Independence & Freedom

by mandymld

Freedom of control and influence of others. HH Challenge. Liz declares her independence and a revolution erupts as those that surround Jason and her try to keep her where they want her. Warning... violence

4. Chapter 4

Chapter 8~~Without trust there is no love~~ Morgan

Elizabeth went up the stairs and looked at the screen then gave a soft chuckle at how clueless Spinelli truly was as she listened to them.

"Goddess, this is perfect. I don't know why the vile Maternal one is here, but she is our key to freedom." he said grinning as he looked at where she was tied up at the chair in front of him. "She is no match for your stealth and intelligence. And you know you can kick her ass all over this place. We just need to find a way to get rid of the Silent sentinel."

Sam just sat there, ignoring the geek as she smirked. What, did Elizabeth Webber really think that a bottle of water would do something? That she would suddenly feel the need to be nice just because she was offering her something to drink?

Upstairs, Elizabeth just watched then thinking she had spent enough time in the 'bathroom' went back down stairs. "Now, I wish I could untie you but it has been made clear that I can't."

Sitting down across from Sam, Elizabeth reached for a new bottle of water, opened it and took a swig. Setting it back down, she leaned against the her chair and looked at the two of them without saying a word.

As Spinelli started yapping about how he knew she wouldn't let harm come to Stone Cold's loved ones and how he knew that she would honor his memory, Elizabeth saw the way Sam seemed to be elsewhere in her mind and just kept a blank expression on her face.

She listened as the geek's entreaties reached a crescendo then looked up in surprise when Sam snapped at him to be quiet. "Don't you get it, she isn't here to free us, she is enjoying this."

When the geek kept talking, babbling really, Elizabeth went to the refrigerator and took out a water. Walking to stand in front of the young man, she removed the cap and tilted the water bottle up and let him take a sip. When the kid pathetically thanked her she walked over and sat it down on the tool bench.

Silently walking back to her perch, she sat down and watched Sam. She saw the moment the other woman came up with a plan and enjoyed the idea of shutting her down. "Elizabeth, do you know who grabbed us?"

"Yup." she said then looked at the woman.

"Well, who is it?" she asked annoyed "And why did they grab you, is it so that they can get access to Jason's money. Is that why you are being held here but not tied up."

"No, I am here because this is where Jason and I used to meet." she said then waited.

"So WHO IS IT THAT GRABBED US?" she asked slowly.

Ignoring her, Elizabeth had at first thought she was kidding but soon came to accept that Sam, well she really was that stupid.

Jason meanwhile was still at the mansion waiting for John who had told him it would almost be dark before he returned. That he had to take care of something.

Sitting there, he reached out for the box he had saved at the penthouse and found his favorite picture. Elizabeth, by herself as she watched the sunset. Sighing, he wondered if it was possible to go back in time, to fix ones mistakes. With an annoyed snort, he dismissed that idea.

Putting the picture away, his mind kept repeating the words in his head that he had screamed at Elizabeth in anger that day at the safe house. He had wanted her to hate him, to avoid him at all cost and he had gotten his wish. Now, he was reaping what he had sown.

As he looked at the papers, he wished he knew how to fix this. At least with most of these people gone, if Elizabeth ever decided to come back to Port Charles, she would be safe. The only one he really felt bad about was Michael. Mainly because his death meant that Jason had wasted years, given up his life and his family for nothing. The boy he had made a reckless promise to was now gone.

At the Safe House basement, Spinelli suddenly said to Elizabeth. "Why were you so mean to me when I saw you with the mother of the goddess?"

"I have never talked to you with the mother of the goddess." she said then saw him beginning to protest. "Oh, you saw me with Alexis. Sammy here, isn't a Cassadine, who knows what type of monster spawned your heroine."

When the geek seemed to lose it and defend Sam, Elizabeth saw the surprise in Sam's face and laughed saying. "Yes, it's true. You are no more a Cassadine than well, than I am."

"Bitch." said Sam then she looked at the water in front of her and sneered. "Is this supposed to make me talk, withholding water?"

Elizabeth pretended surprise then shock before dismay. "I am so sorry." Standing she opened the drugged water and held it out for Sam to take a sip. "I forgot."

Sitting back down across from the woman she snorted as Spinelli tried to play up how he thought she was being kind and generous. Going back to ignoring the two of them, Elizabeth looked at the clock. Almost time. A minute later, she said "I guess I can answer you now, the person who had you two worthless excuses of human waste grabbed, was me. I had it done."

When Sam snorted in disbelief, Elizabeth stood and stretched before saying. "I know what you did Spinelli, I know all of it."

"I have done nothing to you that you didn't deserve." he said shocked at what came out of his mouth.

"Wrong again. I have never done anything to you, but you you have covered for the people who have hurt my children, time and time again. By the way, did you ever tell your master about your goddesses weakness that set Franco free?" she asked.

The geek started babbling confirming what Elizabeth had suspected after what Franco had sent her after grabbing her daughter. "Tsk, tsk, what happened ride or die chick? More worried about keeping Jason under your control than being Robin to his Batman, Frick to his Frack. My daughter almost died as a result of your moment of weakness."

"You should have." said Spinelli with venom. "You, you should have never lived."

Elizabeth walked past Sam then reached behind her back as she stood in front of Spinelli and said "Want to know a secret? How about a real juicy one. My daughter, she was created, here in this house. In a moment of wild passion. And I learned something. Something I am sure that your hooker Goddess wants kept quiet. Now what that is?"

Seeing Spinelli's eyes cross at the gun pointed in his face. "I learned something really intriguing. Jason Morgan didn't love her. Oh, he had told her it a few times. But in love with her, nope. She was a piece of ass that he was using. To kill time, to keep from falling into the abyss and more importantly, he was using her to keep himself from begging me to take a chance. He wanted to protect us, that is why he was fucking your goddess."

"That isn't true, you were a lost memory, he didn't remember you, he forgot you the moment he had back his soul mate." said a protesting Spinelli while Sam just rolled her eyes before telling Spinelli to let it go that she was trying to rattle him.

"No, rattling him would be giving him the news... Jason Morgan is the father of my youngest child. She was created here, during a secret visit to our love nest." said Elizabeth while putting the gun away.

"That is not true." said Spinelli. "He would never touch you again once he had back the love of his life. The goddess is his true match, his yin to his yang, his..."

"Damien, may I call you Damien?" she asked while laughing. "Yes, it is true. Jason Morgan is the father of my daughter, in fact he is the father of all three of my children. Isn't that right Sam?"

Sam stiffened. How the hell had Elizabeth found out about that. "Sonny talked just before he died." she told the woman as she stood behind her. Turning, she looked at the geek who seemed stunned. "Yes, Cameron, Jacob and my daughter can all legally use the Morgan name, or rather the Quartermaine name if they so chose."

Spinelli was stunned into silence while Sam sneered and finally gave in to her anger like Elizabeth wanted. "You whore, you slut. How dare you?"

"Well, see. I was having a moment of weakness caused by a mental illness." she said returning the sneer. "Yes, Sam I slept with Jason yet again and yet again, I managed to get pregnant while he was wearing a condom. And you, you barren bitch, need the sperminator to get you with child."

Seeing her confusion. Elizabeth said "That is what apparently the FBI calls Sonny. I thought it kind of funny myself. Anyhow, I was wondering if you could clarify something for me. According to Enzo DeNozzo, the Boston head of the families, you were out there offering them something to take down Jason, just what could you have possibly had to offer up about the man you supposedly love? My children maybe?"

