Ugh. Had to turn off GH. Jason and Spinelli talking about a relationship with Elizabeth. Uck! I am so not feeling it this time around with them, they were cute when they were young and she was grieving and they couldn't/shouldn't make a move and Jason couldn't figure out Carly, but now…Uck (sorry to everyone out there who is happy about it). Especially when you see SB and LW have such an awesome onscreen rapport (once upon a time, I knew how that word was spelled, it just took me five minutes now however to find out :- ), to go from Jason and Carly to Liz and Jason….. Uck!

It's why we need BRAZEN!

Jason's Penthouse-

He blinked once at the list of things Brenda had written down that they needed. A full page. 'This should tide us over,' she'd declared.

He sighed and put the list, she'd made while eating breakfast, down. Grateful she was now in the shower after a long morning.

He joined Brenda for a bowl of cereal as Eddie snacked on some dry. He'd been supervised by Brenda and Eddie as he assembled the crib downstairs since there was more room and the unspoken fact that he hadn't wanted to leave his son, not so soon after finding him.

He had lugged it up the stairs with Brenda and Eddie following right behind him and proceeded to shift nearly all of her bedroom furniture around as she contently sat on the bed reading to their son, occasionally commenting and a few times snickering, which she had done her best to hide.

She'd sent him off for a shower after that as she'd gone downstairs and made Eddie his lunch.

She was on the phone, smiling at him as he walked down the stairs, Eddie off playing with his multitude of new toys.

He knew what that smile meant. Robin.

She was looking down at her list as Robin ticked off the things she'd bring over before saying good-bye and returning to her smiling at him as he attempted to distract himself with their son.

'Don't say a word,' he ordered, not even looking at her, but feeling her gaze upon his back.

'I didn't say anything,' her eyes fluttered up in innocence as he turned quickly to give her a look.

He turned back with a smile, which she followed with an announcement of, 'I'm gonna go try to make myself look human.'

That had been over a half hour ago and he was pretty sure she was half asleep in the tub by now.

"Yea well I don't care…" he heard Carly's high pitched voice filled with fury through the closed door.

He started heading towards it without much enthusiasm.

"Do you know who I-" the door opened during Carly's near assault of the man.

Two young faces looked eagerly up at him and slightly away from their embarrassing mother, "Jason," Michael smiled as always taking over the speaking for him and his brother.

"Ugh," Carly let out a fuming sigh. "You need to do something about him," she nodded at the guard. "And why do you have a guard anyway," she asked pulling him in closely and under her breath.

"Nothing to do with you," he quietly promised.

"Oh. Her," her eyes lifted upwards.

"Don't," was all he said.

She gave him a look and crossed her arms, daring him to say anything further.

"Why are you here?" he suspiciously asked, knowing the answer, but hoping for the best.

With innocent eyes and a wave of her hand she tried to play it off, "When I told the boys about Eddie that he's new in town and doesn't have anybody to play with they insisted we come by after my mother's."

Just then the little boy, who had been taking his afternoon nap despite the fact that it had yet to pass the morning hours where he was, rolled on the sofa he'd fallen asleep on with a gentle murmur of "Ma," a tiny little hand clenched the blanket his father had placed around him earlier before looking up worriedly, pouting as he whimpered, "Jay," as his mother wasn't around.

Carly wasn't surprised to see Jason dash to the little boy; wasn't surprised to see the warmth in Jason's eyes as he lifted the young boy and comforted him, wasn't at all surprised to see the little boy accept it. There was just something about Jason.

"It's all right Jaime," she heard him reassure and she frowned along with Michael.

Two mouths opened, but Michael's proved quicker than his mother's, after all he'd had an excellent teacher, "I thought his name was Eddie?"

Jason made a face, "Yea," he nodded, "you should probably call him that."

"But you aren't going to?" Michael questioned.

"I don't think so," he answered.

"Is this because he's named after Mr. Quartermaine? My great-grandfather?"

Eddie's as well, that thought bothered him. The Quartermaines would be his son's family, they wouldn't be his, but they would be his son's. "Actually yes Michael," he truthfully answered the boy he loved as deeply as his own, the boy he had watched grow from a baby.

"He's-" Michael was about to continue, point out that Mr. Quartermaine was Jason's grandfather and they were supposed to be doing better at getting along with them after Mrs…his great-grandmother died.

"Enough questions Michael," his mother quickly stopped him, she'd wanted the boys to put Jason on the spot, but not about this, "Why don't you take Morgan and Eddie over to explore what looks like a small toy store over there," she nodded with a smile and then an accusing glance.

Jason didn't bother acknowledging her look as he appeared \hesitant to put the young boy cradled in his arms down before slowly lowering him to the ground, hunkering down with him.

Crap, she thought to herself, he's got it bad already.

