Pregnant. She's pregnant. As many times as he's said it - both in his head and out loud - Jason couldn't wrap his head around it. Once again he's having a child with her that wasn't planned - from an encounter that wasn't supposed to go anywhere - that was supposed to end once the sun came up. Yet here they are. Back in the same place they had been all those years ago. Pregnant. She's pregnant.
Standing on the bridge where they had come together and created another life, Jason wonders how things will play out this time. There's no Lucky to stand in and claim to be the father - of course, she can always claim Dr. Hunter as the father - if anyone would actually believe that. There was always Patrick - the grieving widow - it wouldn't be the first time that a death has brought two friends together.
Then there's the psychiatrist, Dr. Ewen Keenan, he's been a little too interested in Elizabeth. From the gossip around General Hospital, they have been on a couple dates so it wouldn't be that far of a stretch to think that the doctor was the father of her baby.
There were a lot of reasons why it was possible that the baby wasn't his, but one reason that it was. Elizabeth wouldn't have told him she was pregnant if he wasn't the father. She would have kept it to herself until she figured out what to do with the baby's father.
With that in mind - after everything they've been through - Jason couldn't help but wonder what she'd do now. Its her choice. It would always be her choice and he hated that they didn't have the chance to talk after she told him she was pregnant.
She had gotten a call from Mercy Hospital - her first day had to come a little early because of a bus crash - making what they had to discuss a little less imperative by comparison. Cameron and Aiden are at the daycare, going to Audrey's house at the end of her shift, and then they'd be able to discuss what happens next.
In the meantime, Jason is left to his own devices, thinking up a lot of stuff he really wishes weren't in his brain at the moment. Things had gone so horribly wrong with Jake. Things happened that neither of them could have foreseen and now he's supposed to figure out how to handle another child. Another life that will depend on their choices.
"Yeah." Jason answers his phone, turning away from the bridge to make his way back to his SUV. "I'm on my way."
Elizabeth scrubbed in for her third operation, trying her best not to think much on her own situation - trying to focus on helping save the lives of the crash victims. Nursing may not have been her first choice as far as careers go, but she loved it. She loves making a difference in the lives of those that are deemed to have little to no hope.
"Dr. Quartermaine should be very ashamed." Dr. Nichols comments, finishing up with the arterial bleeding. "To lose a surgical nurse of your skill is a definite shame."
"I highly doubt she cares." Elizabeth says simply. "But I appreciate you saying so."
"I do not hand out compliments often, Nurse Webber, so accept it for what it is." Dr. Nichols removes his gloves, done with this patient and going on to the next. "General will most definitely see the difference in their surgical team, if they haven't already. Good nurses like you don't come around too often. Now close him up, send him to recovery and find me in OR 4."
"Yes, doctor." Elizabeth smiles to herself as the doctor walks out. He kind of reminded her of Patrick in a way. "I think I just might like it here."
With the help of the other nurse, Elizabeth closed up the patient before sending him to recovery with a couple orderlies. Once she was finished there, she stripped herself free of the rubber gloves and soiled scrubs before making her way to the next OR where she'd be scrubbing in again. She's on her way to the next OR when her cellphone starts to vibrate.
"Yeah?" Elizabeth answers, walking through the halls to the next OR. "I'm on my way to another surgery. Are you sure you can't pick them up?"
"I was just called in for consultation." her grandmother says sadly. "It'll be a few hours at most. When I'm done, I can..."
"No...no, its okay." Elizabeth sighs, slipping into the clean scrubs and scrubbing her hands in the sink. "I should be done by then. Thanks for the offer, but I have to get into surgery now. Love you."
Ending the call, Elizabeth tosses it into the cubby before walking into the OR to assist the doctor. She had been counting on her gram taking the boys, she really didn't like having them wait for her while she's working. Putting her boys out of her mind for the moment, Elizabeth focused on the patient at hand. She'll make it up to her boys.
"What's going on?" Jason asks Michael, running up to him.
"Starr has a gun on Johnny." Michael says trying his best to stay calm. "I've tried to talk to her, but she just won't hear me."
"Have you heard any gunshots?"
"No." Michael shakes his head. "She's mostly just talking to him. Asking how he could do it...why he didn't care about the oncoming cars."
"I'm gonna find another way in." Jason says firmly. "I want you to call me if you hear any shots go off."
