A/N – Thanks for the comments! Leasemom – Vinny is the guard. I didn't mention the orderly's name and that is the person that Liz was spooked by. * Guest – I stated in beginning of last chapter she wasn't raped. Helena lied to Nikolas to control him. In the beginning, Emily tells Jason that Liz wasn't raped, just beaten. Thank you for reading and glad you like it!

The only thing that Elizabeth doesn't remember is the person who did the beating. She knows she wasn't raped. Most of her focus has been not remembering the person to protect her and Cam.

Chapter 11

Emily's mouth dropped open and closed several times.

"Emily?'

She touched her heart. "I'm here."

"I'm sorry. It was based on abandonment," Jax said.

Tears stung her eyes as she tried to understand it. "I don't even know what to say."

Hearing her voice break made him want to really hurt Nikolas. "Is there anything I can do?"

"No. You've done so much. I just need to cry and yell."

"Will you call me later? I really need to make sure that you're okay."

"I will. Thank you for telling me."

She put the phone down and Maria took Cam into the bathroom to wash him up.

"What happened?" Jason asked.

"Nikolas divorced me."

"What?"

She wiped at her face. "Apparently, I abandoned him. Can you believe that?"

Jason sighed. "I'm sorry." He stood and held his arms out and she quickly embraced him.

"I love him so much, but it has been so hard because he hurt me and I didn't know what to do with that."

"If Helena has messed with his head, he could be dangerous, Emily. I'm sorry you're hurt…"

"But you think it's for the best." She pulled back. "I've been concentrating so much on Elizabeth and Cam, that I've been avoiding my problems with Nikolas. I've tried so hard to make things work, even though I knew they were spiraling out of control. His moods were all over the place and I knew Helena had done something. I hate that she has screwed up my life and I'll do anything to protect my child. If that means shutting out Nikolas, then I will."

"I'll help you do whatever you want."

"Thank you. Right now, I want to take Cam to see his mommy." She doesn't want to focus on it because it hurts too much.

"Okay."

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Jax hung up the phone, happy with the plans he had put into action. The man he had hired to take away Helena's winery business had come through in a pinch. He had never hacked another person's company before, that was the only way it could be done without getting caught. Helena had been very calculating about how many shares could be offered to the public. His contact had been buying up shares for several days, hoping she wouldn't catch on. The business made a lot of money for Cassadine Industries and he wondered if he should keep it. Eventually, Helena will find out that he was the one who pilfered her company, but not for a while. It was the only way he could think of to get back at her for what she had done to Emily and Elizabeth. The man had already released a huge chunk of shares so that Jax could start purchasing more Cassidine Industries stock as well. That had to be done more discreetly and would take time. While he would have liked to have given Emily the news about Nikolas in person, he didn't want to risk blowing their cover, so he is helping in the only way he knows how, using his skills as a corporate radar to do some damage. Hopefully, Emily will understand that he couldn't just let it go.

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Elizabeth's eyes tracked Jason as he carried Cam into the room. Her eyes pricked with tears as she realized how much time had gone by since she last told the little boy that she loved him.

"Hi mommy," Cam said.

"Hi."

He grinned and practically leapt out of Jason's arms.

"Hold on, buddy." Jason lowered him onto Elizabeth's lap and the mother and child clung to each other.

"Missed you," he said softly.

"I love you and missed you so much."

Cam buried his head into her neck and gripped her shirt. "Never leave again."

"I'm so sorry. I'll try not to." Her voice broke as she cried.

Emily grabbed her hand. "He's fine and you have a lot of drawings to look at. He likes to color."

Liz smiled through her tears. "I can't wait to see them."

Cam patted her face. "You come home with us?"

"Not yet. Mommy is trying to get better, but I promise I will try my best so I can come home soon."

He resumed his hugging position as Liz rubbed his back. It was almost overwhelming her making that promise, but she is determined to come through for him.

A nurse entered the room. "Elizabeth, you have an appointment with Dr. Turner in fifteen minutes."

"Thanks."

Liz and Jason's eyes connected. "Jason, if there is something you need to do, then you can leave and come back. I'll probably be with the doctor for at least an hour."

He didn't want to go.

"I'll be okay. They'll call if I need you." She didn't want him to think he had to watch her every minute.

"I don't mind waiting. I know you're strong, but it's just something I need to do. I'll make some calls while you're gone, but I'm not leaving."

Emily fought a smile as she watched Liz ramble in her head and then their gaze locked.

"What?" Liz asked.

"I'd give you a lot more than a penny for your thoughts."

"Very funny."

"I missed you."

Liz averted her gaze. "Me too."

"Maria is going to take Cam on a play date with his friend Mason. He'll be back later," Jason explained. He had thought it best to make the first meeting a little shorter to give her some space and it would show Cam that his mommy will still be here when he returns.

"Okay."