"Come on Eddie," Michael commanded the youngest boy, just as he always did his brother, "we're gonna go play."

"It's alright," Jason promised from nearly eye level, "I'll be right here."

"Come on," Michael said walking over to place a hand on the younger boy's shoulder talking to him as a compadre, "Morgan had a lot of these toys," he said reassuringly nodding, "some of them are pretty cool," he promised leading him away.

Carly chuckled at her son before giving a look to Jason as he worriedly looked after the boys just a few feet away. "Jaime?" she questioned as she walked closer to her best friend.

"His middle name is James," he answered.

She rolled her eyes, "Renaming him though Jason. Don't you think you're getting a little too attached? I mean this is Brenda, give her a few months, she'll find a new guy or Sonny will blink at her," she added with distain. She shook it off before continuing on, "And then where will you be? Meanwhile Sam is-"

"Hey Mom-" Michael called over as he hadn't been allowing the little boys to play, but instead introducing them to each other and Eddie to the town.

"Honey," Carly looked over, quickly reassuring herself that everyone was still fine, "Jason and I are in the middle of something."

"Oh, okay," he nodded and turned his attention back to Eddie, "me and Morgan, we're like your cousins now because Jason's our uncle, we don't really call him our uncle," he frowned not really knowing, why he didn't call Jason, 'Uncle Jason.'

"Oh no no no," Carly quickly shot away from Jason and headed towards the boys. "No calling each other cousins, Eddie's just living with Jason for awhile," she quickly tried to explain.

"You can call him your cousin," Jason countermanded her order.

Michael looked between his mother and Jason, not knowing who to follow, logic would go with Jason, but his mom could get pretty cranky when she didn't get her way.

She rushed back towards him, "You are not," she grabbed Jason by the arm and slightly turned their bodies away from Michael's prying eyes, "telling my boys that her son is their cousin. I am not letting them get attached to a kid that will probably only end up being in town for a few months just because he's living with you."

"Carly-" Jason began.

"Uh guys?" Michael questioned, turning both of their attention back to him, "Cousin or not?"

"Cousin," Jason answered.

"Not," his mother shot a furious look at his uncle. "You cannot tell Michael to call Eddie his cousin just because he's living with you," another attempt at a hushed whisper that Michael heard, just as he normally did.

He had wanted to do this quietly, in order, preferably with Carly last, so she didn't tell anyone before he had the chance to. "Michael, you know you're my nephew," he began, "you and Morgan, but you-"

"Biological," Michael interjected.

Jason nodded, "Eddie," he used the name to ensure total clarity amongst all, "is my son. Biologically," he reused the word, "you two are cousins.

"Cool," Michael nodded as his mother's eyes went wide. "So like me and Spencer are Eddie and Morgan?"

Jason nodded.

"Play," Carly ordered her son before turning to Jason. "You-" her hand raised, in a stop motion more against her line of thoughts than any words Jason had been preparing to utter. "Brenda-" her head shook. Her eyes closed and she let out a breath through her nose, "Please tell me you weren't dumb enough to take her word on this, I'm not even going to begin to think about…" her hand waved too disgusted to verbalize it.

"Carly-" he calmly began.

Her hand raised and silenced him; she looked between him and the boys several times before saying, "Kitchen," firmly to him. "Michael," she called out as she quickly began to walk, "you're in charge."

"I don't think-" Jason began not wanting to leave his son alone.

"Guard in the hall, us in the kitchen, how much trouble do you think they can get into," Carly pointed out before dragging her best friend off.

-x-x-X-x-x-

Brenda tentatively poked her head into the stairwell having heard Carly's voice as she'd gotten out of the shower, but realizing it was gone as she'd finished dressing once more in just Jason's boxers and a tee-shirt, her hair sopping wet hoping Robin would arrive soon to deal with it.

Hearing some chatter, she frowned realizing it didn't belong to an adult.

She snuck down a few steps before reassuring herself that it was indeed Michael's voice.

"Hey Brenda," Michael said the moment she reached the first floor.

"Hi Michael," she smiled back, pleased that he remembered her and amazed to see how much he'd grown. "You've met Eddie?" she smiled and nodded, pleased with the fact that her son was ignoring her after a quick glance back to continue playing with Morgan, well pleased and broken-hearted at the same time.

"Yea," then he frowned, "why is Jason calling him Jaime?"

"He and Mr. Quartermaine don't exactly get along," she nodded.

"My dad doesn't always get along with Grandpa Mike, but he still calls me Michael."

"It's complicated," she explained, not sure how detailed an answer she should give to a ten year old, especially considering it wasn't her place.

"He's angry at him for not being the same Jason," Michael nodded.

She paused for a moment, briefly looking at the two little boys more interested in the toys and each other than the conversation, she turned back to Michael, "I think he's angry at himself," a bittersweet smile, "for letting Jason get hurt in the first place."

