Author's Note: Thanks for all the great feedback! Journeylover062, all I can say regarding the troublemaker(s) is we'll see… For all my fellow Anti-Robinites, you know I got you… I always knew that Robin was a selfish, bratty snake with a superiority complex. So while I was disgusted when she told AJ, I was NOT particularly surprised. I'm just writing her the way I think she would have acted if Jason had seen the truth sooner instead of later. My Jason is sans-blind spot. So he won't be doing any of the crazy things he did on GH that were SOOOO opposite of his character.

Thanks again to all of my faithful readers for all of the great reviews. Three things. First, this chapter is entirely from Carly's POV. The next thing is that with the crazy new hours at work, it may take longer to transcribe my story. So expect most updates to come during the weekends. Lastly, this chapter is gonna be a little longer than others and may be the first of many longer chapters in the future… I've noticed that while writing this tale the chapters can be a little hard to define. It can be hard to figure out what the cutoff point is. I hope it won't be a problem for anyone… Enjoy!

P.S. I created a forum for Jarly fans: .net/myforums/Only1ToniD/2835290/.

Chapter 13: The Talk

"You know," I whisper into his neck. He pulls back so he can see my face. He nods. "How?"

"I took care of your prescriptions for you," he answers simply.

Idiot! How did I not even think of that one? I usually cover my tracks better than that. Great. I'm getting soft! "You're not mad, are you? Because I promise I was gonna tell you before work. I just needed sometime to accept it, to think. I didn't know, I swear," I ramble nervously until his mouth on mine stops me.

"We're fine. I knew there was something else you needed to tell me. You told me that there was something for me to know and you promised you would tell me," he comforted me. "Is this it?"

"I think so. I can't think of anything important that I didn't tell you already," I answer honestly. "Or that you didn't figure out on your own."

He smiles and brushes a strand of hair behind my ear. "Good. If you think of anything else, let me know, ok?" He rolls onto his back, pulling me close.

"Of course," I giggle. And it's really that easy? That is so… strange. Maybe I should have tried this total honesty garbage sooner. Or not. "Oh, and welcome home. How was work?"

"It was… interesting," he discloses, grimacing. "There's something I guess you should know?"

"What?" I frown nervously at his tone.

"We're not a secret anymore," Jason dances his along the arm wrapped around his chest.

"Oh?" I ask suspiciously. Maybe he was softening me up to tell me he'd betrayed my trust. Bastard. "What do you mean?" Maybe it's no big deal… God, Carly try to have some faith!

"Robin saw us in the hospital and ran straight to Sonny," he explained.

See, complete overreaction. Wait, should I have told him about her? Nah. Not a big deal. Or that's what I'll say if asked. Remember Carly if this honesty kick doesn't work, 'Deny, deny, deny' has always worked as a philosophy. "Why would she run to your boss about seeing us together?"

"Sonny was Robin's friend first, and I met him shortly after the accident. Anyway, it seems I'm the only one who didn't think Robin and I were together," he explained. "I mean, even Sonny thought she was my girlfriend, which means Robin does, too. I managed to make it clear to Sonny that there is nothing, but friendship between us. Only problem is… see, I ran into your cousin, Lucky. It was right after I found out about you and everything so… I couldn't exactly talk to Sonny because he biased regarding me and Robin. And Luke is sonny's friend. I figured Lucky I could trust to be unbiased and keep my confidence."

"Why not Johnny? You two seem close."

"He's on guard duty for Sonny. Anyway, I told Lucky you were pregnant and Robin walked up and overheard."

"Oh, God."

"Yeah. She got hurt and started yelling at me about leading her on. She tried to question me about my decisions as if I couldn't make a good decision, and I lost it. She was yelling at me like I'd cheated on her. We never talked about it before because if we had I would have told her she was just a friend. I never initiated anything with her. I never said I wanted more. I didn't know," he growled.

Was? "I know, babe," I agree supportively, caressing his chest to soothe him. "You did the best you could with what you know. Once you knew there was a problem, you were honest and tried to fix it."

"Well, that didn't happen. First was the way she was just attacking me unwilling to hear me. Then, she tried to go after the fact that I have feelings for you as if I couldn't tell for myself. And there she was about start pick apart us have unprotected sex." He sighed with amix of annoyance and sadness. "She was so condescending. To be honest, it hurt a little that I was so wrong about her and that she was so clueless about me. So I made it clear that we aren't friends anymore," he finished.

YES! "Oh, Jase. I'm sure she knows you didn't mean it. That you were just—"

"No. that's just it. I did mean it, and I still do. I'd been avoiding spending time with more and more. She was never really interested in me anyway. She never talked to me. Or about anything I was interested in. she always seemed set on teaching me, instead of just knowing me. You're so different. You give me everything I never knew I needed, Carly." He dropped a kiss on my head.

"Oh, Jase," I whisper, truly moved, Knowing in that moment I would do anything, be anything to keep this man by my side loving me just like this.

"I can't regret a single second of our time together. How could I? You see me and not what you'd like me to be or who I have the 'potential' to be. God, I hate that word. Robin used it all the time. That was all Robin ever saw anymore when she looked at me: potential. She would take me to hang out with her friends and it was like I was a pet she wanted to show off. They would talk around me. I never really cared much since I wasn't really interested in what they had to say. They never seemed to care if what I liked. I was just along for the ride because Robin was my friend and you don't hurt your friends' feelings. Sonny's not really happy about me not being with Robin; he's really not gonna like that I won't even call her a friend anymore." I can tell he's thinking off in his own world.

"Because he & Robin are friends," I mumble, finally understanding the mountain I have to climb there. He nods. I caress his chest trying to soothe him. Just what I needed, another obstacle.

"He invited us over for dinner," he says suddenly.