"Why its not like he gave a shit about them." she said bored then grinned at Elizabeth. "See, I was there, while you were out fucking Lucky's brother. You look down on me and then you give it up to Nik? Seriously, how slutty can you be?"

Elizabeth said to her. "Sammy, you slept with your mother's husband."

"According to you she isn't my mother." she retorted,

"But you didn't know that and Sam, Sonny and Ric, they are brothers and so are Jasper and Jerry Jacks." she said quietly. "So, I would say you win the skank of the year title. And leech of the year, and let's see, I know Child Endangerer of the year. Jerry talked, I am sure you saw the evidence. I also know that Jason wasn't quite the fool I thought he was. He told me in his will, why he was keeping you so close."

"Because he couldn't get enough of fucking me." she said triumphantly.

"I figure we would create the day Jason supposedly had sex with you in Mexico. I believe it went something like this. Jason was shot twice. Once in the leg and once in the shoulder."

"Now, I could shot the geek, but he isn't worth it, so let's just play pretend. How on earth did Jason, even Jason get it up enough to fuck you, he didn't, did he?" she asked with a smirk. "I know what you did Sammy, Jerry told all."

"Oh, Sammy, I would start talking. See, Max did. He was quite a fountain of information about you, about Jason and what he learned the day the Towers exploded."

"My master died saving me." said Spinelli despondently while Elizabeth laughed. "Yeah right. I heard he put your head through a mirror, sounds like he truly cared. Spinelli, you know what. You are just annoying me."

"You, you are the-" Elizabeth looked at the geek and then lifted the gun and said "One more word, and I shoot your goddess."

Sam laughed then said "Yeah right."

"Sam unlike you, I can shoot straight." she said then moved around to the front of the woman and placed the gun down on the bench and picked up a the hammer. "Seems like I am wasting my time and I have much better things to do before we leave town."

Moving over to stand in front of Spinelli, she said "So Sam, whose fingers to I break, yours or Spinelli's."

"Like you would-" Sam shut up when she heard the sickening crunch of the hammer hitting the geeks hand. Then the screams as the geek howled in pain. Elizabeth picked up the dirty rag and shoved it into his mouth. "So Sam, what about it, his left hand or yours?"

"Wow and you acted like I was crazy." she sneered then flinched when Spinelli's bones could again be heard breaking.

"Sam if you had been smart you would have left me and my children alone. But you went to Sonny, had him sent a hit man after my children. Not a wise move and like I said, Max paid for it. Sonny paid for it, may they rest in peace."

"You expect me to believe you, you got the drop on Max and Sonny?" she said with a laugh.

"No, I don't expect you to do anything but scream before I am finished with you." said Elizabeth as she moved in front of Sam. "You know, I can't help wondering, are those puppies real. I mean it's clear from your lack of bra they sag, but I know from medical textbooks, that even fake ones need support of a good bra."

Walking over, Elizabeth picked up the needle and went to stand in front of Sam. "Now be a good girl and don't move, I might just give you a lollipop."

Sam tried to squirm away as Elizabeth moved in closer and closer, even penetrating her skin with the needle point until blood was showing. Elizabeth looked down and gave a quick laugh as she moved backwards. "The ride or die chick, pissed her pants. Poor Sammy, no sucker for you."

Elizabeth sat back down in her chair, lifted her water and watched the two of them. Spinelli was clearly in pain, but she had no regrets. His typing little fingers were the reason her children had been in danger. Well, no more. As for Sam, she was clearly scared out of her mind. Now was the time to play.

"So Spinelli, shall we play the tape of our visit with Miss Davis and her daughters?"

Sam was cursing as she listened to what the geek had spilled. And worse what she had heard that Jason had known.

Jason was helped into the car, his legs still shaky as he asked Johnny to drive him up the cliff roads. "Thank you. I know you mean well, but I just want better for Elizabeth than me."

"What about what she wants?" asked the dark haired man as he headed across town. "You two have repeatedly made decisions for one another out of fear. That is what your problem is. I get that, with Anthony as a father, boy do I get that. But Jason, now is your chance. Your moment to make things right."

"Do you remember how Lulu acted when you two were together, now I saw Carly change just like that, I saw Courtney go from clueless screw up to dangerous clueless screw up. I saw Brenda Barrett go to the FBI to protect Sonny, I saw every single woman including my sister change and not for the better as she became part of my world. I want so much better for Elizabeth, for our children."

"Jason, what about the Spencers, they were the reason that family is screwed up, not the mob. As for rest, why did you fall in love with Elizabeth, because she stood out in the crowd, right?" he asked. Seeing Jason nodding he said "Then why are you lumping her with those other women. The only time I have ever seen your lady love, she was defending those she cared about. At the Ball, she was searching for flash lights, not trouble. She didn't go looking for it, like the others, your sister included." he said sure that was a sensitive subject.

"I promised myself years ago, after I saw the way a detective treated Elizabeth with disdain, someone he had always been gentle with before her friendship with me. I swore I would never let her be put in that position again. I forgot it for a while, but then I woke up, I realized what I was costing her."

"See, Jason, I think you don't realize what you cost her is what you can give back to her. It is going to take time and work, but in the end, you can have that family you dream of, with the woman of your dreams." said Johnny quietly then turning to look at the car driving past he said "I would have sworn that was your old guard Cody."

"I thought he was protecting Elizabeth, isn't that what you said?" asked Jason.

"Yes, how much further." asked Johnny his mind still on the former guard.

"I want to stop at Vista Point first. There is something I need to think about." he said then when they pulled on to the site, he struggled to get himself to the bench. Sitting there, he felt his mind go back to the day Elizabeth and he had met out there and kissed back when he had been trying to protect them from themselves.

Standing, he looked around then thought about what Johnny said. Maybe the person he needed to talk to, the person who should get the final say was the one person on this earth outside of his children he was terrified to talk to.

In the car, he quietly said "On to the safe house."

AT the safe house, Elizabeth saw that Spinelli had passed out from the pain then sat down in front of Sam. "You know, I was going to kick your ass, just to show you how its done, but frankly your pissing your pants put an end to that. Although, I do intend to make you suffer. What should we start with, I know, lets use the pliers to pull off those acrylic nails, shall we?"

Standing, Elizabeth walked over and picked up the pliers, "So, where of where should we start?"

"Elizabeth, we have company." said the accented voice from the top of the stairs.

Hurrying over, Elizabeth stuck the rag in the woman's mouth before tying another around it. Upstairs, she said "Who is it?"

"You are not going to believe this one." said the guard. "Two dead men."

"Crap, Jason must have planned to come here to heal. Get everything packed up. I will go delay him." she said walking to the door. Opening it, she stood there with her arms crossed while Johnny got out of the driver's side door. "Don't move, you will be taking him back to the Quartermaine house."

"I don't think so." said the Italian, he had more than had it with both of them. Helping Jason up, he moved to the door then when she tried to prevent them from entering, said "I will find a side door."

"Here." she said opening it up with a flourish, hoping that the equipment was gone. "I had come here to be alone before leaving town tomorrow. Are you out taking a look at your past?"

"Don't." snapped John. Dropping Jason onto the sofa, he said "You two are the most annoying, pigheaded, screwed up people in love that I know. I will be back in the morning, if you don't kill each other, I expect to hear that you have gotten your acts together."

Slamming the door on his way out, he saw the second car and then a man slipping from the shadows getting into it. Deciding to follow the man, he quickly called Monica and said "If Jason calls, don't go get him."

Ten minutes later, Johnny coasted to a stop behind the late model sedan and got out to track the shadow. Seeing Cody Paul talking to him and then getting the gist of what they were talking about, he swore then walked up. "We need to talk."

