Part Ten

Johnny settled into his seat on the plane and tried to ignore the incessant babble from Spinelli in the aft cabin. He looked over at Jason and gave the man a smile. "Talk about strange bedfellows, huh?"

Nodding, Jason rubbed his palms on the thighs of his jeans. "Yeah, but it will be worth it when… when I see her… make sure she's safe."

"Safe," Johnny eased back, leaning one arm against the window ledge. "From what I've heard… that's a word that doesn't seem to work for Elizabeth."

"Around me, you mean." Jason's eyes were dark with warning. "Just because you found out you're her brother, you think you understand-"

"Hold on," Johnny's hands were up in defense, "don't jump down my throat, Jason. She's had trouble from a lot of different sources. Having Lucky for a husband wasn't a walk through the park. That trouble with the fire at her house, the hostage crisis at the hospital… wasn't there some epidemic?" Johnny chuckled. "And yet, she's still making things work, raising two children on her own," his bright smile was proud. "She's probably too strong to be a Zacchara. Claudia would melt if her manicure went wrong."

Jason nodded, deep in thought. The laundry list that Johnny had just rattled off was pretty impressive and seemed, the way Elizabeth carried it off, just another part of life. "She's strong… stronger than she thinks."

"Maybe," Johnny offered, crossing one leg casually over the other, "stronger than you think." He laughed off the denial on Jason's lips. "I'm sure my father's underestimated her." There was a quiet moment between the two. "I wonder when he started to think she…. she was one of us?"

Jason smiled, a memory leaping into his mind. "It was the Black and White Ball."

Johnny nodded. "I remember you with her that night… but I'm pretty sure there's more to this story." Johnny looked at the clock. "And we have time…"

Carly flopped down on her couch, yelling up after Morgan as he rocketed up the stairs. "We'll go get something to eat soon!"

"Whatever, mom!"

She was pissed… good and royally pissed. Sonny's phone was off and Jason wasn't taking her calls. Well he had taken the first one… totally dismissed her by telling her there was a life or death something-or-other going on… but she doubted it.

Instead she reached into her purse to grab her wallet and pulled out Morgan's drawing instead. She shrugged over the odd looking chicken-scratch but the paper between her fingers was of the finest quality. "Interesting." She turned it over and smiled. "Calligraphy by hand… impressive." She read the words and her smile pressed into a thin line and then into a tight scowl. "The Zaccharas? Is he insane?" Picking up the phone she dialed her number one emergency number. "Hello, yes, I need you come and take care of the kids. Yes, I know it's last minute, charge me whatever you like, I need to get on a plane… so hurry up."

She made quick work of packing her bag. She was… a woman on a mission.

The property was well guarded… well, sort of. It was easy enough to find a place to slip through when they guards were distracted. Even carrying the large duffle across his back, he managed to elude any detection all the way to the house. Now, he just had to find one feisty little brunette and work some magic.

Robin smiled as she stroked Jake's hair. The boy had fallen asleep in her lap after he'd talked to Jason. "So you're on your way to Italy, hmm?"

"Yeah… we've got an idea of where Anthony's keeping her."

"You'll get her back," she kept her tone bright, "you know that, right?" The silence was deafening. "The boys will be safe with us, and that army of guards you have outside."

"She'll come back to them, Robin… that I can promise you."

"I know, Jason." She blinked back her own tears. "Just take care of yourself, too…"

Jason's whisper stirred up tears. "She's all that matters, Robin."

Elizabeth wrapped the blanket tightly around her body. The chill she felt wasn't only because of the cold… she was so close to getting everything done so that she could leave… and leave soon. She was only half convinced that Anthony was serious about this daughter thing, but really it didn't matter if he was or not. There was still hope. Beyond the idea of actually making him happy enough to let her go… was the hope that Sonny and Jason would be attending the party.

Jason… the thought of him brought a little warmth and hope into her heart. He would help her… if only for Jake's sake. She would accept it for their son and yes, she would walk away from him again if that was what he wanted, but he would help her. She knew it… deep down inside.

Johnny had just closed his eyes to catch a few minutes of sleep when Jason spoke out of the blue.

"I didn't think it was her." The enforcer looked down at his empty hands. "I didn't think… the white queen… I couldn't think that it would be her."

Sitting up, Johnny stretched out his legs and gave Jason his full attention.

"I had pushed her so far away from me to save her from this kind of thing, ignored her so many times when I should have been there for her, all because I wanted to keep her safe." He looked at Johnny, pain burning in his blue eyes. "And the only thing I did was lose. Lost time with her, our connection, and our-"

"The boy is yours, isn't he?" Johnny enjoyed the tick in Jason's jaw, it was a huge tell. "It's not that hard to see it." He grinned even more. "He looks like you… except when he smiles…"

"Then," Jason's voice barely scratched out of his throat, "he looks like her."

Johnny nodded, "We'll get her back, Jason. And then maybe you can make up for all the times you screwed things up, hmm?"

Elizabeth felt wind on her cheek and brushed her hair back once… twice… and the third time she sat up looking for the open window and stared right into the face of a ghost.

His grin was visible in the soft glow of the moon. "Hey, Lizbits."