"I will." Michael says without hesitation. "Uncle Jason...don't let her get hurt."
"I won't." Jason says before sprinting to the apartment a floor below, hoping he'll be able to get in through the balcony.
Jason gets to the apartment - thankful that its vacant - he would have hated if he had to try and explain the situation to someone. Getting to the balcony doors, Jason found the best route up to Johnny's balcony, hoping to god that he'll be able to talk Starr Manning down from doing something she'll regret.
He gets to the balcony - relatively easy - and can make out Johnny and Starr through the glass. A part of him thought it was crazy to storm the place. Starr didn't look to have a steady hand and could fire off a shot at him if he did, but he couldn't do nothing. So he took a deep breath and burst through the doors, suddenly having the gun aimed at him, but fortunately no bullets are fired.
"What are you doing here?" Starr shouts, her heart pounding with another man - way bigger than her - in the room. "Michael called you, didn't he?"
"Do you remember who I am?" Jason asks, slowly closing the doors behind him - never turning away from her.
"You're Michael's uncle." Starr says firmly, aiming the gun between Jason and Johnny. "Now answer the question! Are you here to save him?"
"I'm here to help you." Jason corrects, not even giving Johnny a glance. "You don't want to do this. You do not want to live with his blood on your hands."
"He took everything from me!" Starr exclaims, glaring daggers at Johnny. "He acted like he wanted to help me, but he was the one responsible! He killed my family!"
"I know what that feels like, believe me, I do. I lost my son a year ago. Hit and run." Jason says calmly. "The person responsible got away with it because it was labelled an accident. He was only three years old. He died less than two months before his birthday."
"How did you handle it?" Starr looks at him almost pleadingly. "Losing a child before their time?"
"Much like you are." Jason concedes, finally looking at Johnny, who wasn't sure what to do at this point. "But I realized that the person who killed my son would suffer more alive."
"They were my life." Starr's tears start to fall. "They meant everything to me...how do I live on without them?"
"Only you can answer that." Jason says, inching his way over to her. "But you don't want to throw your life away for someone like him. He'll get what's coming to him, trust me, but not at your hand."
"If not mine, then who?" Starr counters, looking at him for answers, practically begging him to ease her pain in some way.
"Live your life, Starr." Jason walks over to her, taking the gun from her hands. "Forget about him and just grieve for your family. Remember the good times and just live."
"Thank you." Starr whispers before running for the door, pulling it open to see Michael on the other side. "Michael."
"Lets get you out of here." Michael takes her hand and leads her out of the building - thankful that his uncle was able to talk her down.
"Your time's almost up, Johnny." Jason says, wiping the gun down and setting it on the table. "I'd say to make good with your god, but it would be a waste of breath."
Walking out of the penthouse, he makes his way down to the SUV. After calling Michael to make sure they were both okay, Jason drives to his son's grave - suddenly needing to be close to him. When he gets there, Jason kneels to the ground by the headstone. His hand softly touching the engraving there, Jason closes his eyes. Hoping and praying for the strength to be a father again. To do it right.
"I know its a lot to ask, but I need a sign." Jason whispers, taking a deep breath. "I need to know the right choice to make. I need to know if I have any right being a father to your little brother or sister."
Just then Jason's cellphone starts ringing. Opening his eyes, he pulls it out of his pocket and is a little shocked to see Elizabeth's number on the screen.
"Yeah?" Jason answers, his hand still on the headstone.
"My gram can't pick up the boys and I'm scheduled to help in a few more surgeries." Elizabeth says carefully. "Is there any way you can watch them until I'm done?"
"Sure." Jason says without hesitation. "I'll be there soon."
"Thank you." Elizabeth lets out a breath of relief. "They haven't had dinner yet."
"Don't worry about it." Jason says, standing up from the ground. "We'll be okay until you're done."
"Right...okay. I'll leave your name with the daycare." Elizabeth walks into the OR to scrub in. "I promise I'll get them as soon as I can."
"Its no problem, really." Jason assures. "Just don't overdo yourself."
"I'll be fine." Elizabeth smiles at his concern. "Thank you for doing this...it means a lot."
"Anytime." Jason says before ending the call and looking at his son's headstone. "Thank you, Jake."
A/N: Thanks for reviews.
Let me know what you think.
-ROCkER