Cody turned with his gun already out, his eyes narrowed when he saw the Zachara heir standing there. "And why should we do that?"

"Because I think we are after the same thing, Elizabeth and Jason together."

"Actually, we aren't. We want Miss Webber happy, with or without Morgan." said the bald man as he looked at him. "What do you think you know?"

"I think that the two of you are responsible for the various disappearances around town. I have kept an eye on things and that took some good planning, and muscle."

"I think a little knowledge is a dangerous thing because you have it wrong." replied Cody. Then he said "Why did you bring Morgan there?"

"His usual, walking away to keep them safe." answered Johnny. "What I don't get, will never get is how they are safer without him."

"Because it isn't about keeping them safe." said a voice behind them. As they all turned, the man stepping out of the darkness said "Put your hands down, you look foolish."

"Who are you?" asked Johnny while Cody controlled the reflexive need to salute. "Gunny."

"Mr. Paul. None of you get it, this walking away, he doesn't want Elizabeth's so called innocence to become mired in mud, in the blood and mess that is his life. Too bad he didn't think about that before he was declared dead."

"I think I get it, but he did think about it." replied Johnny. "Wait... you mean since the Towers exploded."

"Yes, I do." said the man. "But he left his family vulnerable and he forgot one very important thing. That Elizabeth Webber takes care of her own, protects her own. She took on her rapist to protect not herself but to protect her friend, Mr. Morgan's sister. She took on Helena Cassadine more than once to protect those she cares about. She killed that Russian after her kids, and now since she believed she was all alone against someone who was trying to kill her children, she got help and then took the offensive. This time, this time there will be justice."

Johnny thought about the rumors regarding the agents with Elizabeth, then about what they had learned about Jerry Jacks begging to be put in an American SuperMax prison rather than an Israeli one. The mob going after Sonny was from Boston where the head had a son who was some sort of Navy cop. The Turks after Cassadine, the SEC... laughing he said "Elizabeth, Elizabeth Webber was behind it all. Damn, a girl after my own heart. Smart and most importantly discreet and successful successful."

"We don't have time for this. Cody, her letter runs out in at 8:00 AM, where is she?"

"With Morgan." said Cody. "They are in the basement while she is arguing with him upstairs, here."

Handing him the ear set, the Marine put it in then pulled it out as quickly. "Fine, we have to get back there. You, I don't know who you are to this situation, but you need to get Morgan out of there."

Cody listened again to the ear set then said "Maybe not. Let's let them fight. Zachara, come with me, Sir, you know you can't be part of this. One way or another McCall and Spinelli will be taken care of tonight."

"What about me?" asked the accented guard. "My equipment is obviously still running and it is in the basement, we are not the only ones getting an earful."

With a smirk, Cody said "Well, Elizabeth planned to torture Sam to get to the truth, I think what she is hearing will do a much better job than causing her physical pain. Whatever else I know, I know that she sees Morgan as hers. If she is paying attention, well then she knows that literally their whole relationship was false."

"What do you mean?" asked Johnny in frustration until he was given an ear set. Hearing the two arguing, he started to laugh. "Oh, this is good."

"Head back with Agent Gibbs, I will have Zachara help me." stated Cody, "I will send you your equipment later."

At the house, Elizabeth stood and glared at Jason. As they started out with all their usual nonsense, Elizabeth snapped "Oh please, Carly and Sonny call and you pull you head out of their ass and say "What may I do for you master?"

"What about Oh, Lucky, I love you, yes I will let you degrade me, hurt me and abandon our children on a whim all because I have to believe you saved me after my rape otherwise I would have to stand up and admit that I am too scared to tell you what I really think of you. That is the man you wanted raising our children, the man you thought would be a better father than ME!" he snapped his hands trembling in anger.

"Oh please, let's talk about our children. Let's start with Cam. It was YOUR enemy that did this, Faith wanted to hurt you!" she snapped.

"Really, I seem to recall an affair with YOUR husband, she hated you just as much as me. I just don't get how she got a hold of what she did. It wasn't like I was having sex." snapped Jason in frustration. Seeing Elizabeth's raised eyebrows, he said "Do you really think after what she did to you, I would go there."

"You did before, then again with that bitch Sam." she drawled.

Wishing he had the strength to make her sit, Jason said "No, no I didn't. But I will explain later. For now, I just want to know, how?"

Seeing how quietly he asked she sat down on the other end of the sofa and said "I figured that part out. At least from my side. Just before Halloween, I went to see Dr. Meadows, I had a message that they needed to check something that showed up on a pap smear. She wasn't there, another doctor was covering for her. I was a bit tense, but he offered to have a nurse there, was so kind, I felt like I was overreacting. I called back a day later for my test results because he said he had to get a sample of the tissue, that that was why he was using the equipment he was. I was told my tests were all fine."

Standing again, she said "I just don't get why Faith did this?"

"I don't know." said Jason. "But I think she tried to tell me, when I went after her for what she did to Michael. She said something about my child, my son. I remember telling Sonny about it later, he acted weird but I dismissed it as his being uncomfortable with remembering that at one point I was Micheal's father."

Walking to the window, Elizabeth said "How do you think that they faked the tests?"

"I have no idea. I do know that Sam was told by Sonny." he said in disgust.

"I heard, I heard the whole thing. How they were going to kill me and tell you so you would go for custody. Too bad they didn't get that the only kids you claim belong to everyone else." she replied in a slightly bitter tone.

"No, don't you get it." he said "I would have given anything to have known back there. Things would have been so different. So different." he said wiping away the tear rolling down his cheek. "I would have been able to get out then, but after the truth about Sonny's illness came out, it was too late."

Turning, she looked at him then said "What are you talking about?"

"Just that if I had known then, I would have had an excuse to get out of that mess of a marriage, I went into it to protect you, to protect myself from loving you... but after Ric, I thought... well... I thought that we were wrong, that there were worse things than taking a chance." he said his mind still in the past. "Then you held my hand to your stomach, that day in the courthouse and I felt sick because I wanted that baby to be mine. I can still see the green mist I was feeling."

"If I had known, we would have been gone. Sonny and Carly might have ended more peacefully because they both thought I was on their sides. I wouldn't have had to deal with the Sam mess. Sometimes I can't help wishing she had aborted that kid like she talked about."

Seeing Elizabeth's surprise, he said "Yes, the same dead child she constantly throws up as an excuse, Sam was threatening to abort. She only changed her mind when I said she could stay with me and that Sonny would give her ten million dollars."

"I think the reason I felt so much for the loss of that baby and then let Sam stay around was because of Cam and you." he said finally telling her the truth. "God, you looked so beautiful as a mother, so incredibly beautiful. You weren't part of the darkness, you were happy then that surrogacy happened. I remember my memory was gone, but I felt a need to get away from here, to flee. The day I got my memory back, I recalled why. You were having a child, with Jax. I felt sick. I couldn't help wishing it was me."

"But you were with Sam, you loved Sam." she said.

"No, actually I didn't." he replied. "Elizabeth, Sam was there, she wanted a family and since I knew I couldn't have one with you, I decided she would do; that she was who I should love.. While in Mexico two years ago, I was reliving my memories and I finally faced myself and when I came too and found out I had slept with Sam. The loathing and hate I felt, I knew, I knew that is what you would feel towards me."

When Elizabeth sat down in chair, certain she didn't want to hear this, but knowing it was the best way to get over what she felt for him. "And yet you kept sleeping with her."

Standing, Jason found he didn't have the strength and fell to his knees in front of her. "To keep you away. Just like why I started up with Courtney, the first time. I lost myself in my determination to keep you safe and I know that like my relationship with Courtney, you would see it as the betrayal it was. What I didn't realize was when you felt nothing again, you would try to wreck yourself."