"Was this before or after he found out we were together and not just sleeping together?" I ask as nonchalantly as possible.

"After. And I'd say we do quite a bit more than sleep together," he replies with a smirk.

"Shut up! You know what I meant," I chuckle. In my head, I mull over the fact that a renowned mob boss invited me for dinner.

"Do you want to?" The timing of that invite leaves two possibilities: either he's not a judgmental, selfish control-freak, which means the offer's genuine. Or he is all of those things and more, and considering he's a career criminal who's probably used to controlling his environment it wasn't exactly unlikely, then it'll be an opportunity to scout the enemy, namely me, and possibly drive a wedge between us. Decisions, decisions.

"Can he cook?" I quip, trying to hid my nerves and insecurity behind humor.

Jason chuckles, but eyes me clearly knowing there's more to my thoughts than what I'm saying. "Yeah. Who do you think taught me?"

I jolt upright and look down at my mysterious lover. "You can cook?" I ask in shock. He nods with a smirk. "Well, at least now we know the baby won't starve. I mean…Oh God!" Hello, mouth? I think you're pretty familiar with my friend foot…

"You ready to talk about it?"

"Sure," I sigh, knowing there was no point in putting it off. "How do you feel about—I mean… Do you want to have the baby or—"

"I don't know," he answered, honestly. "I never imagined I might be a father. I don't know if I'd be any good it, but what about you?"

"I think you'd be great at it," I joke, unsure how else to answer.

"Carly."

"Fine," I sigh. Honesty, Carly. You can do this. Just… be honest. I mentally roll my eyes. Like it's that simple. That's like saying: 'Just jump of that bridge, Carly. You can do it.' But I guess I better at least try. "i—There are only two options for me. An abortion or raising this baby. I could never give my baby away." I heave a sigh as my mind begins traveling. "I used to dream of having a family. You know, a man who could love me and a kid or two, but I don't know. I don't know if I'm ready for this. I wasn't this. Before that night, I'd never been so careless. I always use protection. I kinda lost my head with you. You're different than any other guy I've ever known. I'm really gonna try not to screw this up, I promise."

"I know this isn't what you expected, but would you like to try and make that family you used to dream about? I mean maybe we could try to live together and raise the baby. Some day we could even make it forever."

"Are you sure?" I ask hesitantly. Please say yes! Please say yes! Please say yes! "Because I don't want to push you into anything. This is a huge decision that you can't really take back."

"Yes. I'm sure, Carly. You can't push me to do anything I don't want to do. I love being with you, waking up to you, falling asleep with you in my arms. I want to see where this goes. You know, I was looking at Lucky today and I can see the family resemblance. I mean, he looks more like Luke and you look more like Bobbie, but I could see it. For the first time, it made me wish I could imagine things."

"Why?" I ask unsure where he was going.

"I wanted to know what our child would look like," he explained. Tears fill my eyes and I bite my lip. Is this guy really for real? "Ok, Daddy. Then we dot some decisions and plans to make. We need to decide where we're gonna live. And we've got to schedule an appointment with Dr. Newman." I frown in thought. "and just so you know, that hole you call a room over Jake's is not going to cut it. Don't get me wrong, it's a fun place to visit, especially considering the company, but a baby isn't gonna fit into that tiny room."

Jason frowned, "But baby's are small right. Why wouldn't the baby fit?"

I snicker, "Jason, honey, babies need lot of stuff, and my stuff wouldn't even fit in there let alone mine AND the baby's."

"Ok. Whatever. I'll just move in here."

"That's fine for now, but we're gonna need at least a two bedroom by the time the baby comes. This place is definitely not big enough for three. I just don't know how we're gonna afford a bigger place, Jason."

"Don't worry about money. Sonny pays well. As a matter of fact, he's been moving me up in the organization and since I don't really spend much, he just puts everything I earn into an account. There's plenty in there."

"Define plenty. Jase, babies are expensive. And I'm gonna have to go on maternity leave at some point near the end of my pregnancy and for the beginning of the baby's infancy. How much exactly is plenty?" I ask skeptically.

He frowns, appears to be mentally tallying. "Oh, I'd say a little over a hundred thousand," he responds casually.

He chuckles when my eyes bug. "Dollars?"

"No, pennies. Of course, dollars. It's probably closer to 2 or 3 by now. I make a lot of money working for Sonny. So I think we can afford to move and get the baby whatever you think we'll need. You don't ever have to worry about money. You can quit your job for all I care. You don't have to work unless you want to."

My jaw drops and snap my mouth closed quickly. "Are you kidding me? No, of course not. Oh, my Lord." I've dreamed of a man saying that to me my whole life. Maybe I should go shopping and prove to him that it my not be a good idea to trust me with unlimited funds. Nah, I'll give a little time to adjust to our new situation. "I think we should schedule a follow-up with Dr. Newman. Do you want to be there for it?" I ask, getting quiet. "I guess it's gonna be official. Everyone's gonna know. Who do you want to tell before it's common knowledge? I'm guessing Sonny and Johnny, since Robin already knows and you wouldn't want your friends to hear it from anyone, but you." I look at the time. "I could call out tonight and we could go over there and talk to him together. I doubt after the scene you described, it'll be a secret much longer. And maybe we could go visit your grandmother and Emily. I want this baby to know its family."

"Does that mean you're thinking about telling Bobbie the truth?"

"Kind of. I don't know. Let's start with you family first, ok?"

"Ok. You call out from your shift. I'll call Sonny and Lila." He kisses me and hops out of bed. He only picks up his phone not even bothering with his boxers as he leaves the room.

I grin at the view. "That's your daddy, baby," I whisper, holding my soon-to-be round belly. "We're gonna be a family. You, me, and your daddy. Maybe we'll be able to include Grandma Bobbie one day soon." I reach for the handset on the night table.