Chapter 3

"Mommy!" Michael Corinthos III yelled out to his mother as he ran towards her.

Carly was on standing in front of Jason's beloved pool table as she talked on the phone with her mother. Hearing Michael's bellow as he ran down the steps she decided to cut the call short and hung up just in time to hug her son. "Good morning Michael." She brushed her hand through his hair affectionately.

"Morning mommy." Michael smiled up at his mother. "Mommy? Can I go see daddy today? I called him this morning and he said that if it was okay with you, we could go to the park. So can we mommy? Huh? Huh? Can we?"

"Is it alright, Carly?" She hadn't realized Sonny had entered the penthouse.

"How long have you been standing there?" The question flew out of her mouth before she could stop it.

"I just got here." Sonny eyed her strangely. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine." Looking down and seeing the hope linger in her son's eyes she knew she couldn't crush him by saying no. "Sure, Michael you can go to the park with daddy."

"Yes!" Her son cheered. "Come on, dad." Michael reached for his hand and was pulling him out of the penthouse before he could speak to Carly.

Glancing up at her before the penthouse door shut, Sonny couldn't stop himself from being saddened by the apprehension that was so clear in her eyes. Before he could open his mouth to say something to her, the penthouse door was closed and she was no longer standing a few feet away from him. She was now on the other side of the door, tucked away safely in the penthouse. Tucked away safely from him.

"Jason!" Emily hugged her older brother as he walked into the living room at Wyndamere. She hadn't expected to see him today, but when he called her earlier and asked her if she had time to talk, she jumped at the chance to spend some time with her favorite brother.

"Em, can we talk?"

"Sure. What would you like to talk about?"

"I really needed to talk to someone about Elizabeth and I thought you were the best person to talk to, so –"

"Say no more Jase. You know you can talk to me about anything."

Jason smiled at her and immediately began to explain what was going on with him. "Well, last night…

"Hey Liz." Lucky walked into the penthouse and gave her a hug. "I'm glad you called. I think it's been a month since we last talked, huh?"

Elizabeth returned the hug. "Something like that. I'm just having some breakfast, want to join me?" Elizabeth motioned to him as she walked towards the kitchen.

"Sure." Lucky followed her into the kitchen and sat on the stool, digging into the waffles she had made.

Elizabeth cut her waffle delicately and took a small bite, chewing slowly. "So how have you been?"

Lucky swallowed. "I've been good. Dad was home for a few weeks so I was spending some time with him."

"Oh yeah?" Elizabeth's interest was piqued. "So how is good ole Luke?"

"He's doing okay. Apparently Helena is trying to come after him again, so he disappeared the other day. No forwarding address, no phone call – nothing."

"That's Luke for you." Elizabeth chuckled.

"Yeah, that's my dad." Lucky sighed. "So, what's going on with you? You never told me how your first night back was. More importantly, how are things going with Jason?"

"Things are going…okay, I guess." Elizabeth's answer was hesitant. "Jason and I are…God, I don't even know the words to describe what's going on between us. I've been back for two nights now and both nights, both nights, we slept in the same bed." Elizabeth paused to snicker. "What does that mean, Lucky? My husband and I are estranged and yet… we still sleep in the same bed."

Lucky stared at her for a moment, thinking as he chewed. "I think that means that you and your husband aren't really separated Elizabeth. At least not in your hearts."

Elizabeth grabbed another piece of her waffle with her fork and shoved it into her mouth as she huffed.

"Elizabeth, let's be honest for a moment here. You love your husband and it's obvious he loves you, where's the problem?"

She glared at him and she finished chewing. "You – You're right Lucky, I do love my husband. I love Jason with all my heart. But, that doesn't mean I'm ready to be his wife again."

Elizabeth and Lucky were so involved in their conversation that they didn't hear the front door open and close. Nor did they hear the sound of the motorcycle boots on the floor outside of the kitchen.

I love Jason with all my heart. But, that doesn't mean I'm ready to be his wife again. That doesn't mean I'm ready to be his wife again. That doesn't mean I'm ready to be his wife again. The words repeated in Jason's head over and over again. They wouldn't stop.

Even after hearing her and Carly's lecture the other day about eavesdropping and knowing it was wrong, Jason still couldn't stop himself from continuing to listen. He strained to hear what Lucky's response was.

"Elizabeth, no one said that you guys have to jump right into your spousal relationship again. It's obvious you guys need time to get back into the groove of things. But, I do think you guys need to take the time to talk and work things out. There is so much love there Elizabeth. It's so obvious how much you two love each other. And even though I'm not Jason's biggest fan, even I know that he loves you. And if things were that bad, why are you two still sleeping in the same bed?" Lucky's eyebrows lifted slightly.