"Why, Jason? Why is us so bad?" she asked the question that burnt her soul.

"Because you are all that is goodness in my life. More than our children, more than anything else, you are better than all of us. There is no one, no one other than my grandmother who I would never want to have my life touch. And every time it did, it hurt you." he said unable to wipe the tears falling now.

"I have loved you since the day I meet you at Jake's. I didn't get it at first, but then when I stayed with you at the studio, I knew., I spent years trying to figure out how to stop that and it only grows deeper and deeper every single time we meet."

"Then why walk away?" she asked.

Picking up her hands, Jason took them to his chest and pressed them against his erratically beating heart. "The same reason I picked a fight the last time we were here. I woke up, you were still asleep and I found peace, heaven from waking up in you arms. My phone rang and I answered it. Franco was on the other end."

Elizabeth saw his face and groaned "And every single thing we had just said to one another got tossed out because of a call from that man?"

"Yes. Elizabeth, I looked over at you, asleep and I knew. I knew that this was the final straw. That it wasn't just my enemies coming after us, my so called friends wanting us apart, now it was complete strangers who were obsessed with me. I wanted you and the boys safe. So I said what I did, needing you to avoid me at all cost. Then I heard about Shadybrook."

Touching her face after he released her hands, Jason said "I so badly wanted to be there but I knew, I knew that if I stepped one foot near you, I would lose what little control I had. Lucky was there, talking and I could hear myself propping him up. Then I found out he wasn't helping you like he had said, that he was making it worse. I found out about the baby. Lulu was screaming that it was Nik's. I saw you that day in the courtyard, then Lucky showed up. I saw you having another child, another baby growing inside of you and I clung to what I had. To Carly, to Sam, that way I didn't forgot my promise to keep you safe."

"But I wasn't safe, Helena had nothing to do with you, Nik's manipulations had nothing to do with you, neither did Lucky, well maybe his did." she admitted honestly. "I was a mess, but then two things happened. I heard about this company, was going to invest so that I could give you back your money you had set up for the boys and tell you and your coterie to shove it. I went to a broker, a good one it turns out. He showed me some numbers, regarding the so called miracle break through. I thought, my brother the doctor, he knows more and told the man."

"He told me that was called insider trading and if I wanted to stay out of jail to not invest." she added dryly. "Then he said if I really want to invest, there were better companies. And he was right."

"You know, when I saw you had left town... I heard from Carly a few days later, she had no idea I was the father and she pissed me off. Then I found out about Cam." Jason buried his head in her lap as the tears flew. "Elizabeth, I knew I could never claim my family but I could get rid of the leeches. It was my fault that they were still talking about you, my fault you had to flee."

Elizabeth found herself running her hands through his hair like she did with Jake sometimes when he was upset. After about a half hour, she asked "What happens now?"

Looking at her, he said "That is up to you. I would like to come and be there with you. I know you aren't ready for us to be a family and I get that. But someone recently told me I was a coward and he is right. Can you give us a chance."

"Jason, I have changed. I wish I could, but I have done things, things that will change how you feel about me." she said not able to look at him. When his warm hand cupped her face to lift it so their eyes would meet, she said "I am not the same person. I did what I had to do but you, you are going to hate me when you find out."

"Tell me, please? Is this about your grandmother and the others. That I don't get, I know you love Audrey." he said looking at her.

"The day that you brought our daughter back, I overheard my brother talking to Nik. He had been plotting with him, behind my back." she said then adding. "It was what convinced me along with your agreeing with Carly that Sam and you needed time away to leave town."

"I wasn't paying any attention, I had no idea what I was agreeing to. I just wanted to get them away from you. We didn't go, she begged and whined, then threatened. Had her sisters and Spinelli buzzing around, even Alexis got involved." he said in disgust. "I was told I owed her for her planning on waiting for me. I never asked her to and was hoping she would find someone else, but it didn't work."

"Anyhow, I went to Baltimore where my uncle and aunt live. Someone helped Nik find us, I later learned it was Spinelli. I had figured out that a blood test would get him to stay away so Uncle Tom called a contact with the Baltimore Forensics Unit, they sent the results here and I left town as soon as the restraining orders were issued against the Spencers and Nik."

"I know, I tried to find you, but it was too late." said Jason. "I stupidly thought that Spinelli... that he was on my side."

"We were in Washington, the boys loved it. Then I read you had died, the battle to have you declared dead then the stuff about your will. I was sick to read that Jake was considered your heir but we stayed here, out of the way I thought. Then one day after picking up the boys, we heard a pop near the Navy Base. I thought it was just a tire blow out or something."

"An NCIS agent showed up and asked questions. I thought we were covered in spite of my having recognized the man as one of Sonny's former guards. Then a woman showed up. They had determined that he had accidentally blown himself up, but he had two photos with him. The lab reconstructed the two damaged pictures and they were of Jake and I and then one in Baltimore, taking with a security camera of Cam holding his sister."

Jason's hands shook. Johnny had told him it was a close call, that Sonny's hit man had gotten close, but he had no idea how close. "This woman, she was relentless. She said I was a sitting duck. I didn't want to listen, I buried my head in the sand. Then one day I saw the actually photos and what was on the back. It said Morgan's kids. And I knew that I could no longer hide. So I met with this doctor friend of hers. He sent me up with someone that helped me get my head on straight."

"Then Zeva, well she trained me, taught me how to protect myself and my family and then we talked about what I was going to do. I knew, I knew that the safest way to protect them was to make sure they couldn't get to us ever again."

"I know." said Jason. "I know you used the law and got them out of your hair."

"Jason, I did more than that. Zeva got me some sort of special letter." Jason froze, he had one of those, one from years ago. He didn't like where this was going. Not at all.

"And Tony had a contact in Boston, a very important one. Zeva's friends rallied and I did what I had to do." she said. Then looking him squarely in the eyes she said "I talked to Gia, Taggert's sister and found out that Nik, that he was obsessed for years. I came here, found proof and then set Helena and him up to kill each other. Then I took down my family, sent Patrick out of town along with Epiphany to protect those I cared about."

"Diane, Diane helped you." he said quietly as he listened to his worst nightmare come true.

"Yes, and then I dealt with the Spencers. I took away Luke and Bobbie's businesses and homes. I didn't mean for Lulu to kill herself, god that is not what I was after."

"I think that Sonny did that." he replied wanting to ease her burden. He knew that Lulu really killed herself but like Johnny had said, with her it was only a matter of time."

"Then I got Lucky sent to jail, he won't make it out alive but that is because he is listed as a child abuser. Ethan got a free pass though. He was kind to me when a lot weren't." she said quietly. "Then I took down Alexis. She was easy, Sam isn't her daughter. And she have files, files that prove she blackmailed judges for years to get her way in the courts."

Seeing his expression, she said "Very long story but Micheal's stay in Pentonville, she talked a good talk, but she was behind it."

"I also finally dealt with Maxie, or rather forced Mac to. Carly lost her hotel, her children and her house. Sam is facing prison. Then there was Sonny." she said. "I had Max grabbed, I found out everything then we took care of Max."

"What do you mean by took care?" he asked closing his eyes.

"What do you think I mean. We got what we needed from him then disposed of the body. Sonny I didn't even bother talking to. I just shot him. That bastard was going to kill my kids, so don't you dare defend him." she hissed only to have her arms grabbed roughly as Jason made her look at him.

"I only regret that you had to do it. Dammit, Elizabeth, this is why I walked away. So you wouldn't end up like this."