"But it was an accident," Michael quickly countered.

"People are funny," she offered up a smile instead of trying to explain just how preventable Jason's accident had been.

"Okay," he nodded not believing her.

"So what have you been up to?" she asked with a smile, sure that Carly was about to come peaking out of a corner with Jason at any moment, but not being able to just run off on a conversation with Michael to avoid it.

"Not much," his head shook in a very adult manner. "School's started again, it's not that interesting, I have a good teacher and all, but-" he shrugged, "I prefer the summer."

She laughed, "Yea I always did too."

He smiled, "Yea, I can't-Oh I forgot to thank you for my picture of Fawkes," he suddenly brightened.

"You're welcome," she smiled and nodded. "I saw it at a street fair and remembered Emily telling me how much you liked Harry Potter."

"Yea," he nodded, "there's a new one coming out this year. I don't think we know when though."

"How did Morgan like his truck?" she questioned, "I didn't know what to get him."

"Are you kidding? That thing's awesome. It makes like ten different sounds," he replied with a child's enthusiasm, "it drives my mom insane. My dad's made him take it outside."

She laughed, "That's great."

"Great?" Carly's voice interrupted their conversation. "Great, gee I can't wait to hear what's so great."

Brenda's smile fell, Jason followed Carly in like a man being led to his death, Michael turned to his mother with slight apprehension picking up on the vibes. "I was thanking Brenda for my painting of Fawkes and Michael's truck."

"What do you mean?" her head shook. "Emily got you those things."

"Uh actually Emily just brought them over, so technically I wasn't lying when I said Emily gave them to us."

"And what other things have you technically not been lying about?" her arms crossed and she studied her son.

"Oh come on Mom, they're gifts."

"Well why did you think you needed to lie to me?"

Michael rolled his eyes for that.

"How long have you been lying to me?"

"Not long," he nodded, "I think other people used to do it before me."

Carly turned to Jason, who refused to acknowledge any type of wrongdoing, peacekeeping yes, wrongdoing no.

"Mom, come on, she was my aunt," he turned back to Brenda with a smile, "hey I guess technically you're kind of-"

"No," his mother ordered, eliciting a smirk from Brenda.

"Under no circumstances will you be calling her Aunt."

"But Eddie's my-"

"Not up for discussion," his mother quickly dashed the argument.

There was a knock at the door, Brenda turned back with a relieved smile, "And that would be Robin."

"Freakin great," could be heard by all coming from the blonde in the room.

"Hey-" Brenda's bright smile fell into one of confusion as she opened the door not seeing Robin, but instead Monica and Alan nearly being blocked from sight by the obscenely large guard.

"They say they're-"

She cut him off, "Yea they're fine. Come on in guys," Brenda smiled as they were allowed past the guard, both of them shooting, 'told ya so' looks at him.

"You were mentioning that you needed to go out and pick up some things yesterday," Monica smiled. "We figured we'd save you the trouble and Jason the agony," Monica continued to brightly smile.

"So instead she drags me," Alan warmly smiled.

"Oh thanks," she responded with wide and very confused eyes.

"All your toiletries they no longer let you carry on the plane," Monica smiled. "Oh look Alan, Michael and Morgan are here as well."

Brenda dryly rolled her eyes.

"I see that," Alan nodded, "Good morning everyone."

"I hope we aren't intruding on anything?" Monica remarked as she itched to go further into the room.

"I really hope you guys didn't practice that," Brenda asked wondering where her 'licking her wounds' time had disappeared to.

"Practice what?" Monica asked with widening blue eyes.

"I think she's talking about the fact that Eddie's my cousin," Michael interjected.

"Oh really?" it was Alan's turn to have wide eyes.

"You guys suck at playing dumb, nice bribe though, next time you might want to try cook's-"

"Blueberry scones?" Alan asked lifting the smaller bag he was carrying bag as Monica had switched with him in the elevator, deciding that she would be the one to do the talking and therefore offering the larger bribe.

"Man after my own heart," Brenda smiled and snatched the bag, "welcome. Interrupt little boys playing at your own peril."

"Good morning Michael," Alan smiled brightly, "if I'd known you were going to be here I would have had Cook whip up some of those cherry double-chocolate cookies."

"Cherry double chocolate cookies?" Brenda repeated nearly salivating.

"Oh yea," Michael nodded, "they're amazing," he said thinking of the cookies Emily would surprise him and Morgan with.

"They really are," Monica replied with her eyes rolling back in chocolate induced lust.

"I'll make sure to have her whip up a batch soon," Alan promised.

"Just promise to keep them away from me this time," Monica chuckled.

"Last time I did that you threatened to kick me out of our room," Alan dryly responded.