"Lucky..." Elizabeth warned him. "I already told you, I love Jason. That's not the problem. I just can't deal with the fact that he lied to me. Jason doesn't lie and especially not to me. But he did and that's something I need to deal with."

"Elizabeth, I know you are upset. Believe me, I know. But you are never going to get over this unless you talk to Jason and let him explain. Getting hurt and upset over this and not giving him the chance to explain is only going to feed your anger."

"So, you think I should talk to Jason?" Elizabeth glanced up at him.

"Yes. If you don't Elizabeth, you're going to end up wondering what-if twenty years down the road."

On the other side of the wall, Jason was singing Lucky's praises. And to think he used to want to kill the little prick.

"Okay, I'll talk to him and this time I'll listen and let him talk. Happy now?"

"Yes, I am." Lucky nodded.

"Spousal relationship, huh?" Elizabeth grinned wickedly at him. "I didn't know you knew words like that."

"Shut up Elizabeth." Lucky tried to move his leg from underneath the counter so he could kick her, but his long legs wouldn't allow him to bend that way.

Elizabeth laughed as his face scrunched up at the predicament he found himself in.

"Jason! What are you doing?" Carly yelled at him as she walked down stairs and saw him standing just outside of the kitchen doorway.

"Carly! Shh." Jason hushed her.

"What are you doing?" Carly whispered as she heard Elizabeth's laughing from the kitchen. "What's going on?"

"Nothing. Elizabeth's just eating breakfast and talking to Lucky."

"Mmm And what are you doing out here eavesdropping?"

"Carly." Jason groaned. "Why can't you just leave me alone?"

"Aw, come on Jase. You know I live to annoy you." She reminded him. "So, what were you doing out here, listening in on Elizabeth's private conversation?"

"Let it go, Carly." Jason's eyes narrowed at her. "I'm going in the shower. Don't mention this to Elizabeth, alright?"

"Well, I don't know Jase. You know I can't lie to those innocent blue eyes…" Carly teased him as he ran up the stairs.

"Bye Lucky. I had a lot of fun." Elizabeth hugged Lucky goodbye a few moments later.

"Call if you need me okay?" Lucky kissed her cheek and left.

"Elizabeth, I'm going to get going alright?" Carly gave her a hug.

"Where are you going?" Elizabeth's eyebrows lifted up in confusion. "Lucky just left and now you're leaving me too?"

"I'm sorry honey. But, Michael is staying with Sonny tonight and -" Elizabeth stared at her in surprise, prompting her to explain. "Michael begged me and you know I can't say no to him. So, I'm going to go spend some time with mama and I'll be home later, okay?"

"Oh. Okay, I'll see you later then."

"Good." In a flash, Carly was gone.

Rationalizing that she couldn't spend the day in her pajamas Elizabeth walked up the stairs and into hers and Jason's room to get dressed. She was too busy focusing on what to change into that she didn't even hear the shower running in the bathroom.

Elizabeth finally decided on a baby blue fitted tee and a pair of khaki capri's and threw them onto the bed as she grabbed a bra from the top drawer of the dresser.

Elizabeth pulled her t-shirt off, leaving her camisole on and reached for her bra just as the bathroom door swung open to reveal a towel-clad Jason.

"J – Jason." She stuttered as she let her eyes roam over his body, admiring it for the second time in two days. A shirtless Jason was hot, but a shirtless Jason that was soaked and only wearing a towel was even hotter.

"Elizabeth." Jason was surprised that she was in the room. He had expected her to still be downstairs chatting with Lucky in the kitchen.

Lucky.

Kitchen.

The thought of the two of them laughing and joking around in the kitchen brought back the memories of what he had overheard.

I already told you, I love Jason. That's not the problem. I just can't deal with the fact that he lied to me.

I love Jason with all my heart. But, that doesn't mean I'm ready to be his wife again.

That doesn't mean I'm ready to be his wife again.

Her words swirled around in his head again. It still threw him for a loop even after reanalyzing it over and over again. If she wasn't ready to be his wife again, what was she doing here? Here in their home, in their room. And what in the hell was she doing sharing a bed with him if she wasn't ready to? If Elizabeth didn't want to share their bed with him, she would have said something. She wasn't the type to keep her mouth closed when she felt uncomfortable. Whatever Elizabeth was feeling, she made it known.

Coming out of his thoughts, Jason let his eyes wander over her body. He couldn't see her the night before because she had her pajama bottoms on and a loose t-shirt that stopped way after her hips. But now, all she had on was her pants and her white camisole, making it easier for him to fantasize about how many times his hands had been wrapped around her petite waist.

