Parker waited for permission before entering and held out a bag toward Elizabeth. "Medicine... the usual antibiotics, water, and other things." He held up his other hand. "Keys to a loaner car for Mrs. Drake." He saw Jason wince and Elizabeth's cheeks blush with color. He remembered too late the history between the two and hurried on. "It's a generic rental, not one of our fleet, so Alcazar shouldn't be able to track her."

Elizabeth smiled at the guard. "Thanks,... umm-"

"It's Parker, but no thanks... we're happy you were around to patch him up. The other guards told me where this place was." He looked around at the odd furniture inside the studio. "I guess you're the painter, huh?"

She shrugged. "I was."

Parker seemed to realize he was intruding. Setting the bag and keys down on the table he disappeared into the hall.

Elizabeth started to stand. "Jason, I-"

He took hold of her hand and turned it slightly. The light from the wall fixture shone brightly on the plain wedding band. "Tell me he's been good to you."

They both heard the catch in his voice and Elizabeth took a moment to look at his face, taking in for the first time the changes that the years have made to his face. His face was a little narrower than it had been, little wrinkles near his eyes, wrinkles she knew were mirrored on her own face. His body, she knew from first experience that his body was just as muscular as it had been the last time she saw him, but even with all the years that had gone between their last meeting and now... he was still Jason and he was still worried. "Patrick has been wonderful." Her smile was soft. "After Robin's death and when you found out that Lorenzo was still alive and had put a contract on you..." she let out a breath, "we spent so much time together just trying to keep our feet underneath us... keeping the boys and Emma happy and healthy and..." she looked at Jason and then away as if she was worried about how the word would hit him, "steady."

She didn't have to worry. "I get it." He turned her hand again, staring at the metal glowing in the light. "I just wish I had been the man who gave it to you."

Jason lifted his head and his eyes caught hers and neither of them was sure who it was that shook, but they clasped their hands tightly together as Elizabeth bit her lip for a moment before she responded. "I do too."

A moment later the energy that had been sustaining her in a rush for most of the day seemed to drain out of her and she stifled a yawn behind a hand.

"You want me to have someone drive you home?" Jason slid his hand up her arm and brushed his knuckles along her forearm on the way back down to her wrist. "I don't want you driving alone if you're too tired."

She shook her head. "There's some place I can get a soda on the way and I need to get home and check in with the kids." Elizabeth stood slowly, pausing to brush her hand along his shoulder. "I want you to rest and when I can, I'll come and check on you..." she leaned down and brushed a kiss on his temple, "please stay alive." She moved toward the door, picking up her things on the way, and stopped, her hand on the doorknob.

Jason turned to look at her, the soft scrubs as lovely on her as any number of dresses from his memory just because she was the one wearing them. He watched her turn back to look at him and wanted to get up and take her in his arms.

"Stay alive," she repeated with barely any volume to her words, "because knowing you're out there somewhere makes me get up in the morning."

Cameron waited until his mother left before he walked back up to the studio, a take-out box in his hands from Kelly's. He knocked on the door and heard the tense answer from within. He opened the door and stepped inside under the icy watchful gaze of Jason Morgan.

"Your hands are full."

Looking down at the tray he nodded. "Yeah, I brought something for you to eat."

Jason's gaze didn't move from Cameron's face. "Unless you have a hand free, you're dead." His eyes nailed the young man to the door. "You've got a gun in your waistband, but I don't see you getting to it in time."

Cameron shifted from one foot to another. "I have a lot to learn."

"You'll never live that long." Jason shifted on the sofa and used his good leg to move the coffee table closer. "That's why we need to talk. Sit down."

Shifting the box to one arm, Cameron picked up a bentwood chair and set it across the coffee table from Jason. He set the box down and unpacked the food. "I didn't know what you liked so I just brought a couple of sandwiches and soup," he heard the subtle groan and looked across at Jason, "something wrong?"

Jason grinned a little. "Your mom always brought me soup when she took care of me."

Cameron finished unpacking as they talked. "It's hard imagining my mom... taking care of you here... all by herself."

"She's a strong woman, Cameron... the strongest I know."

He sat down in the chair and handed Jason a sandwich. "You mention Alcazar's hit on you... is that the only reason you stayed away from Jake?"

Cameron could tell that his question through Jason off his game, but he didn't expect the answer as quickly as it came or the strength of emotion behind the words.

"He's the only reason I stayed away from any of you." Jason looked at Cameron for a long moment before she spoke again. "I did everything I could to keep both of you boys safe from my life and if that meant giving up Elizabeth I was willing to let her go."