"Then I suggest you hide them and have her prepare them while I'm at the hospital so I don't smell them baking," Monica quickly responded, knowing she'd still be mad if he didn't save her one.

-x-x-X-x-x-

"Okay boys, time to go," Carly quickly ordered with a clap of her hands as she walked back into the living room with Jason, after talking/yelling in the kitchen.

"Oh so soon?" Monica asked with wide eyes from the couch where Michael was animatedly filling them in on his summer and his new class.

"I've got a meeting with the new head chef at the Metro Court," Carly quickly explained.

"Well can't Morgan and me stay with Jason?" he asked with wide eyes, not wanting to be forced to sit still and not 'act up' while his mom talked, it was the weekend!

"I'm sorry Michael, I've got to go out."

"But I-"

"I'm here," Brenda offered with a shrug from her seated position next to Robin on the floor, scones in hand as they went through Monica's bag of goodies.

"I thought Robin came over to do your hair?" Jason asked gesturing to the scattered products on his floor.

"I'll wet it again and she can brush it out down here," she changed her plans.

"I thought the entire point of her coming over was to straighten it or something so you didn't have to do anything with it for a couple of days?"

"Gee I feel wanted," Robin gave Brenda an attempt at a hurt look, as always with her girl acting like a teenager instead of an adult.

"Yea well don't think you get to leave even if you're not doing my hair," Brenda ordered.

"Monica and I don't have any plans for the day," Alan casually offered.

Carly and Jason both viewed them suspiciously.

"And it's a lovely day out, your father and I could take the boys to the park," Monica innocently remarked.

"No"/"I don't think so," fell on top of each other.

"Sounds good," came from the opposite side of the room.

"Brenda," Jason began and looked at her.

"Hey Eddie," she called out and the little boy looked over, "want to go to the park?"

Blue eyes widened and the toy in front of him forgotten, his eyes desperately searched the area and he ran towards the door and his head shook when he didn't find what he was looking for, "Shoes?" He continued to scan.

She chuckled, "We'll grab those in a minute," she said standing, "you're not going to go with me though; you're going to go with Mon…Grandma Monica and Grandpa Alan."

"You," he tugged on her hands.

"Not me, if you want to stay with me you have to stay here. If you want to go to the park you go with Grandma Monica and Grandpa Alan," she explained again.

He looked warily over at them and then back to his mother, "Swings?" he tentatively questioned.

"But of course," Monica brightly smiled causing her grandson to look back.

"Slide?" he once more pondered this deal.

"How could you go to the park and not go down the slide?" She continued to brightly smile as she shook her head at his silliness over such an absurd question.

"Ice cream?"

"Definitely," Alan threw in with his own smile, having no problem bribing his grandson to like him, "that's my favorite part."

Eddie looked over at Jason and then back to his mother, "Jay come?"

"No, I've got to go out buddy," Jason sadly spoke, not actually wanting to.

"Mike n' Mor?" he looked at his mother with large eyes, beginning to tear with wanting to go, but not being sure.

Brenda shot an accusing look over to Jason and Carly.

"Mom," Michael whined.

"No it's lunch time, you and Morgan are going to sit down and have lunch while-"

"Mom we ate at Grandma Bobbie's, we just had those scone things, we're not -"

"There are burgers and hot dogs at the park or we could go to Kelly's," Monica offered with a wave of her hand.

"Please Mom," Michael started to resemble the child he was and not the man he tried to be as his heels dug in and his eyes lifted up in pleading.

She sighed looking at Michael and then firmly looked at Monica and Alan, "An hour and a half, I'll meet you back here. An ice cream, no soda, only water," she ordered. She looked down at her son, "No Kelly's, no fries, no pretzels, I'll pick you up from here and you'll have a sandwich at home and a piece of fruit, I may even throw in some broccoli," she threatened.

"Mom," Michael replied with large eyes, "ANYTHING, is better than sitting around the hotel on a Saturday."

"You're sending a guard with them," she turned and ordered Jason, "actually you're sending two." She turned back to Monica and Alan, "Don't even think about trying anything funny."

"We'd just like to spend a nice day in the park with the boys," Alan promised.

She gave him a disbelieving look and looked back down at her son, "Watch your little brother and Eddie; I don't think they're ever been around kids. Only the little kid park, Morgan might be big enough for-"

"But Eddie isn't," he nodded. "I got it Mom."

Carly looked up at Brenda as she grabbed her purse, "Anything goes wrong I'm blaming you," she threatened.

She didn't doubt it.

"An hour and a half," she repeated as she bent down to kiss Morgan.

"We'll be here waiting," Monica promised.

Carly walked back over to her eldest son and dropped a kiss on his cheek, "None of this technical stuff or you aren't coming out of your room till Christmas."

He laughed, "Bye Mom."

Thanks for reading!