Patrick arrived at Sonny's to pick up Carly a little after 5pm. Max escorted him in and he found her lying on the floor with an action figure in hand playing with Morgan. She was making grrring sounds and Morgan was laughing. Michael was near by at Sonny's desk working on his homework. Carly paused, looked up from her playing and quizzed Michael on a spelling word. Patrick had to admit she was a great mom. He had never seen her in this capacity before and it was a welcome change to her normal intense, headstrong behavior.
Carly noticed Patrick standing in the doorway. "Hi" She said as she waved him into the room. "Want to play save the universe with us?" She smiled and motioned to the toys lying on the floor. Morgan picked up a toy soldier and lifted it up to Patrick. Patrick smiled and accepted the gift. He held the solder in his hand and peered down for a second at the two of them on the floor. "Can't play standing up." Carly said while Morgan pulled down on Patrick's pants leg to motion him to the floor. Carly shouted out another word and Michael started to spell it. "Correct" She told him and he closed the books in front of him and packed them into his book bag. Michael made his way over to the floor and all four of them laid on their bellies, figures in hand, making combat noises and ducking behind pretend obstacles for cover.
Sonny and Jason couldn't believe their eyes when they walked into the living room. Sparks of jealousy raged in both men as they watched Patrick with Carly and the boys. Sonny whispered in Jason's ear, "This isn't good." Jason nodded in agreement then answered, "She won't listen to me. She barely talks to me." Sonny shook his head in frustration, "I'll try, but you know she only really listens to you. She's going to think I'm being possessive." "You are." Jason answered "And so am I. I don't like the fact that Patrick so easily stepped in and took my place." Jason wasn't sure why he had just revealed that bit of information to Sonny. He just needed to tell someone how he was feeling and that someone was usually Carly. Sonny gave him a pat on his shoulder. "No one could replace you with Carly. No one" He reiterated.
Carly heard the muffled voices in the room and looked up from her play. "You two going to stand there watching or are you going to get down here and defend the universe." Sonny was the first to come over. He bent down to pick up a figure and held it in his hand. "You know what Morgan, I think Dad's services would be better off if he went into the kitchen and whipped something up to feed the troops." Morgan and Michael both nodded in agreement. Michael stood up. "I'll help" he called and began to follow his father into the kitchen. Sonny held his hand out to stop him. "No. You play with your brother. Your Mom will help me. We need to talk anyway." Michael knew not to argue and went back down on the floor. Carly and Patrick shared a look then Carly rose. "Hope you have frozen Pizza in there." She followed Sonny into the kitchen, looking back over her shoulder to give Jason an all too familiar "you better be nice" look.
Jason went over and placed himself on the floor opposite Patrick, assuming the position that Carly had left vacant. He picked up his soldier and began to flank the enemy. Both men strategically maneuvered their figures through the battlefield that Morgan had carefully created. Patrick was using makeshift rocks to hide behind and inched his way to the other side. Jason's soldier was lying face down in the carpet using a sniper weapon to pick off their enemies. Morgan and Michael's men were running around in the middle of the field. Morgan yelling "Charge" and Michael yelling "Got him". Jason eased himself away from the game and so did Patrick.
Jason was the first to speak. "How is she?"
"She's ok." Patrick said thinking about last night and how she had crawled out the bedroom in fear. Jason could hear the uneasiness in his voice. "What is it?"
"Have you or Sonny ever stopped to think what being a constant target has done to her?"
"Carly's tough and she knows that I'll always protect her." Jason said in a matter a fact tone.
"I don't think she feels that way anymore. I think she's trying very hard to hide her fear, but she's scared. I'm not sure what happened between the two of you, but you need to fix it so she can feel safe again."
Jason was surprised by Patrick's omission that Carly needed "him" to feel safe. Patrick was really starting to care about Carly.
"I'm trying." Jason said in a defeated voice. "She can be really stubborn when she wants to be. I think she'll feel better when Jax gets home." The men gave each other a weary look both thinking the same thing. Where the hell is Jax?
Carly handed Sonny the box of spaghetti and Sonny continued his lecture, "Now is not the time for you to be so stubborn. You are in too much danger. You should stay here till things are taken care of."
"I'm not staying here." Carly answered. "I'm perfectly fine where I am until Jax gets home."
"At Patrick's?" Sonny question. "Patrick couldn't protect a fly. You're not safe there. You need the protection that Jason and I can provide. You need to be with your family."
"I need you to stop trying to push me back towards Jason. It's not going to happen. Jason has a family to take care of and he made it clear that I'm not good enough to be included in it."
"He hurt you. I get it. I know what it feels like to have someone you love and trust lie to you. You've done it to me enough times. I've always forgiven you."
"Not before you made me walk through hell." Carly retorted. "If I forgive Jason, I'll do it when I'm damn good and ready and not a second before. And by the way, unlike you, I'm not trying to punish Jason. I'm just trying to limit the amount of pain I feel every time I'm around him." She picked up the pasta bowl and brought it over to Sonny. "He broke me. I'm just trying to pick up the pieces." She sighed. "I'm not going to be able to stay for dinner." She turned and walked out back into the living room. "Boys, Mom has to go." She announced. The boys both said "awhhh" at the same time. "I'll be back tomorrow. Jax should be home and we'll all go home together."
