"Is that why you freaked out last night. You saw the picture of my parents and freaked."
"You have to promise not to say anything to your Mom." Zoey almost yelled. "Please promise me that!"
"What is going on? Last I saw you your mother moved you guys into the city and you never came back."
"That about sums it up. I live in Manhattan with my mom—this morning was the first time I've seen Jason since we left Port Charles when I was three."
"So—what are you doing here?"
That really was the million dollar question. It had started as a quest to see her father and rub in his face how well she had done without him, but she knew that wasn't the only thing she hoped to find. If it were just that she would have told him off this morning.
"I need some answers. Will you help me?"
Jason sat down on the leather couch, his phone in hand thumb posed over the green call button.
She answered on the second ring. "Are you okay?" There was an extended pause. "Jason?"
"Our daughter is in Port Charles."
"She's what?" This time it was Maxie's turn to pause. "Just tell me she's okay?" Maxie asked putting the phone up to her ear.
"She's fine." Jason answered. "She's living at Kelly's."
""Living?" Jason she just left Manhattan last night. I doubt she's living—"
"She has a room above Kelly's." Jason confirmed.
"I used to tell her stories about Georige." Maxie supplied sighing deeply. "Do I—Do you need me to come and get her?"
Jason pondered that thought, of seeing Maxie up close in person, weighed with the decision of spending time with his daughter. "No, I'll handle it. I'll talk to Monica I'm sure she could stay with the Quartermaine's. I'm sure we'd both feel better not having her above the diner."
"She was supposed to go to NYU?" Maxie breathed out running her fingers across her forehead trying to ease out the tension that was suddenly there. Jase—"
"She'll be fine. I'll tell her to call you." Jason said quickly cutting off whatever was going to be next out of Maxie's mouth. They very rarely talked anymore, but Jason could remember the early stages of their relationship where it was all about talking—back in the boxcar. "I—"
"I've gotta go Jason," Maxie replied quickly before hanging up.
Jason stared down at the phone in his hand, readying his head to pick up the phone again and calling Monica to inform her of her new house guest.
"Hey Monica—"