Cam hugged his mommy and looked at her apprehensively over his shoulder as Maria led him to the hallway.

"I promise that I'll talk to you when you get back," Liz said.

He smiled and then practically skipped into the hallway.

Liz stood. "I guess it's time," she said acknowledging the nurse in the doorway who smiled. Everyone on staff is very happy that she is talking.

Jason grabbed her hand and squeezed and then Liz took a deep breath and left the room. His attention turned to his sister. "About Nikolas…"

Emily closed her eyes. "I'm so beyond hurt. How can he do this to me?"

"You said he wasn't the same as before. I'm sorry, Emily. I know you loved him."

Her eyes brimmed with tears and Jason hugged her tightly.

"You're going to be okay."

"I have to be. This baby is depending on me."

"I'll help you the best I can."

She took a deep breath and then retreated. "I know that you want to, but I need to do this. I don't want to depend on you for everything."

"I know you wouldn't take advantage, but I'm worried about you."

"I'm sad, but I can't stay in that place. I've been mourning him since I got here because somewhere inside I knew it wasn't going to end well."

"Promise me that you will come to me if you need help."

"I will."

"Where are you going to live?"

"I don't know. I suppose I could go back to the mansion or stay in the cottage." The only good thing to come out of this is that she can leave Windemere behind.

"I don't think Monica would mind."

"For now, I just need to focus on Elizabeth, Cam, and this baby."

"Okay. I'll let it go."

"Thank you."

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Elizabeth sat across from Violet who couldn't stop smiling.

"I'm so happy to interact with you and I know Jason, Emily, and Cameron are glad to have you back too."

Liz shifted uneasily. "I missed them. Look, I know you want me to talk, but the truth is that I don't remember him specifically."

"I think your mind is shutting off what happened. It's a survival mechanism. After your history, I know it's hard confronting what happened, but Elizabeth, if you do, you'll be free."

Liz stared at the floor. "I'm scared."

"Of just him or is there something else too?"

Her arms folded around her body. "What if I leave them again? I don't want to, but I could if it gets to be too much. And then there is Jason, suppose he takes off? Emily shouldn't be worried so much about me because she's pregnant and Cam… I think I did more damage thinking I was protecting him when I was really hurting him. I did the same thing to Cam that Jason did to me."

"You fought to come back for your son. Jason's presence just helped you move forward faster. Speaking of which, I watched that man ache for you. He loves you, Elizabeth. I have no doubt of that and he's not going anywhere. Even if he did, I'd hunt him down."

Liz almost smiled.

"You didn't fail your son because you had a breakdown. In fact, him seeing you fight back after someone hurt you will teach him about survival, and you are a survivor, Elizabeth."

Elizabeth averted her gaze. The pain feels like it's consuming her and she doesn't know how to make it stop. Even though she wasn't raped, there was something inside her that told her that remembering who did it would hurt almost as badly. It was one time that she wished she had Jason's super power to just turn off his emotions.

"Tell me what you are feeling."

"It's mostly pain and anger. I want to scream, but I feel like I don't have the voice to do it. Bruises and cuts heal, but the scars…they last forever."

"Even scars can start to fade, but they won't if you don't take care of the wound. Are you willing to try to deal with what happened that night?"

"I don't have a choice. I can't live like this. I'll do what I have to, but just don't ask me what he looked like because for now, my mind has blocked it out and I'm not ready yet."

"Okay."

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Jason waited for Elizabeth to come back as Emily napped on the bed. She looked fragile after the talk about Nikolas and he was worried.

"She looks tired even though she's sleeping."

His head jerked towards the sound. "Is that how you feel?"

Liz nodded and then stood in front of him. Their eyes locked and after a minute, he opened his arms and she slid onto his lap.

"When you woke up, how did you deal with the pain?"

"The anger ate me up. I couldn't shut it off and so I yelled at everyone and was a brat. I think I just wanted them to feel what I felt, not realizing that losing their son in a blink of an eye hurt almost as bad. It was overwhelming and tiring. I'm surprised that I didn't do more damage. Is that how you feel? Do you want to lash out?"

"Maybe, but what I really want is to pretend it didn't happen and go back to my life in Port Charles."

"I'm sorry."

His phone vibrated in his pocket.

"If you need to talk to Sonny, go ahead."=

"No, it's not him. He doesn't have my number."

"Really?"

Jason chuckled because of the bewildered look on her face. "Really. My location is blocked." He fished it out and looked down. "Johnny is just letting me know that Cam is on the way back."

"I still can't believe that you're here." She inhaled the smell of his leather jacket. "Do you think you could get a hold of a motorcycle?"

He grinned. "I think I can manage that."

"I could really use a ride."

"Consider it done."

"Thanks."

Elizabeth gazed at Emily who had stirred in her sleep. "Is she eating?"

"Not as much as I'd like her too."

"I'll talk to her."

