AN: Sorry, this took longer than expected. I didn't realize that being in a wedding was a lot more involved. This was the first wedding I was apart of. Plus I took photos for the wedding too. I wasn't expecting to have to do as much editing to the photo as I did. A hand, foot, or so on was in the shot that didn't belong. LOL! I was worn out from all of it. We are getting back to normal post now. Next week a brand new chapter.
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Over the weekend Jason stayed with Elizabeth and the boys at her house; he just wanted to be near them since finding out that he had another son. They all were going through a lot with this life-altering reveal. Jason heard from Danny like Sam had promised, but Sam refused to talk to him on the phone. Which left Jason unable to tell her what was going on with Jake/Coop. He knew that Sam was hurting on so many levels, but he hoped that with time he'd get to tell her.
"Jason," came Elizabeth's voice making him look to see her taking a seat next to her on the couch.
"Everything okay?" Jason asked as she leaned against him.
"Addie is going to bring Coop over to meet the boys later," Elizabeth's eyes sparkled as she spoke.
"Hopefully it goes better this time around," Jason mused as Elizabeth pulled her feet up to her chest.
"We've got a long road ahead of us... Part of me wants to go make everything that I remember being his favorite," Elizabeth sighed as she didn't know what to do.
"Breathe just breathe," Jason whispered as he pulled her into his lap.
"I'm glad we kept the kids home with us because I'm sure all of this is getting around by now," Elizabeth laid her head on his chest.
"Together we are going to get through this as a family," Jason promised as he kissed Elizabeth gently.
"That is so not fair," Elizabeth said in a daze.
"What is that?" Jason asked slightly amused.
It was hard for Elizabeth to clear the fog in her brain after a kiss like that.
"Kissing you is very dangerous. I forget things, and I'm in this daze. More than that I like it way too much," Elizabeth struggled to find the right words.
"Hmm, that will be something to consider for our next date," Jason teased her a little bit.
"I like the sound of that... No more drama for our next date though," Elizabeth relaxed against Jason.
"Maybe we could include the boys..." Jason suggested as he like the idea of them being together as a family.
"It might be a while before Coop is ready to be alone with us. Cam and Aiden would love it... You wanting to include the boys means so much to me," Elizabeth smiled as she looked into his eyes.
"What?" Jason asked as he could feel there was something Elizabeth wanted to say.
"I'm not looking forward to work tomorrow... With everything going on; part of me wants to just be home," Elizabeth admitted with a sigh.
"But," Jason urged her to continue.
"I know that the kids need me to work for many reasons. Money doesn't grow on trees... Also, I know that if I didn't work I would be so focused on Coop. The last thing he needs is to feel pressured; by me wanting to love on him. My brain knows all of this, but my heart is a different story," Elizabeth laid it out for Jason.
"If you need to take time off; I think you should take it. Don't worry about the money. All that matters is the kids," Jason said willing to pitch in for his family.
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In the last few days Jason had asked to talk with Sam, but she hadn't been ready to hear his voice on the other end of the phone. Then today her mother had been messaging her like crazy; while Sam and Danny had been out on the beach having fun. Sam hadn't noticed her mother's messages until she and Danny return at lunchtime to get some burgers and fries. Once she had gotten Danny settled with his lunch; Sam slipped away to her bedroom in the bungalow. With her phone in her hand, Sam dialed her mother hoping something hadn't happened back home.
"Samantha!" Alexis said picking up after the first ring.
Her mom had never used her full first name before which concerned Sam all the more. Really no one called her Samantha since she could remember.
"I just saw your messages," Sam started to say.
"Where have you been?" Alexis questioned her daughter.
"Down on the beach with Danny... Why?" Sam asked confused by her mother.
"Did Jason talk to you?" Alexis continued to question her.
"I don't want to talk about Jason... Danny is talking to him, but I just can't right now," Sam said just wanting to enjoy this time with her son.
"Something is going on here, and you need to know before you get home," Alexis started to say.
"No, just drop it," Sam said about to hang up on her mother.
"Please, this is important for both you and Danny. It's all over the news here, and you have to know what is going on," Alexis pleaded with her daughter to listen.
"What," Sam whispered reluctantly.
"Jason and Elizabeth just found out that Jake is alive," Alexis replied softly.
"No, Jake died... Joss has his kidneys," Sam shook her head in disbelief.
"There is DNA proof that the boy in questioned is Jake. From what I know so far from contacts; is that he just move to town with the woman who was raising him. The PCPD don't believe she was involved with what happened to Jake. She thought the boy she adopted was her biological brother," Alexis explained what she knew.
Stunned Sam sat down on the bed just spinning from the news that Jason's son and Danny's brother was alive. Her and Jason had walked through that time together; she had seen first hand what the grief had done to Jason. The death of a child was something Sam would never wish on anyone ever because she knew better than most what it was like to live with that kind of loss. It was something she carried with her every single day of her life... Some times it threatened to pull her down if she didn't watch herself.
"Sam, are you there," came her mother's voice cutting through her thoughts.
"Can you come and bring Danny home? I can't come back right now," Sam struggled to keep it together.
"Sam," Alexis questioned her daughter.
