Coming Home: The Bodyguard

Hello everyone! Thanks for all of the reviews for chapter twelve. I really can't thank everyone enough!

This chapter is the day after the last one. As promised there is more Rider/Michael mischief and Sonny comes back for this chapter. Along with, of course, Jason.

---------------------Carly and Sonny's Room

"Michael, the blue ones are yours, hand over my scissors." Rider stated impatiently. Michael agreed and handed back them back. They sat in Carly and Sonny's room. Michael had suggest monster making and Rider had happily agreed. So they sat on Michael's parent's bed and cut up Carly's fashion magazines to create numerous Frankenstein's.

After successfully cutting around a woman's arm Michael looked back up at Rider. "Did your Dad say anything about Lizzie yet?"

Rider shook his head to say no. "Nope. Not yet. Aunt Emily did though." He supplied as he pasted down a bull's nose to a little girl's face. He was on his second monster and loving every minute of Michael's idea.

"What'd Aunt Emily say then? Somethin' good?" he asked. His Uncle Jason was one of his favorite people in the world and Michael wanted to make sure he was happy. Elizabeth had made him happy in the past, so she could do it again.

Rider grinned. "She said that they're friends again. And she started to say something else, but then she remembered she was talkin' to me and shut up."

"Oooh, look, cat's ears." Michael observed as he cut into the page. "Mommy's been complaining about her. She said that Lizzie was um....what was it? Oh yeah, she was moving in on Uncle Jason all over again."

Laughing at his Aunt Carly's rants, Rider looked down at his finished creation and held it up for Michael's approval. After getting a laugh and a high five from his best friend, Rider started up a new one. "What did Uncle Sonny say after that?"

Michael looked up, "After Mommy said Elizabeth was moving in on him? He just said that they were friends and that she should leave Jason alone."

"Grown-ups are nuts." Rider said, shaking his head.

Across from him, Michael agreed whole-heartedly. "Yeah. Why can't they just see what's in front of 'em? Even if they do they always kind of dance around it or make it worse than it has to be. I'm not going to be like that when I get big."

"Yeah, we won't do that stuff."

--------------------------Jason and Rider's Penthouse

If Jason wasn't already in love with his motorcycle, he might seriously considering getting the one on the page he was looking at.

He laid on his couch with the motorcycle magazine in his lap. Michael and Rider were off doing something they probably shouldn't and for the moment, since they weren't in his penthouse, it was fine by him. Hopefully the two had the smarts not to venture into Sonny's kitchen again.

The magazine was a weak attempt at getting his mind off current things. Or more, the people in his world.

Elizabeth being one such person. He didn't know what to do about her and the feelings he was having. He didn't know what it was that he felt for her quite yet, but he knew that it was a strong feeling. Other than his feelings for Rider, it was the strongest thing he'd felt in his life.

He knew he cared about her. He knew he wanted her safe and happy. But did he want himself to be the one to keep her that way?

Deep down he knew the answer to that question. But it was the other questions that swarmed the answer to the first that made things complicated. Did Elizabeth want the same things? Would the people around them be able to accept it? Was she ready? Was he ready?

And, most importantly, what would his son say?

Rider had always picked up on the fact that his parents were different than others. Jason and Isabella didn't kiss or get mushy at any time. He had even asked them why once, all they could tell him was that they loved each other very much and they loved him even more. But their love for each other was very different than the other parents. Rider had seemed satisfied at the time. But what would his son think of his Daddy loving another woman?

The knock at the door startled him and proved just how deep into his thoughts he was. Getting up, he threw aside the magazine that had been long forgotten. Jason slowly walked up to the door and, once he reached it, opened it.

A kid who looked no older than twenty stood confidently in front of Jason. Most unlucky people who managed to get elected to visit Jason Morgan's penthouse - beloved pizza man aside - usually looked terrified. Either Jason had been away far too long, or this kid was just really stupid. And judging from the orange and blue Hawaiian print shirt, Jason was willing to go with the latter.