"Oh relax, your precious Carly and Michael are still alive. Not that I did that for you, but for Jax." she snapped, annoyed with him.

"I don't give a shit about them, I didn't want this for you. None of this was supposed to happen." he snarled.

"Well, my family was going to die if it didn't happen, so you don't get to give me hell for it. I did what I had to do. Protect our children. Something you were incapable of doing for your own blood but could do for every single other kid in this town." she snapped. "After all you were fucking the biggest threat to our kids."

"That is why I was with her. To keep her away, to protect you."

"And telling her you love her, that she would be a good mother, fuck you, Jason Morgan, just fuck you." she said angry with him as her hands balled into fists and she glared at him..

"No, I said that to get to the truth, you don't get to take the high ground, Elizabeth. You were using Lucky and he was just as big of a danger to our kids."

"I get that, and I dealt with Lucky because if I left it up to you... When were you going to deal with Sam and that freak Spinelli?" she snapped. "When they finally succeeded in killing one of us."

"I had set up plans, she was going to die in prison. As for Spinelli without us around, he would piss off someone and end up dead. I didn't want to go to jail for such a stupid reason." he snapped.

"I don't believe you." she said "He is the bigger threat, why can't you see that?"

"How do you get that one?" he asked annoyed with her.

"Because Jason, Sam isn't insane and Spinelli is. That kid has more than a few screws loose. Sam, she isn't a danger without backup, Spinelli is. That's why, that's why I have to end this. Take them out."

"NO!" he ordered. "Dammit, Elizabeth. You are better than this. You shouldn't have to kill people."

Looking at Jason she said "Apparently I do when you aren't up to the job of protecting your own family. You say you slept with her to keep us safe, why didn't you just kill the bitch?" she snapped.

"Because I know she has connections to the Russians, to what happened in Mexico. And I want the truth. I need the truth... and I would do anything, anything to get it." he hissed. "I know that you don't believe it. But I can't let this go. I have to find out the truth, for us, for the boys."

Elizabeth said "Do you remember when you said without trust there can't be love?"

"Yes, why?" he asked.

"Here is your chance to prove that." Handing him the key, she said "The basement and Jason.. don't make me not trust you."

A bit confused, he staggered to his feet and said "I need your help. I have pushed it too much today."

Agreeing, she went and unlocked the door. They could hear the muffled shouts from the two tied up below and Jason looked at her startled before gripping the hand rails. "I will go down myself."

Elizabeth went back to the living room and hoped she hadn't misplaced her trust as Jason reached the bottom of the staircase and saw Spinelli tied to the wall his hands bleeding and Sam was tied to a chair.

Walking over, he ripped off her gag then did the same to Spinelli's. Letting them bitch and moan about Elizabeth, he said quietly "Why would either of you think I was here to free you."

Chapter 9 Today's quote courtesy of Sunshine who reviewed this story on HH:Damn, that's...and Liz said...then Jason yelled...and then Liz asked him...and then finally...

Walking over, he ripped off her gag then did the same to Spinelli's. Letting them bitch and moan about Elizabeth, he said quietly "Why would either of you think I was here to free you."

"JASSSIINNN, you know you love me." whined the woman tied to the chair.

"Sam, stop trying to con me, I really am not that stupid no matter how much you like to pretend I am. Now how about we have a long talk. About the Russians, and how they followed Elizabeth and you to the cabin. Funny thing is, I saw the tapes, they aren't on them. Not until you make a phone call while you changed the tire on the van."

"They were there, I saw them." she said confidently not realizing what she was giving away as she attempted to clear herself. "They tripped a wire outside my apartment then I saw them on the way to her house."

"And you led them straight there, didn't you?" he asked quietly as she caught on to the way she was giving away the truth. "Sam. I have one more question then we will move on but why?"

"Why? What?" she asked.

"Why didn't you just move on, why do what you did. I mean, you had a chance at a different life, one the you claimed to want. I mean, why not leave Elizabeth and my family alone." he asked. Picking up the water bottle he saw was marked, he opened the fridge. More were marked then not. Sipping from one of the marked ones, he offered her the plain one.

He saw the moment she relaxed and decided to make sure she knew that he wasn't playing. "What happened to Spinelli?"

As he listened to their explanation, he inwardly flinched at the idea of Elizabeth, his Elizabeth having to do this, worried about protecting their family. On the surface, he kept his face neutral then asked "Sam, why would the families think that I would be okay with my family being killed?"

Seeing her confusion, he asked "I was told my mistress, was offering up the information. That I would be grateful if my family was taken care of."

"Elizabeth must have told them that, after all she was your mistress, why does she hate the Quartermaines, did they turn on her for sleeping with Emily's husband." Sam was thinking she was covering her rear but soon found the table in front of her shoved out of the way.

"Sam, Elizabeth wasn't my mistress, by definition, a mistress is just a highly paid whore. I was talking about you and I was talking about the threat against Elizabeth and the boys." he hissed as he moved in closer. "You seem to think that you are Teflon, that nothing is going to stick to you. But I know, I know what you did and how, what I want to know is why?"

When she didn't answer, Jason picked up the the needle and stood in front of Spinelli and said "And what do you know about this, what do you know about why she tried to kill my family?"

"We, we are your family, Stone Cold. The goddess, the Valkyrie and me, we are the only ones who truly love you." he said earnestly. "We only did what we had to to protect you from those trying to steal you away from us."

"You sent a hit man after children. MY CHILDREN." he raged. "You tried to kill the woman I love, and for what. So that I wouldn't make you wipe your own asses? Spinelli, shit, Elizabeth is right. You are the more dangerous of the two. Your effing insane if you think you mean more to me than my family, my children. I kept the losers in my life to PROTECT THEM, not you. I thought you understood, that you were my friend, then I found out that you were helping her, you were setting me up."

"But no, Stone Cold, we were protecting you. We were keeping your heart safe for your soul mate."

"Soul mate?" snorting he said "Which one, both Carly and Sam claim that role. But have you ever looked the words up, I really doubt it. A soul mate is a person with whom one has a feeling of deep and natural affinity, love, intimacy, sexuality, spirituality, and compatibility. There is nothing deep about my feelings for either of them. Sam is free sex and keeping her out of trouble, Carly, is the same without the sex just a tie created in a reckless promise made by a two year old."

"But, Stone Cold, Sam is the yin to your yang." he said only for Jason to snap "Not likely. Once again. They mean complimentary, lightness and dark, good and bad. Sam is more like a mirror image of that reflection you see in the mirror after a night of binge drinking and having sex with your roommates ugly step sister."

"You don't mean that, like Molly says, you are destined romance, tragic lovers..."

There was a shot then Jason moved closer to the kid. "You are using the twisted rantings of a ten year old to prove your theories. She is wrong and you are wrong and I am done arguing with you. If anything Molly's description fits Elizabeth and I." When Spinelli started to argue, Jason said "I am wasting my time and I have better things to do."

There was another shot then silence. Sam tried to twist in her chair but couldn't move. "Jason, Jason what is going on?"

Moving closer to the woman in the chair, Jason put the gun to her temple and said "Start talking because the longer you talk, the less painful your death is going to be."

"But Jason..." her voiced trailed off as he moved around to sit in the chair across from her. "You love me, you know you do. You came back to me, you left her alone and came back to me."

Snoring, he said "NO, you followed me around and I let you. I was scared what you might do to my family, to Elizabeth and our children. Even before the tests I thought of Cameron as my son. Did you know that I asked Elizabeth to marry me the moment I found out she was pregnant, I didn't give a crap that the baby might be Lucky's. I just wanted to take the chance I had let go, I just wanted her back."

