Part Eleven

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."

"Johnny?" Elizabeth could barely speak around the knot in her throat. "Johnny O'Brien?"

He held out his arms and smiled brighter. "Lookin' good for a dead man, hmm?"

She didn't answer him. Instead, Elizabeth scrambled off the bed and into his arms, nearly hugging the breath out of him.

"Whoa there, tigress." He took her by the shoulders and leaned her back a bit. "My goodness, but you grew up good, Elizabeth." His grin turned wolfish with the moonlight gleaming off of his canines. "Damn good." A thought seemed to stop his eager perusal of her nightgown. "But if I keep ogling you I think Jason's going to have my head on his wall." He felt the tremor through her body and smiled. "I'm honored, Lizbits. You think I have psychic powers to show up here on my own… but you know it's Jason that called me."

She shrank a little, withdrawing from the hope that started to flare in her heart. "I was hoping that he would come… but-"

"He's on his way, along with Johnny Zacchara," he shrugged, "strange bedfellows, I guess." Taking her hand he sat down the bed and drew her down with him. Bouncing a little on the edge he gave her another grin. "You know…"

Elizabeth smiled, swatting at his arm. "Johnny… "

"All right… all right… let's get down to business… I've brought you some presents."

The plane disappeared into a hangar at the end of the runway and Jason followed Johnny down the stairs and looked at the group of assembled men. Leaning close to Johnny, Jason asked, "You trust these men?"

Johnny's grin was sure. "I learned a long time ago that if I wanted to trust men, I had to pick them myself." He held out a hand toward the men. "These men were all hand-picked by me." He folded his arms resolutely across his chest. "I don't trust my father at all, Jason… it's time you learn we have to trust each other. It's not about the business… It's not about Corinthos-Morgan… it's about-"

"Elizabeth." Jason nodded and stepped forward to meet the men.

In his hotel suite, Sonny Corinthos was pacing along the carpet in front of his bed. He held the phone cradled to his ear. "Yes, that's right… " he listened a bit, "I need to know my credit line… yes, the whole thing. I need to know what I can get my hands on immediately."

A beep sounded in his ear and he looked down at his phone. The caller ID said simply – CARLY.

He ignored the call and continued on. "Yes, yes… so I can access how much? Ah, good. Thank you, that's all I needed to know."

Johnny continued to explain his presents and was surprised at how well Elizabeth was doing with the whole situation. "You know, you're really something, Elizabeth."

She touched her hair. "Yep, rats nest, bags under my eyes, boy howdy I look sexy."

He shook his head. "You look sexy, trust me… I know," he gave her a wink, "but I'm talking about you." He waved at her with a free hand. "You're calm, methodical, on it… you're going to handle this, Elizabeth… you're going to be all right."

She grinned. "I'll have you there with me."

Johnny shrugged. "In a manner of speaking." He could see a flare of fear in her eyes. "Hey, don't get upset, let's keep going okay." He held out another piece. "What about this one?"

Anthony stood in the center of the ballroom and smiled. He easily remembered the anticipation of a similar party years ago. Here in this very room he'd met his first wife and she'd given him a daughter. His expression quickly soured. Claudia had been a disappointment on so many levels, but Elizabeth. The young woman was beautiful and malleable. She would do well in her new role. He would make sure of it.

He turned and saw Xaviera standing at his side, the quiet woman had been Elizabeth's constant companion since she'd been brought to the villa. He smiled and asked her, "Will she be ready tomorrow night?"

"As ready as she can be with only days of instruction."

Anthony smiled. "You've done a wonderful job, Xaviera. You'll be rewarded for this."

She nodded. "Your lawyer will be here after breakfast to instruct her in the business and the 'law.'"

"I'm sure Elizabeth has no idea about the true inner workings of the business. Not that Sonny should have told her, but I doubt he's even told Jason Morgan about all the little 'rules and regulations' that we have to abide by." His eyes held a glint. "To think I'm about to retire into a lifestyle that will be… very very comfortable." He sighed. "It will all be worth it in the end."

She nodded.

"Now, if you would be so kind," he began, "I'm off to bed, when the maintenance men show up, please have them finish the work they left from yesterday."

Stan looked over from his seat at the main table. "The other families are here in town. Small contingents. Lawyers, enforcers, minimal guards, it's pretty straightforward."

Johnny nodded. "Nothing to worry about."

Jason's dark look only made Johnny's smile larger.

"Don't get the wrong impression, Jason," he moved closer to the enforcer and looked him straight in the eye. "We don't know each other that well, but this is just how I handle stress. I laugh it off. I get the feeling you probably put your fist through a wall," he looked at the interior of their villa, "I'd appreciate it if you'd 'not' do that here, I kind of like the way they decorated it, but-"

"I play pool."

Johnny stopped short and smiled. "Pool, huh? Well, when we get Elizabeth back to Port Charles we'll have to play a few games." He looked at the blond man and wondered aloud. "Does Elizabeth play?"

Jason shrugged, his mouth turning up at the corners. "She needs reminders from time to time."

"Reminders?" Johnny looked over at Stan. "She's a nurse with a college degree, I'm sure she can figure out stripes and solids."

Jason's smile broadened as his body had a very visceral reaction to a pleasant memory. "Sometimes she needs help… lining up the shot."

The picture popped into each of their heads at the same time and Johnny grabbed a piece of paper from the desk and threw it at Jason. "Morgan! That's my sister you're bending over the pool table."

Spinelli yelped and covered his young ears.

Jason's expression hardened just the slightest bit. "And it won't be the last time."

Johnny gave Elizabeth one last hug and pressed a kiss to her temple. "You just remember everything we talked about, Lizbits and this time tomorrow you'll be on your way home. Okay?"

She held him tight for a moment longer before she let him go and watched him walk toward the door. "Wait.. what are you doing? You'll be seen!"

Smiling, Johnny opened the door wide enough for the hall light to shine through. He was dressed as a maintenance man. There had been scores of them around the villa over the last few days. Johnny would blend right in.

Elizabeth took in long breath and let it blow out slowly. "I'll be fine, Johnny O'Brien." She grinned. "When this is over I'm cooking you dinner."

He winced and she wagged a finger at him. "Hey, I've been taking lessons!"

He gave her a salute and disappeared, closing the door behind him.

Carly struggled to find a comfortable position in her chair. The first-class seats had all be sold out and she was having to make do in economy. She wasn't faring well and everyone within five rows knew it. Mumbling under her breath she stuffed her pillow back under her head. "Someone," she groused, "is going to pay for this… Damn you, Sonny."