"Delivery for, um, Jason Morgan? You him, dude?" the kid asked. Jason had met people like him on the island. The only thing they cared about was the next wave. Since they were in Port Charles though, it probably wasn't a wave. But the mannerisms were the same.

Jason nodded, not wanting to start up a conversation with the kid.

The kid jammed his hand in his pocket and then handed Jason the recovered pen, "Right, man. Okay, just sign here and the box is all yours."

Jason quickly scribbled his name and handed the kid a fifty from his pocket. He got a "Like awesome, man!" in response and took the package back inside.

Who in hell would be sending him things was beyond him. Occasionally he would get packages but those were usually the warehouse or the organization. But those days were now over and Jason couldn't come up with a reason as to why he'd be getting something. True, he was looking to see the final papers for his warehouse, but Benny said he would deliver those himself.

Jason used his switchblade from the desk to open the tape that covered the top of the box. Pulling the flaps aside he got a good look at the boxes contents. Gingerly Jason reached his hand inside and pulled out the dead, headless rat by the tail.

In the mob world, a dead rat was a promise to snitches that their number was up. Most of the time, if you got a dead rat, many mob families were behind it and most people died pretty soon after delivery.

Either the headless aspect was to just punctuate the point, or whoever had killed the rat had been feeling creative at the time.

Jason made a quick decision. He could keep it a secret from Sonny and deal with it on his own. Thereby risking getting shot and possibly killed. Or he could tell Sonny and deal with whatever he had in mind. Which was probably something very unpleasant for Jason.

His son's innocent face popped into Jason's mind and he knew that there was no way he could risk getting killed. Not with Rider or Elizabeth needing him. Jason carried the rat out the door and past the confused Johnny before poking his head inside Sonny's penthouse to make sure that Carly or the boys weren't there.

"Jason, what's up?" Sonny questioned. He was alone in the room and Jason quickly hurried inside. He hoped that Rider, Michael or Carly didn't come down.

Jason had the rat behind his back and didn't take it out for a second. "Where are Carly and the kids?"

Sonny used his head to indicate upstairs and narrowed his eyes. "Why?"

Sighing, Jason gave the best explanation he could, "A kid came by to have me sign for a package. I opened the box and got this." Jason raised the rat out in front of him and winced when a drop of dark red blood spilled from the rat's neck and onto the floor.

"Shit." Sonny muttered. Jason nodded his head to agree and sent another look upstairs, praying the boys didn't come down.

Sonny saw where Jason was looking and called for Johnny. Once the loyal guard stuck his head in Sonny made his request. "Take that from Jason and throw it outside. Also, get Francis up here. Sorry John."

Johnny walked forward and took the pre-offered tail from Jason. For a man who had killed people and made countless clean up crew trips, he seemed more grossed out about having to carry a dead rat than when he'd had to do the same for a corpse.

"What in hell am I gonna do now, Sonny?" Jason asked in a loud whisper.

-----------------------Carly and Sonny's Bedroom

"Shhh!" Michael shushed Rider quickly. He had his finger over his lips to indicate that Rider should be quiet for a minute. For his part, Rider shut up quickly.

After mouthing the word "what" to Michael, Rider strained to hear whatever it was that Michael did.

Only seconds later he too could hear it. His father was downstairs and talking to Sonny. Rider jumped off the bed and abandoned his part elephant/ part Barney / part Michelle Branch monster and ran to the door. Michael was quick on his heels and grabbed Rider before he could even open the door.

"What are you, crazy!?" Michael whispered loudly to make sure that Rider got the message.

Rider gave him a strange look, "What are you talking about? I wanna go talk to my Dad."

Putting himself between Rider and the door, Michael shook his head. "No, listen to their voices. They're talking in the 'secret stuff' voices."

"What's the 'secret stuff' voices?" the four year old asked in confusion. It wasn't often that their four-year age difference showed, but at that moment Rider was completely clueless.

Being that Rider hadn't grown up with Carly Corinthos as a mother, Michael understood that he may not have been accustomed to the practice of eavesdropping. "It's a voice they use when they don't want us to hear stuff. Now, if you want to hear it, you gotta go stand by the stairs and listen."

