Chapter Nine

Morning 5th May - Corinthos/Morgan Coffeehouse

Jason strode through the coffee house and headed for Sonny's office.

He'd driven all day and only stopped when hunger and fatigue took over and he'd found a little no name hotel to stay the night. He'd eaten take away pizza and drank beer in the room, with only the sound of the TV to distract him and woken up early to head back to Port Charles. As he approached the door to the office his hand coming out to grasp the door handle, he heard a commotion on the other side of the door. He rolled his eyes, the long bike ride and night away from Port Charles had not improved his mood. Then his attention was caught by the tone of the messages on his cell phone. Frantic messages from Carly and Spinelli, annoyed and demanding messages from Sonny and Max. What the fuck, he thought, aren't I allowed to have any kind of life without these people hounding me? He opened the door and stepped inside, realizing he had an outlet for his pain and fury and willing to unleash it on those inside the office. Four pairs of shocked eyes raised to meet his own icy blue stare.

Sonny recovered first. "Finally. Where the FUCK have you been and why was your cell phone off? Shit is going down Jason and your family need you."

"FUCK OFF Sonny when haven't I been here for MY family. YOU DON'T OWN ME. I CAN TAKE SOME TIME OFF TO UNWIND. I'M NOT YOUR FUCKING FLUNKY. I'M YOUR PARTNER AND WE BOTH KNOW SHIT DOESN'T HAPPEN WITHOUT ME" he shook his head enraged. Both men faced off and Max and Milo looked backwards and forwards between them. Despite his fear Spinelli stepped forward.

"Stone cold, the maternal one is in trouble" Spinelli spoke up, cutting to the chase. Jason's attention immediately turned to focus on Spinelli as he felt his mood snap.

"What?" he asked immediately quietened, if not calmed at the mention of her name.

"She is in danger" Spinelli repeated. Jason stepped towards him and seeing that Spinelli felt threatened, Sonny cut in.

"Jason…"

Without even looking at Sonny, Jason demanded "SHUT UP SONNY" leaving Sonny, Max and Milo gaping in shock. Jason took another step toward Spinelli, his head tilting to the side trying to read him. "Does this have anything to do with that phone call yesterday and you going to meet her?"

"Partially. Mr Corinthos Sir has the details" Spinelli confirmed.

Jason turned to face Sonny and noted Max's expression. He knew also, there was fear in Max's eyes.

"What did you do?" Jason questioned in a deadly soft tone, the question directed at Sonny.

Sonny stared at him, swallowed his rage and took a calm steadying breath. "It's not Business Jason."

"Then what is it about?" Jason's shoulders visibly relaxed, until Sonny picked up a file on his desk and leaned over to hand it to Jason. A prickle of apprehension raced up Jason's spine. Elizabeth was in trouble. He accepted the file and opening it started to flick through it.

"What are you doing with Tom Baker's prison record file?" he demanded and then felt bile rise in his throat as he saw what the file contained. He closed it quickly.

"Get Jason a drink Max" Sonny ordered.

"I don't want a drink. I just want some answers…." Jason replied his anger rising again.

Sonny exploded "You want answers but you don't even know the fucking questions. Now SIT DOWN" Jason sat not out of fear but because he knew Sonny was right.

Max stepped forward and started to relate the events of the previous days to Jason. Elizabeth's phone call to him, the gun, his visit to Alexis and finally the nature of the threats against Elizabeth. Jason listened to it all, his rage increasing with every word. When Max finished, Jason was at a loss. Where to start with his questions, the urge to yell at Max for organizing the gun was tempered with the fact that Max had not handed it over to Elizabeth. But the one thing that kept going through his mind and taking precedence was Elizabeth's refusal to come to him.

"Why didn't she come to me?"

"She's stubborn" Sonny started only to be interrupted by Spinelli

"and in shock Stone Cold. You made promises and she is trying to honor them despite what that means for her own person." Jason nodded briefly as if he understood but he didn't. She didn't come to him because they promised to stay away from each other at the courthouse. Didn't she know that the promises were null and void when her life was threatened? He started to ask another question but was interrupted by his cell phone, thinking irrationally it would be Elizabeth he answered it

"Elizabeth?"

"No Jason, it's me, Carly! Where have you been?'

"Carly I don't have time for this" he was about to hang up when she said the magic words.

"I have a message for you from Elizabeth. Dianne is here with me at your Penthouse. You need to come now."

Jason didn't answer. He disconnected the call and stood up heading for the door without another word to the three men in the office. As it closed after his abrupt departure. Sonny sighed "Well that went well"