"NO, you were doing what you always do, you were helping out someone. You didn't love her, you didn't love her baby. You couldn't, you loved me." she said eager to connect to the man she loved. "We were meant to be a family. We still could, you just go upstairs and kill her. We take your little girl and she can be ours. Like it was meant to be all along."

Jason looked at her then lifted the gun. Walking up the stairs, he called out to Elizabeth, positive that Sam would think she was getting what she wanted. He listened as she called out encouragement. When the woman of his dreams showed up, he took a leap of faith, knowing that Elizabeth needed him to accept what she had done and this was his best way to prove it.

"Sam wants me to take our daughter and kill you then let her be a mother to her." he said. "What do you think?"

Elizabeth looked at him confused, then saw in his eyes what was going on. Leaning, in she kissed him on the cheek knowing they were out of Sam's eye sight and said "Well, if that is truly what she wants..."

Jason returned down the stairs then looked at Sam before saying. "Is that why you did it?"

"What?" she asked confused. "Did what?"

"Let Franco escape, did you tell him that Elizabeth's little baby was mine." he said quietly then when she didn't answer, Jason grabbed her by the neck and squeezed hard. "Talk to me. Did you tell Franco to kill Elizabeth, did you set her up to be murdered by that sick bastard."

"HE WAS GOING TO KILL ME, HE WAS THREATENING ME, I DIDN'T WANT TO DIE SO I TOLD HIM THE FIRST NAME THAT CAME TO MIND. SHE HAS TO DIE FOR WHAT SHE TOOK FROM ME. YOU LOVED ME, YOU DID THEN IT WAS NEVER THE SAME, YOU DIDN'T... YOU DIDN'T TREAT ME THE SAME, NOT ANYMORE." Sam shouted at him. "Before you respected me, but I became a body to fuck to toss kind words at when you wanted me to do something. I didn't deserve that, I gave you everything, I gave up everything for you."

"Sam don't kid yourself, you were a body to fuck before you slept with Ric." he said quietly. "Oh, I tried to wrap it up in pretty words because I thought since I couldn't have a family with Elizabeth, I could pretend with you. But where did that get me, no place. I was still fucking someone, I didn't realize the difference until the night, the night I saw you with Ric and then Elizabeth showed up."

"However, I don't intend to share that with you, because there is no reason for me to taint those memories by speaking of them with you." he said then moving to stand next to her he said "You have some questions to answer and I am getting tired of waiting. Let's start with why you came to town."

"Jax, I was after Jax." she snapped then looked horrified at what she said "Then his dad died and I knew it wouldn't work. So I saw a chance with Sonny then that bitch took him back. You came running after me, and I soon found out who you were Thanks to Elizabeth talking to Emily, I learned you were the Quartermaines favorite. It wasn't hard, Everyone told me how badly you wanted a kid. You fell right into play."

"What about Cameron, when did you learn he was my son?" he asked wondering exactly how long he had and what was in that bottle of water.

"Sonny told me. I was getting a bit frustrated and you weren't doing what I wanted. I thought it was Courtney, but he told me that he had seen you watching Elizabeth with her son and that if I didn't play it cool, I would lose you to her. I asked what he meant, and he said all in good time."

She looked to Jason and saw he wasn't saying anything and continued. "Then later on, he came to me and said that it was important I take care of something for him at the hospital the next time I was there. I saw the file and realized what he had been talking about. Then later on, after our daughter died-"

"Your daughter, yours and Sonny." he snapped tired of the idea he was the father.

"Anyhow..." she said ignoring that statement, "When you took Hope and gave her to that woman against my wishes and I was pissed, Sonny came over and told me to stop acting like I was and he would get me Elizabeth's son. I just had to get you out of town. Then he arranged the boat, saying to make sure Elizabeth saw it for some reason."

Jason thought about it and then it hit him. The conversation the night he went after Luis Alcazar, he was beginning to wonder if his penthouse had bugged. It certainly explained why he was called out whenever he tried to talk to Elizabeth. "Why did he want me out of town?"

"He had a plan to take care of her. Then something changed and he ordered us back and I was pissed, I wanted the baby he promised me." she said frustrated. "But you seemed to soften towards me so I let it go for then. Then I decided I didn't want her leftovers, I wanted a kid of my own. Dr. Meadows warned me it would be difficult to get pregnant but I tried."

"I told you I didn't want a kid then." he pointed out. Michael had been hurt along with the rest of Sonny's kids and he had known then that a family was a mistake. He should have tossed her out then, but instead out of loneliness and how she had helped with Michael he had kept her around.

"I knew you would change your mind. I saw you, you would look at kids and melt. That is why I waited, I knew eventually you would give in to what I wanted." she said confidently. Jason fumed but knew she was right, if Manny Ruiz hadn't come to town, who knows what would have happened, he thought shuddering.

"Then you thought you could walk away after I was shot. I was shot trying to protect you, but no, not even that was enough for you to marry me." she said venomously. "I did my best to fix things and nothing worked. I even tried to get along with that bitch Carly, but my so-called Mother kept interfering."

"Is that why you slept with Ric?" he asked then laughed before telling her. "You know, I owe you a thanks for that one. It saved me from making a huge mistake then it allowed me an excuse to do something I have wanted for years. Since he hurt Elizabeth and Carly while she was pregnant, I got to beat the hell out of the bastard and Sonny couldn't do a damn thing about it."

"You know you did that because he seduced me." she said confidently.

"No, actually you seem to forget I saw the two of you, it looked pretty equal to me." he said with a smirk. "And most importantly, when I was feeling alone, feeling like I had nothing yet again, yet again an angel came to my rescue."

"An angel, don't kid yourself, Elizabeth Webber is a whore." she said only for Jason to grab her by her hair and twist his hand in it. Stretching her neck until it was taut, he waited, not saying a word as she tried to gasp "You and I both know you won't hurt a woman."

"Don't count on it." he said then still holding her hair slammed her entire chair backwards so that she was on the floor. He listened to her shouting in pain then said "Keep pushing it and your death is going to be painful."

"You bastard, you know you can't do this." she said only for Jason to lift the chair and sit her upright.

"Now keep talking." he snapped.

"About what?" she asked confused.

"Lets start with Jake and move on." he said "When did you decide to hurt Elizabeth and my sons."

"I wanted to kill her from the moment I found out you had fucked her in our penthouse." she said with tears running down her face. "Our love nest, you slept with her in our house. She didn't belong there."

"Actually, she was the first woman to ever live there." he said then added "I moved in to protect her and as for MY place, it was only a penthouse. A roof and a place to sleep, Nothing special." he said "This, this house... until tonight, this was to use your description, a love nest. I had plans for us as a family here."

Seeing her sudden smile, Jason got it and said cruelly, "Uh Sam, I meant Elizabeth and I. Remember the night you got hit and tried to blame it on her. She was on her way to meet me here. Now, I want to know about the the Russians, the drugs and how Sonny and Lucky fit in."

When Sam started to resist the drugs in her system, Jason offered her another sip of water. "No, I don't know what you gave me, but I am not stupid."

Tilting her head back with his hands in her hair again, Jason said "Clearly you are or you would decide that drinking it was the easy way. Now either drink or drown in it, either way is fine with me."

Sam locked her jaw and pressed her teeth and lips together. Jason let go of her hair and grabbed her jaw and squeezed until she opened it. Pouring the water, he listened to her gag then kept going until he saw she had swallowed. Letting go he sat down the water and waited.