Seeing that Rider wasn't entirely convinced Michael added, "It's the only way to find out the good stuff."

After taking a good second to make his choice, Rider grinned and followed his partner in crime to the staircase. The two boys stood exceptionally quietly by the top of the stairs and listened to the conversation below.

"Jason, look, we'll go back to the five families and tell them what went down when you were arrested."

Luckily for the boys, Sonny's voice carried a lot. Michael shot Rider a look as if to say "Did you know your Dad got arrested?"

Rider shook his head to show that he didn't know about it. Already Rider was seeing that they needed to know this stuff. Being the kids, the adults tried to keep all the important information from them. It took a lot of spying to figure out what was going on. He and Michael exchanged a glance to say that they would need to sort all the conversation out later.

"No, they want to believe what they want. Who knows what they'll say if we go back."

Both Rider and Michael strained to hear Jason. Unlike Sonny, Jason was a quiet talker. Rider looked over at Michael and held up five fingers. Understanding that Rider was asking who the Five Families were, Michael mouthed "later" to him.

"Well what do you want me to do, Jason? I can't keep you safe if they keep trying this shit!"

Michael winced at Sonny's yelling. But Rider was now at full attention. His father was all he had left. And if Uncle Sonny was yelling that his Daddy wasn't safe, then that was a big problem. It took the redhead a minute to realize what his father had yelled but once he had his eyes got large and he quickly stole a glance at Rider.

"I don't know Sonny."

His breath quickened at his father's broken tone and Rider fought all urges to run down to him. Apparently Sonny felt the same way because the yelling stopped and his uncle's voice got softer.

"Until we figure this out Jason, I want...I want you to take a guard for yourself."

Michael's eyes widened and he looked over at Rider, whose mouth was opened. Jason Morgan with a bodyguard was un-heard of. It was clear that Jason felt the same way.

"You're joking, right?"

"No, Jason. I'm not. I wanted you to have a guard from the moment you got home. I didn't ask them, but I'm telling you now. Either you take one voluntarily or I'll assign one anyway."

The gentle tone in Sonny's voice was usually reserved for when Michael had nightmares or Carly was upset and Rider hadn't even heard it before. Not directed at his father at least. Or anyone else for that matter.

They heard Jason sigh and before the words could leave his mouth Rider made his choice and ran down the stairs.

"Daddy! Do what Uncle Sonny says!" he cried and both men looked shocked. Jason was sitting on the couch and Sonny was standing opposite him.

Even after Rider managed to get into Jason's lap, his father was still giving him a strange look. It amazed Jason that the little boy could always be there, right when Jason needed his calming presence. "Ri, were you listening?"

"That doesn't matter." Rider stated. Seeing that his father was about to protest, he hurried on. "It doesn't, what matters is that you get a guard too. And maybe it won't be forever, just for now. But you gotta give it a shot."

Sonny smiled at the little boy. It was clear how much the two loved each other and it still amazed him that Rider seemed to be able to handle so much considering he was still so little.

"Rider, I'm not going to take a guard yet. I promise, that if I have to I will. But for now..."

His son cut him off and used the only card he had left. Even though he knew he would at least feel a little guilty about it later, Rider did it anyway. "Daddy. You can't die like Mommy okay? I need you. Please? For me?"

Jason took a long look at his son's pleading face. Rider was right, he had to take the guard. For his son. He looked up with Sonny and they locked eyes.

"I'll get Francis in here." Sonny said as he walked to the door.

I hope you liked the chapter. It was a little heavier, I know. That's why I added the delivery boy and the monster making. To break it up a bit. Also, Michelle Branch is not mine. I made her a part-monster because I don't really like her. And I was tortured today at the store with that shitty song ( no offense to anyone who likes it ) Little Bit of This, Little Bit of That or whatever it's called. So forgive me for that bit.

Next chapter you get what I'm sure you've all been waiting for! Its not half as heavy as this chapter so you'll all be happy. There's some nice Jason / Rider / Liz stuff coming next!

Please Review!