"I think it was a mistake taking Danny with me. He should be with his dad right now, and he deserves to know his big brother. I'm coming home I promise... Just not yet," Sam swallowed hard before speaking.
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Both Cam and Aiden were excited when Jason and Elizabeth told them that Coop would be coming over to play. Elizabeth was glad Cam seemed less on the fence than he had been when she told him the other day. Aiden was talking Jason's ear off when Elizabeth heard the knock at the door; then she went answering the door hoping that it would be Addie and Coop arriving.
"Addie and Coop... Thank you for coming over," Elizabeth greeted as she ushered them into the house and closed the door behind them.
"Thank you, for having us," Addie smiled not sure what else to say.
Slowly Elizabeth led them over into the living room where Jason and the boys were waiting.
"You both have met Jason, but these are my boys Cam and Aiden," Elizabeth made introductions as she pointed out Cam and Aiden both.
"Hi... This was yours from when you were little; I thought you might like to have it back," Cam pulled out a yellow motorcycle.
"Thanks," Coop said as he took the motorcycle.
"Want to go play outside? We got a fort outside," Cam suggested as he knew it had to be awkward with adults watching their every move.
"uhhh," Coop looked back to the only mother he knew.
"It's fine with me," Addie looked to Elizabeth.
"Go ahead," Elizabeth smiled as Cam and Coop headed into the kitchen towards the backyard.
"Aiden, aren't you going?" Jason asked seeing that Aiden had hung back.
"Can I show Addie my room," Aiden replied softly.
"Of course, you can," Elizabeth smiled at her youngest.
"Want to," Aiden asked holding out his hand.
"Sure," Addie agreed taking him by the hand.
With a smile, Aiden led Addie upstairs to where his room was because he had something special that he wanted to show her.
As soon as they were in his room he pulled his hand away and went to his bookshelf pulling out the photo album his mom made. Going over to his bed Aiden took a seat and then motioned for Addie to join him on the bed.
"This is Jake's... I'm mean Coop's baby book. Mommy made one for each of us. When we missed Jake; mom would let us hold onto his baby book. I was the last one to have it, and I thought you might like to see it," Aiden explained as he opened the album.
"Thank you, for sharing this with me," Addie said as they looked at pictures of Coop when he was a baby.
Page after page she could see Coop growing into a toddler so full of life.
"Did I make you sad," Aiden asked seeing tears in Addie's eyes.
"No, you just gave me something the means so much to me. I know that Coop was loved very much before he made his way to me," Addie shook her head slightly as she spoke.
"Want to go outside with me?" Aiden asked ready to go play.
"Mind if I just stay here and look at this some more?" Addie asked softly.
"Alright," Aiden said as he handed the album to Addie before leaving her alone.
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Alone in Aiden's room looking at the pictures; Addie felt so many things looking at Coop from a newborn til right before he had been taken. She couldn't understand why he had been taken out of such a loving home. It hurt to know that Coop had gone from a lively little boy to... Addie hated to think about how bad it had been when she came into Coop's life, but she couldn't help thinking about it now knowing Coop had a family that loved him.
"Are you okay," came Elizabeth's voice making Addie look to see her take a seat on the bed.
"I always worried about Coop being raised by my mother. Growing up like that is rough... Sometimes I wondered how I made it past childhood because it wasn't like I had a mom who took care of me during those years. When Coop came into my life I felt guilty for leaving as soon as I could. I thought maybe if I had stuck around... Many a night I questioned why I didn't
get to him sooner," Addie stammered as she opened up to Elizabeth little by little.
"There was no way you could have known... I'm his mom... It was my job to keep him safe and protected. For a lot of years, I thought that I was the reason my son had died. You blame others trying to quiet that voice in your head, but no matter what that voice just gets louder and louder. Neither of us could have protected Coop from what happened and we may never know the answers to our questions," Elizabeth took the album aside and took Addie's hands with her hands.
For a while Addie sat there looking at the woman before her; she was twice the mother Addie had hope to one day be for Coop.
"I'm glad Coop had you to love him all those years. The memories of when he first came to me are... Coop gave me a reason to hope," Addie tried to find the right words.
"He's your heart... My children are my heart too. Now we have to find a way to blend two families into one. Coop is going to be looking to you because you have been his person all this time. Just because I'm his mom; doesn't take away from that. My person is on the other side of the country, but I still call him sometimes in the middle of the night. He's the closest thing I have to a brother, and he is my ride or die who is always in my corner. No matter where I go in in life or what I do he'll always be there for me. Coop is so lucky to have you as his person cause I know you will always put him first," Elizabeth promised her.
"Thank you," Addie whispered as she looked Elizabeth in the eye.
"Would you like to have copies of Coop's baby pictures?" Elizabeth offered seeing how tightly Addie was holding the album.
"Yes... I've got pictures I could get copies of for you too," Addie nodded slightly as she spoke.
"Thank you," Elizabeth smiled softly.
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AN: Hope this chapter was worth the wait. Yes, Sam was in this chapter. Please Liason fans who really don't like Sam; I asked you have some understanding. Sam is grieving a lot of loss in her life, and Jake coming back has to hit the Lila button a little. I'd say Sam is doing her best right now.