Cameron kept his eyes on the enforcer, reading every movement. "But you still care about her."

"Care?" Jason's eyes narrowed as he struggled to sit up. "If I had to lay down my life to keep any of you safe, don't doubt that, Cam... not for a minute."

Maybe it was the heated grate of Jason's voice... or maybe it was the use of his old nickname said in a voice he recognized in some dark corner of his mind... but Cameron believed it deep down inside. Still, there were so many other questions he needed answered.

"You knew my father... my birth father."

"Zander?" Jason sighed and shifted on the couch. "I knew him."

It was clear by the tone of his voice that Jason didn't like Zander much.

"My grandfather sent me his journals... told me a lot of things about what he had been trying to do before he was killed... told me about the business... that's why I wanted in. I wanted to get all those things he had wanted. Make it easy for my mom once I got enough money... give her the kinds of things I can't just waiting tables or working on cars. I read all about it..." he looked down at the open sandwich box in his lap.

"But you're starting to think it's not as easy as he made it out to be?"

"He never said it was gonna be easy." Cameron sighed. "But i'm getting to think I he didn't give me the whole story about you... about my mom."

An odd twist of a smile touched Jason's lips. "I bet he had a lot to say about us." Leaning back against the couch Jason let out a long sigh. "And I bet you have a lot of questions..."

"Yeah... a lot."

Jason reached for the cup of coffee from the table. "Go ahead and ask."

Patrick wasn't a light sleeper by habit, but when he'd gone to sleep and Elizabeth still wasn't home he'd only napped while he waited. So now, when he heard the door creak open it only took a moment for him to sit up in bed and reach for the light. "Elizabeth?"

She came into the room with heavy feet and dropped her bag just inside the door. "Did you wait up?"

He shook his head and rubbed at his eyes. "I was worried about you." Her smile was faint and he could tell she was tired. "Why don't you come to bed and-"

"Jason was shot tonight up at the old bridge outside of town."

"Jason?" Patrick struggled to sit up straighter and blink away sleep. "When did he get back?"

Elizabeth pressed her hand to her forehead as her voice wavered. "He came back because Cameron asked Sonny for a job."

"Cameron?" Shoving back his blanket, Patrick moved to the edge of the bed and reached out a hand. Elizabeth took it gratefully and moved into the circle of his arms.

"I had gone to meet Jason and he was about to tell me when-"

Patrick reached over the tilted the shade on the lamp so that the light shone brightly on Elizabeth, making her blink her eyes. He quickly examined her from her shoulders on down, pulling her onto his lap when he was done. "I bet when the bullets started flying he shielded you."

He felt her shiver in his embrace.

"He was shot twice... I took him to an old... safe house and removed the bullets."

Tightening his hold on her he pressed a kiss to her cheek. "You took a private client without me, Drake?" He slid a hand up her back to warm her. "I guess you think you're going to keep the money for yourself... buy a pretty purse or something like that, huh?"

He heard her chuckle. "Nope, but there's this Jaguar with my name on it down at the dealership."

"Oh," his fingers tickled along her ribs, "that's right... Jason Morgan would be able to afford a Jaguar." His laughter died away as he brought her closer to his chest. "Are you okay? I mean, honestly?"

"I'm alive," she looked up at him and his concern brought tears from her eyes, "but Jason's going to talk to Cameron... explain what his life is really like... explain what you can lose-"

"Like Jake... like you." Patrick hugged her close, breathing in the sweet scent of her. "It's late... and you're wiped. Why don't you climb in bed and get some rest. Tomorrow we'll figure out what to do with Cameron."

She nodded and crawled over him to her side of the bed. She welcomed his warmth when he spooned up behind her. "I want to thank you, Patrick."

"Me?" His soft chuckle brushed her hair from her ear. "For my good looks? That's genetic, and-"

"For being here all these years... for being a father to my boys... for letting me help you raise Emma... for giving me a good life."

"Well, you just remember that the next time I forget Valentines Day and..." He felt the shift in her body, the heavy press of her against his arm. She had fallen asleep... and no doubt she was tired after her long day. Patrick moved her hair around so he could press a kiss to the nape of her neck and cuddled tight against her warmth.

Jason Morgan coming back had been something he'd accepted years ago. He knew the man wouldn't stay away forever. Still, the years had gone by and Patrick had found himself beginning to hope for just another day without Jason Morgan in Port Charles... but now, now that he was back, Patrick could only wonder what that meant... for all of them.