She held out her arms and the boys jumped up off the floor and into her embrace. She held them tight and then kissed them both on their foreheads. "Be good for your dad" She looked at Patrick. "I'm ready." Jason watched as Patrick and Carly exited the house. A trail of bodyguards behind them.
Patrick and Carly made their way towards his car. Carly quickly turned back towards the house. "Damn't. I forgot to sign Michael's permission slip for the field trip." She made a move to go back towards the house just as Patrick clicked the keyless entry on his key ring.
BOOM…The explosion was tremendous.
It sent both Patrick and Carly sailing in the air towards the house. The guards came rushing in and everyone poured out of the house. Max took his jacket and patted Carly down where her clothes where smoldering and Milo did the same for Patrick. Carly scrambled on the ground and saw Patrick lying a few feet away from her. He was closer to the car then she was. She pushed Max's hands away and crawled towards Patrick. At the same time Patrick had noticed her and was crawling towards her. They met in between.
She ran her hands along his face inspecting the cuts and bruises and he did the same for her. Carly didn't hear the other men approaching. Her ears were still ringing from the explosion, but she felt two strong hands clamp down around her waist and then she was swooped her up into the air. She looked into Jason's eyes as he visually inspected her. "She's ok" Max told him. Jason didn't say a word, but instead rushed her into the house. Into safety. Max and Milo helped Patrick to his feet and supported him into the house. Sonny hustled the boys back in as well.
Jason gently lowered Carly onto the couch and immediately began to run his hands over her looking for any injuries. Sonny sent the boys upstairs with Milo and was pacing the floor cursing. Patrick made his way to Carly and was also looking her over for injuries. Jason took a step back to allow him access to her. Jason watched as Patrick gently stroked her cheek that was turning red from the smack against the pavement. Carly in turn ran her hand across his where much more visible cuts and abrasions where present.
"Get me the alcohol" She instructed one of the guards.
Sonny continued to pace and curse. Then he stopped pacing and turned towards Carly. "You are staying here." He announced. Carly fixed her mouth to protest, but Sonny cut her off abruptly, "This is not up for debate. He" Sonny pointed at Patrick "Can not protect you."
Carly stood up. "It's not his job to protect me!" She yelled. "It's theirs!" She pointed at Max and the other guards standing behind Sonny.
Jason jumped in before either one of them could say another word. "No. It's my job to protect you." He said in a solemn voice. "My job. Not Sonny's, Max or Patrick's. Mine. And it's about time I started doing my job. You're coming home with me."
"Oh no I'm not!" Carly shot back.
Jason gave her look that clearly told her this was not going to be up for discussion. "I'm going to protect you whether you like it or not. Even if I have to hog tie you and drag you out of here kicking and screaming."
Patrick immediately put his body protectively between Carly and Jason.
Carly's eyes widened in horror at Jason's statement. "Fine, I'll stay with Sonny." She dropped ruefully back down on the couch.
"No, you're not." Jason stated calmly. "It's my job to protect you. Not Sonny's."
Carly leapt back to her feet. "I'm not your job or responsibility and you can't make me go with you."
Jason gave her a look that indicated he clearly could.
Patrick intervened. He pulled Carly to the side of the room.
"He's right." Patrick told her.
Carly looked at him astonished. "No, he's not."
"Yes he is. I have no idea how to protect you from this type of danger."
"You don't have to. That's what their supposed to be for." Carly pointed at the guards. "Evidentially, their not enough. You need Jason. We both know that."
Carly took a deep breath and exhaled loudly. Patrick decided to try another tactic.
"If you won't do it for yourself, than do it for your boys. I'm sure what just happened terrified them and they would feel much better knowing you were with Jason than if you were with me."
Patrick took his hand and placed it to the small of her back. An action that did not go unnoticed by Jason or Sonny. Jason felt every muscle in his body tense when he saw how she reacted to Patrick's touch. Carly folded into it. She accepted it. Carly nodded in agreement with Patrick. Gave him a peck on his scraped cheek and then turned back to the other men.
"Fine. I'll go with you." She told Jason. "But that doesn't mean I've forgiven you." Jason inhaled deeply. "And" Carly continued, "Patrick can visit me when ever he wants."
Jason tried to hide his disdain for that statement. "Whatever"
Carly walked towards the stairs. "I'm going to check on the boys." She ascended up the staircase leaving a seething Sonny and Jason starring at Patrick.
"Thank-you" Sonny said to Patrick acknowledgment that he was the reason Carly had agreed to go with Jason.
"It's what's best for her." Patrick conceded. He was not happy at all with the living arrangements, but he knew her safety was far more important than her pride. "I'll go collect her things and bring them over." He walked toward the door then remembered he no longer possessed a car. "Can I get a ride?" He asked. Sonny motioned to one of his men and they both left out the door.
Sonny turned to Jason. Jason read his mind before the words came out and answered his unspoken question.
"Don't worry. I'll make sure they pay for this. Starting with Trevor Lansing."