Jason kissed her head. "She got bad news about Nikolas. He divorced her."

"What!"

"I know. She found out earlier."

Liz didn't say anything more, so Jason just rubbed her back.

Cam ran into the room. "Mommy! Mommy!"

Liz smiled and slipped off Jason's lap. "Hi Cam." When she knelt he rushed into her arms. "Did you have fun?"

He nodded vigorously. "Yes. I like Mason."

"Well, I'm glad you found someone to play with."

"We played on the swings in his backyard and we fed the ducks."

"Ducks?"

His head bobbed. "There's a pond."

"Very cool."

Emily sat up and swung her legs off the bed. "Maria's sister cooks, so she's going to drop some food off."

Cam clapped.

Jason is surprised when Cam tries to climb onto his lap, but helps him.

Liz sat next to Emily as Cam chatted away to Jason. After a few minutes, Liz grabbed her hand. "I'm sorry about Nikolas."

Emily sighed. "Me too. Lucky left the day Jason showed up."

"I was wondering where he was. We broke up."

"He told me. I'm sorry."

"It was for the best." It hurt that he left, but she just didn't want to give Lucky another thought.

There is so much Emily wants to say, but she decides to wait.

"I'm sure you have questions."

"I can wait for the most part, but can I just ask if you spoke to Lila?"

Liz nodded.

Emily smiled. "I knew that she would help."

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Arianna strolled into the house.

"So…," her mother said when her step-daughter came into view.

She blushed. "Hey, mom."

Isabella patted the cushion next to her. It had taken a while for Arianna to call her mom, so she cherished it every time and appreciated their friendship. "Your father wanted to eat breakfast with you. I covered, but it will probably go over better if you talk to him about Johnny."

Arianna groaned. "Do I have too?"

"Yes. I'm worried about you."

"Why?"

"Because you're very compassionate and you'll never be satisfied with just having sex."

"I know. I can't explain it, but I really like him. He's funny and sweet."

"And good in bed…"

She blushed again. "Yeah."

"It's quite enticing, isn't it?" The danger and good looks are a sexy combination.

Arianna laughed. "Did dad seduce you too?"

"Yes."

"Johnny is a good guy. You don't have to worry about me."

"What happens when he leaves?"

"We'll take turns visiting each other and then if it gets serious, we'll make a decision."

Isabella grabbed her hand. "Just tread lightly with your father because you're all he has left of your mom. It will be hard on him to see you leave the nest."

Arianna groaned.

"I know. I don't want you to make a decision to not engage because of his feelings. I'm just asking you to be mindful."

"I will. I love him and this family. Johnny could be more and we want to see where it leads."

"Are you using protection?"

Arianna rolled her eyes. "Yes, mom."

"Good. Just be careful with your heart."

Arianna kissed her on the cheek. "Always."

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Helena picked up her phone. "Good news?"

"Yes. She's back."

"Perfect! Now we can move on to stage two." Elizabeth engaging again is just what Helena needs.

"Do you think he'll cooperate?"

"I do. He knows he needs to focus on Emily."

"Good. I have some bad news."

She sipped on some wine. "Go ahead."

"Someone bought a considerable amount of shares of the winery."

She gripped the arm of her chair. "What are you saying?"

"It probably will be gone within twenty-four hours."

"How is that even possible?"

"I don't know. Somehow, there was a glitch and shares were released."

She scowled. "I want to know who dared come up against me like this."

"I already have someone on it."

She tossed her phone onto the table. This would not do. Whoever it was better start running, because she plans on making them suffer.

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Paul almost threw his stapler. Every time more information was discovered, it looked like Helena had taken revenge on him by having his wife killed and he wanted to rip her head off for it. The guilt he felt ate away at him and he would give anything to have let Helena take the company so his wife would be alive, but then...

Isabella slowly entered the office. "What's wrong?"

He motions for her to close the door.

She is used to his occasional moodiness, but she could tell this was different. Without further word, she sat across from him and waited for him to start.

"I think Helena killed Ari."

"Oh."

"I just—if I had just given her what she wanted—"

"—she'd still be here."

"Yes." He didn't want to hurt her, but Arianna suffered so much after the loss of her mom.

"I get it. Arianna would have her mother and you'd have your wife."

"True, but I do love my current one."

"I know that, but you can't go back and change things. You did what you felt was right and from what you have told me, I don't think Ari would have had it any other way."

He wiped his hand over his face. "Going after her could be dangerous."

"If you don't, could she strike again?"

"It would probably be against Elizabeth and Emily this time."

"They've been through enough. Do you want us to go away?" It wouldn't be the first time that she had to and she knew the drill and accepted it as a part of her life.

"Not yet, but it may be necessary."

"Then I'll do whatever you ask."

It is that kind of loyalty and trust that made him fall in love with her and he appreciates how lucky he is to find two great loves in his lifetime. "Come here."