Ten minutes later, Sam started to talk. "Nik, Lucky and I were looking into the drugs and I found out about Sonny so we had the perfect opportunity. I told Lucky that if Elizabeth was scared somehow during this mess, she would run and he agreed. He had been after a way to end the two of you since we found out about the aborted trip to Italy. Nik overheard and I expected him to warn her but he didn't, he just let it play out. I guess they weren't as good friends as she thought."

Thinking on what Elizabeth had told him about how obsessed Nik was, he knew that the Prince had made his plans all the way back then. "What else, Sam?"

"I heard Sonny talking to Max and figured out how to suggest they kidnap Jake. I was surprised when they came through the front of the cabin, but I later heard Sasha at the Roadhouse saying how Elizabeth would be a better prize and that they were going to call her and trade Jake for his mother. I couldn't let that happen."

"Why not?" he asked looking at her.

"Because Lucky would have been pissed. He made it very clear that if something happened to Elizabeth he would go to you, but that the kids were perfect bait." she said. Upstairs, Elizabeth gasped in shock and despair. The man she had asked Jason to let act as daddy to his son, sons had been willing to let them die so he could keep their mother.

"And since when are you scared of Lucky Spencer?" he asked thinking something was a bit off.

Sam wasn't completely under the drugs, she was hoping for a chance to escape when she had offered up Lucky well aware that Nik was the bigger danger.

Jason was watching her and saw her eyes looking around frantically then thought about the files. "Nik, you were scared of Nik. What did he have on you?"

Sam was trying to fight the drugs but ended up telling him. "He knew I wasn't a Cassadine and he made it clear that I was to do whatever it took to end your affair with Elizabeth. Since that was what I wanted anyhow, I just had to do so maneuvering. First getting Spinelli on my side by pointing out that if you were to ever marry Elizabeth he would be out , then playing the I am okay with just being friends bit. It worked too."

"What happened in Mexico Sam?" he asked as he went to get a sip of water, needing to clear his head as his mind realized he had played right into what they had planned for him, for Elizabeth. If he had only just once told Elizabeth that no, we are not going to follow Lucky's plan, none of this would have happened.

Feeling a bit clear headed, Jason turned at a soft sound. Sam was trying to untie herself. Seeing the chair across from her, he found he couldn't do anything about it then looked up in horror. The gun was on the work bench, closer to Sam then him and he was falling under the spell of the drugs.

Swallowing the feeling of cotton in his mouth, he tried shouting for Elizabeth, but it only came out a soft yelp, then he was a bit louder then finally "ELIZABETH, I drank the wrong water."

Coming down the stairs, just as Sam was completely free, Elizabeth looked quickly at Jason then at the skank standing about two feet from the bench. "Back away Sam."

Sam looked at the gun and then the unarmed Elizabeth about six feet away and gave her a smug smile. "I don't think so and I am so going to enjoy this."

With that she dived for the gun at the same time Elizabeth rushed over. They fell but Jason couldn't see who was holding the gun. Struggling to stand, from a combination of the drugs and being ill, he was about to throw himself over there when he heard thuds and then footsteps rushing down to the basement.

"BANG!" They all turned to the noise and saw the two women with Sam on the floor and an unmoving Elizabeth on top.

Jason was shouting her name while Cody and Johnny rushed over, trying to see who was causing the blood to spill into the floor. Elizabeth seemed to tremble then attempted to stand while Sam just lay there looking up in shock. "You bitch, you shot me."

"Sam, answer Jason's question. What did you do in Mexico?"

Sam got enough courage to try and spit at Elizabeth but when she started to do it, Cody pointed his gun in her face and said "I dare you..."

"Mexico, Sam?" asked Elizabeth. "How about I save you the trouble. You were sold by Jerry to some Mexican, yet managed to get free. Jerry thinks that you made a deal. Now since it wasn't with him... who was it with?"

Sam looked around wildly and saw there was no avenue of escape then snapped out "I got free and called Sonny, I made a deal with Sonny who had Nik get me free."

"I know you are aware that Jerry spilled about Jason and what you did. What I want to know is did you really think you were going to get away with killing my children, with killing Jason's children?"

Sam opened her mouth to speak then thought about it before snarking. "Why not, it's not like he wanted to be with you, after all he was fucking me all over town while you went to crazyville and then almost died."

"Yeah, amazing what a slow bleeder in the brain helped on by a manipulative slut and her faithful geek can do to a man." said Johnny as he leaned against the wall. "Sam, Monica operated on Jason. We found that you knew. The stitching, something about the thread used in Mexico. Edward Quartermaine did some digging."

"A doctor in Mexican emergency room., you do remember that room, it was where you found Jason. The thing is, he only let Jason go after you promised he would be medi-vacced home. Instead you took him back to that church so that you could pretend to rescue him, to play nurse maid, then brought him home without telling a single soul that he had a time bomb in his head."

Sam looked around then snapped with reality when she saw Jason being checked over by Elizabeth. "HE WAS SUPPOSED TO MARRY ME, SONNY PROMISED, I WAS TO GET RID OF ELIZABETH AND HER BRATS AND SONNY SAID HE WOULD MARRY ME. WHY DIDN'T YOU MARRY ME?" she screamed at him.

"I LOVED YOU, I BECAME JUST LIKE YOU... I DID WHATEVER YOU WANTED. I LET YOU FUCK ME ANYWHERE YOU WANTED... I WOULD HAVE SLEPT WITH ANYONE, ANYONE TO GET YOU TO LOVE ME. WHY DIDN'T YOU LOVE ME? SONNY, SONNY PROMISED YOU WOULD LOVE ME." Then her tone growing softer she said "I thought that when you were going to jail, well he will marry me now. Then I thought if we had to be married for you to have sex you would give in, but YOU JUST WOULDN'T GIVE IN."

"Sam, there just are... there just is nothing to say. I knew that something was up with you. I didn't know what or with who. I had no idea that I was harboring your helper in my own house." he said. "It's over and when you die tonight, I want you to know one thing. I am going to fight for my family, for a chance to make up to them what I let Sonny, Carly, Spinelli and you convince me I didn't need."

Seeing her smirk, he said "Now, that might not make things right with Elizabeth, but in the end, she is a forgiving person. She will need time and patience but I am not letting her go this time. I will do whatever..." Jason looked at the woman he loved and made sure she understood he wasn't letting her go. "...whatever it takes to win her back. Because I have been in love with her since a night at Jake's, I have been fascinated by her since a chance meeting in a rail road car and have known that she was my other half since a Christmas spent in a worn down studio."

Elizabeth looked at him and knew she was going to allow him to come with the children and her to Europe. Things weren't settled and she wasn't ready for their relationship to become what it used to be or what she had dreamed, at least not yet, but he was right. She and he would forgive one another and move on, and this time, this time they would make sure the timing was perfect.

Sam sat there watching them talking without saying a word and then looked down to where the blood was flowing profusely from her thigh. She might not have a chance with Jason, not after this but there was NO WAY she was going to let Elizabeth have him. Starting to stand, she reached for the ice pick Elizabeth had had earlier and lunged at the woman who was stealing her man.

"BANG." Jason shot her with the gun Elizabeth had wrestled away from her earlier. Looking at Johnny, he said "Make sure she is dead then make her disappear."

TWO MONTHS LATER

Elizabeth hung up the phone after thanking Zeva and her friends for their help. She walked back down the path to the blue waters of the Italian Rivera and watched as her children played in the sand with their father.

Things between Jason and her were moving at a much slower pace than they were with the boys. Mainly because she still felt guilt over Lucky especially when she watched Jason at night putting their children to sleep. Hearing footsteps, she saw Cody and Johnny arriving. They had been with them for almost a month. Jason had called them after one particularly ugly argument.