Her belly had grown a lot in the past few months. No longer just a little pouch, her belly had popped out fully and had even rounded. Her belly, the place where his best friends baby grew. His best friend's baby, not his. He shook his head and let his eyes travel higher.

Her breasts, still perky, were much fuller now. Full of the milk her body produced that she would never need. She was nothing more than the body which housed his best friend's baby until it was born. And even though she had come to terms with that, he hadn't.

While he was out doing Sonny's bidding and lying to her, she was home nourishing Sonny's baby and taking care of herself. It was fine that his wife had to carry a baby for them since Sonny's wife couldn't but it wasn't okay that he let her know Sonny's was faking his death. Some friend Sonny was, Jason snorted. And now, it looked like Sonny didn't need Elizabeth or the baby she was giving them since Carly was now pregnant. Oh the irony of it all.

Finally his eyes reached her face and he watched in fascinations as her tongue darted out of her mouth and wet her lips. When his eyes met hers, he noticed that she wasn't even trying to hide the fact that she was staring at him. She wanted him just as much as he wanted her.

He silently walked over to her and took her face in between his hands as their eyes still stayed on each other. He watched as she closed her eyes and sighed before leaning in, hinting to him what she wanted. Jason, taking her hint and more that willing to comply, leaned in and took her bottom lip between his.

Elizabeth could stop herself from moaning as their lips made contact. Oh how she had dreamed of kissing him again. It was all she could think of during her time away. Being in his arms and just kissing him. Not that she didn't want to make love to him again eventually, but their kisses left her more breathless than sex with Lucky ever did. Just one of Jason's kisses was enough to light her entire body on fire.

Jason deepened the kiss as he picked Elizabeth up and moved around to the side of the bed, gently lowering her onto it before leaning down on top of her while being as careful as possible as so not to put a lot of pressure on her now enlarged belly.

Jason placed both of his arms on the side of her body to hold up his weight as he pulled his mouth from hers and left wet kisses all along her chin and throat before beginning an attack on her neck.

"Jason." Elizabeth moaned at the sensations that were going through her. God, all Jason had to do was kiss her and she'd get all hot and bothered. She couldn't stifle another moan as he cupped her breast. Her breasts that were much fuller now and couldn't fit perfectly in the palm of his hand as they had before. Thoughts of her inflamed breasts had her thinking about the baby which allowed her brain to rethink this whole situation.

They couldn't do this, not now anyway. Yes, they were married, but they still had so much to work through. And she was pregnant with his best friend's baby! She couldn't be making love with her husband when she would be giving birth soon! Well, she could if she wanted to, she reminded herself, but she shouldn't. At least not yet.

"Jason." She tried to get his attention. "Jason we have to stop." She pushed on his chest in attempt to get him to back off.

Jason felt Elizabeth pushing on his chest and pulled away. He forced himself to get off of her as he got off the bed and paced while he tried to think of something to say.

"Jason." Elizabeth grabbed his arm as she sat up on the bed. "Jason, look at me."

Jason stood in front of her and his eyes met hers as he waited for her to speak.

"I – I'm sorry Jason, I shouldn't have let it go that far. It shouldn't have happened and I didn't mean for it to." She blurted out. "But, you came out of the bathroom in just your towel and you – you were tempting me. You know I can't resist you and –"

"Elizabeth." Jason's tone was harsh, but he didn't care. "I know why you pulled away, I'm not stupid. I heard you telling Lucky that you still love me, but you can't deal with the fact that I lied to you. I heard it all."

Elizabeth gasped in surprise.

Jason sighed as he forced himself to calm down. "I know that you love me, and I love you too. But I can't deal with this push me away, pull me closer dance that you've been doing. One minute you don't want to be with me because I lied to you and the next you're kissing me. I – you can't keep playing with my emotions like this. It isn't fair to you, it isn't fair to me – It's not fair in general." Jason paused and leaned in to give her lips a quick peck before pulling away. "You need to figure out what you want before we go any further Elizabeth. We can't be together or try to work things out if you don't even know what you want from me or this relationship."

"Jason." Elizabeth tried to get his attention again and if he heard her, he didn't let it show.

"Until something changes, I'll stay in the spare room downstairs." His voice was strained and it came out an octave above a whisper. Wasting no time, Jason turned on his heel and went through the dresser, grabbing some clothes to put on.

Elizabeth remained on the bed and watched him, following him with her now glossy eyes.

"When you figure out what you want," He paused in the doorway, glancing at her. "Come find me."

The dam she somehow seemed to keep from breaking in front of Jason shattered as her tears flowed down her cheeks like rivers. She placed her hand protectively over her belly as she laid back down on the bed and cried.

What the hell was she supposed to do now?