They had shouted, cried and even laughed over some of the problems they had had in the past but slowly surely they were coming to see the others true self.

Jason had come to realize that while yes, Elizabeth was softer to a certain extent that didn't mean she wouldn't do whatever was necessary to protect her family. The part that had been a surprise was that afterwords she had gone back to being the Elizabeth he had always known.

She had been shocked to realize just how deep Jason's inferiority complex was. She had always seen him as confident and self assured when it came to his life, it had been an eye opener to realize that he had a lot of the same doubts and fears of abandonment that she had.

He had bonded with the boys over a motorcycle then over a old fishing boat he had bought. They had spent time talking to them explaining things bit by bit so that when they were older the boys would be less likely to hate them. There was even a doctor they visited once a week with the two of them. Jason and she had gone a couple of time and dealt with their issues, now the man was called only when either were having issues with their past.

"What's up with the heavy sigh?" asked Johnny as he approached Jason who was shaking off the sand while watching the boys rush to join their mother to wash for lunch.

"I was planning on moving forward on my next step to a relationship with Elizabeth, but she got a call earlier and has been tense since." he said "Why are you back? I thought you were going to talk to someone in Florence?"

"I did, they gave me the information but I am no closer than I was the day I found the necklace." he said reaching into his pocket and pulling it out. "I found it on the docks my first week in Port Charles, I never found it's owner."

"Why are you still looking?" asked a curious Jason as he lifted his daughter and carried her up to the house.

"I don't know. I just need to find the answers. All I was told was the jeweler made to similar ones for two sisters. The man who ordered them paid cash and was an American blond with green eyes, that is all I found out." he said frustrated.

"Johnny, are you staying for lunch." asked Elizabeth as she joined them. "The boys are pushing Cody into staying."

"Actually yes, I have some updates for the two of you." he said with a slight smirk. "But they can wait until the boys are at their lessons."

After a lunch filled with noise, Elizabeth sent Jake and Cam off with their tutor who was taking them on a nature walk through the olive groves. Jason waited until Elizabeth had put their daughter down for her nap then said "What is it?"

"Well, I will start with Elizabeth's family. Your brother is back practicing medicine but not at GH. Monica is making him work at the clinic. Your grandmother is in Arizona like you suspected. Oh, I did want to let you know, Robin and Patrick came back to Port Charles, things seem to be fine there. Dr. Niles has transferred elsewhere."

Cody took out their list and said with a sigh. "Uh, Tracy is back with Luke. I don't know why you Aunt doesn't see he is with her for the money but you said to let it go so I am doing exactly that. Laura and her mother moved to Florida with Spencer after Lucky's funeral. I still don't get why he tried to escape from Sing-Sing, but there you have it. Ethan, went to see his mother and hasn't been back. Sorry Elizabeth, I know you were worried about him."

"Er, Carly is trying to scrap together the money to get home but hasn't been able to reach her mother for some reason." said an innocent looking Cody. "She has found it impossible to do more than call to the next town."

Elizabeth asked "Why? I thought that she was aware of the charges facing her?"

"She er, well we have her tagged. She is convinced that Sonny is alive and will help her." he said. "Alexis was disbarred and Ric has custody of the two girls. She is looking for her missing child, we have a good idea of where the child is, but I am not helping her. Diane Miller is helping Mac Scorpio deal with Maxie. She has been a handful since you left town. The judge told her one more screw up and she was off to jail. Seems like she sold a necklace worth some money that belonged to her sister. She claims that Georgie wore hers to that Black and White Ball and lost it."

"She is working for Brenda at the hotel and living there as well." said Johnny. He had gone back to have meeting with someone only to be told the item he had wanted was sold. He had wondered at the time but had finally located photos of the ball, then had been rather disappointed to find that none of the necklaces worn had matched. "Maxie it turns out wore her sister's, not the other way around. Something about how she should have gotten first choice."

Johnny dismissed his thoughts, having proven to himself that what he had thought was wrong, but still feeling something was off. Hearing Jason's next question he tried to pull himself back to the present.

"Does anyone suspect I am alive?" asked Jason.

"No, well, I think that a few people wish it but no one suspects." said Cody.

"Jax has been trying to locate you, Elizabeth." said the former Marine. "Since the day he got married to Brenda, something about owing you a very big thank you."

That night the two men stuck around to babysit while Jason and Elizabeth went to dinner. After a night of good food, a bike ride and then finally a very long talk, they went home the next morning as a couple. A year to the day that Elizabeth had returned to Port Charles, they were married and Jason announced to the world that he was alive.

In Port Charles, Monica and Edward dealt with all the various forms of excitement regarding the wedding and the announcements. From Bobbie convinced that it meant her family would be returning to others being convinced that all would go back to the way it was before to anger and threats of revenge from Maxie.

Nine months later

Elizabeth heard a knock on the hospital room door and said "Come in."

Robin entered the room and hugged her rarely seen friend. "How are you feeling?"

Looking down at the very rounded stomach beneath the covers, she said "Fat, but happy. Jason was here so far for all of it. I only wish he had been able to be here for the first three."

"The two of you look so happy." she said grinning at her. "Cameron and Jake are getting so big and your little girl, she looks like such a combination of the two of you. Now another girl... what are you going to name this one?"

Jason entered the room and said "Susanna, since Elizabeth named her sister I got to chose this one. For my biological mother and Monica. Alana is looking forward to her little sister, we are going to have our hands full."

Robin left the happy couple alone awaiting the birth of their forth child but the first one they were able to be completely open and together for. Walking to the hallway, she watched as Edward and Monica played with their grandchildren.

In the room, Jason was holding Elizabeth as the fireworks went off celebrating the fourth of July as they awaited the birth of their daughter, their life what they wanted it to be. "I love you."

Reaching up she pulled him down into a kiss and said "I love you too."

Then as the crescendo hit, she said "Jason, we need Kelly Lee."

Holding their child a bit later, Jason looked up at Elizabeth and said "Thank you for giving us another chance."

"How could I not?" she asked a bit tired from giving birth. "We just needed to declare our independence."

THE END. for now...

For those wondering... two years later

In a tiny speck of a fishing town in New Zealand, a woman living in a small run down trailer, stuck her head out the door and shrieked her son's name. "MICHAEL, COME HERE, I HAVE SOME GREAT NEWS."

Michael stretched from where he was fixing his fishing net, kissed his fiancee and said ruefully "I had better go find out what is going on, we know if I don't, she won't leave us alone."

At the door, he entered and was handed a newspaper by a grinning Carly. "JASON, JASON, YOUR FIRST FATHER IS ALIVE. WE WILL BE GOING HOME SOON. AREN'T YOU HAPPY? YOU CAN DUMP THAT MUFFIN FACED TART OUTSIDE AND WE CAN START PLANNING OUR RETURN."

Looking down at her hands, she said "I need some money to get my hair done and wow, my nails look really, really bad. At least I can quit that job packing sardines, oh, this is going to be so perfect."

As she whirled excitedly around the room, Michael read the article and shaking his head walked away as she talked about planning her wedding to Jason and how they were going to be rich AGAIN and that no one but no one would ever look down on her AGAIN.

Showing the newspaper to the woman waiting for him, he said "I guess she didn't read the date. This is over two years old. Jason isn't coming for her and my guess is he knew where she has been all along."

"I know she is your mother are you sure you want to do this?" asked the woman as they crept out of town on the late boats heading to Auckland.

"Yes, I have you and that is all I want." he replied as he tossed the newspaper in the trash when they reached the piers in Auckland.