AN: Sorry, I wanted to have this out to you Monday, but I have been sick the last few days unfortunately.
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Outside her home Elizabeth stared as she thought about a lot of things. All the doctors were so sure she was ready for this step; that she was ready to be a mother, friend, and nurse again. It still felt overwhelming to say the least as Elizabeth was unsure of stepping back into her life again. She had everything to gain and everything to lose if she failed again. The last thing she wanted was to fail the ones she loved.
"Elizabeth," came Lucky's voice making her look up to see him coming her way.
"The doctors kicked me out, and told me to go home. Sort of," Elizabeth joked halfheartedly as she handed him the note; tightly griped in her hand.
"This is great! I got a houseful of boys: Cam, Aiden, Jake, and Danny tonight. They are having a sleepover," Lucky explained as he took her suitcases and led her into the house as he spoke.
"Wow, sounds like a houseful," Elizabeth smiled as she closed the door behind them.
"They all just went down for the night. Jake is really good with his little brothers. He was telling them it was bedtime before I had even thought about it," Lucky said proudly as they went sitting down on the couch.
"What is it?" Elizabeth asked knowing there was something more.
"Jake and Danny both are picking up on Lexi's grief, but Danny is being more effected by it. Right now, Danny isn't letting Jake out of his sight. He doesn't fully understand, or can put his finger on it really at this age," Lucky treaded lightly as he spoke.
"This must be really hard for Sam... I want to run upstairs and wrap my arms around Jake and Danny both right now. They shouldn't know that suffering yet," Elizabeth sighed as her heart ached for both her son and his brother.
"Are you hungry?" Lucky asked changing the subject.
"I actually stopped by Kelly's for a burger because I was really nervous about coming home. So I'm good," Elizabeth answered honestly.
"Well maybe for breakfast... I fixed your favorite for the boys," Lucky smirked as he tried to get a smile out of her.
"Chili," Elizabeth asked with a twinkle in her eye.
"Yep," Lucky answered her softly.
"Maybe I have a little room somewhere," Elizabeth smiled as she loved Lucky's chili.
With light chuckle Lucky got up heading for the kitchen; as Elizabeth sat back against the couch soaking it all in. Hearing little footsteps Elizabeth looked up to see Jake on the stairs rubbing his eyes.
"Mommy," Jake questioned like he wasn't sure if he was dreaming.
"What are you doing up," Elizabeth questioned as Jake came over to her.
"I got up to go to the bathroom and I heard you and Lucky talking down here," Jake answered her honestly.
"My doctors say that I get to be home now, so I just got home a little bit ago for good," Elizabeth had Jake sit down next to her.
"I hate the phone... I hated not seeing you," Jake snuggled up next to his mom.
"Me too, I just had to get better to be the best mom for you, Cam and Aiden," Elizabeth wrapped her arms around her little boy.
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The next morning while Elizabeth fixed breakfast; Lucky took all the boys outside to play. She knew that Jason and Sam were going to be picking up Jake and Danny at some point this morning. Lucky had given them a heads up that she was home from the hospital per doctor release. A part of her was nervous about coming face to face with them now that she was out, and she blamed her nerves for fixing way too much food.
"Wow, are we expecting an army," Lucky questioned with a chuckle.
"I'm not sure what Jake or Danny like... So I fixed pancakes, waffles, sausage, eggs, biscuits, gravy, bacon, fruit salad, french toast, tater tots, and cinnamon rolls. Plus I might be nervous about Jason and Sam just a little. I want them to be comfortable with Jake and Danny being here together with me," Elizabeth rambled a bit.
"Not everything will be perfect, but you guys will work it out," Lucky promised her just as the doorbell rang out.
"Could you," Elizabeth asked as she started moving the last of the things she cooked onto the kitchen table.
"Sure," Lucky smiled at her.
"Go," Elizabeth shooed him.
Going into the living room Lucky went to the door opening it to find Jason and Sam on the other side.
"Come in, we need help making a dent in the food Elizabeth made for breakfast. All hands on deck, please," Lucky said as he let them inside.
"I'm not sure how long we can stay. Danny has to get back to school, and Jake starts his first day of school today," Jason shrugged a little.
"They are all ready for school. Jake got up early to get ready, and then helped both Danny and Aiden get ready as well. I heard him giving Danny a pep talk this morning about school is important and that Danny would see him once school was over with like before," Lucky explained as they headed to the kitchen.
"Lucky, can you call the boys in? Can I talk to you and Sam in the living room?" Elizabeth asked knowing she needed to tell them both what had happened.
"Sure," Jason agreed after getting a nod from Sam.
Quickly they head into the living room; as Elizabeth wrung her hands together.
"I don't want to keep any secrets from you both, so I wanted to let you know Robin came to see me yesterday. She ran off after I asked her about Lexi, and I'm not sure where she went when she left. At first I thought she might of came needing a friend after seeing you," Elizabeth told Jason and Sam both.
"Thank you, for letting us know," Jason replied softly.
"Also I was wrong about Jake, and trying to pass him off as Lucky's. Looking back I wish I hadn't tricked you into that," Elizabeth apologized to Jason.
"I could of fought back on that, so you're not all to blame in what happened. We can't change the past, but we can do better going forward," Jason told her as he was honest.
"Daddy!" Danny came running into the room and Jason scooped him up.
"Having fun?" Jason asked his son.
"Lots! I had a bed dream last night though, but Jake's mommy let me stay with her," Danny replied as he looked back at Elizabeth.
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Once breakfast was over Jason and Sam split up taking both Jake and Danny to school for the day. Jason offered to let Elizabeth ride with him and Jake to school, so they both could be there to see their son off for his first day of school. Jake pleaded with his mom to ride with them; although Elizabeth had already decided to take Jason up on the offer anyway. The ride was mostly quiet as both Jason and Jake weren't big talkers to begin with.
"We're here," Jason said as he got out followed by Elizabeth and Jake.
"You look so big! When did that happen? I know you are going to do so good today!,"Elizabeth gushed over her son.
"Want us to walk you to your class room?" Jason asked knowing Jake had to be nervous.
"It'll be fine," Jake shrugged a little.
"I packed your lunch, and I might of went a little overboard," Elizabeth admitted as she inwardly cringed because she let her nerves get to her.
"Thank you," Jake replied as he hugged his mom because he knew she was trying her best.
"Okay, I need a picture of my boy before you go. Jason, will you help me," Elizabeth asked as she held out her phone.
"Okay," Jason took the phone and snapped a few pictures of Jake and Elizabeth together.
"Alright, just a few more and I'll let you go," Elizabeth took her phone back and snapped a few more of just Jake.
"Send me a copy... Sam is really big into photos," Jason asked as he wanted a copy, but he knew photos meant a lot to Sam.
"No problem," Elizabeth agreed as she looked to Jason.
"I got to go," Jake interjected as he heard the first bell.
"Okay," Elizabeth sighed as she kissed his cheek.
"Not here, mom," Jake wiped at his cheek before running off inside the big building.
Both Jason and Elizabeth just stood there watching where their son disappeared into the school.
"Part of me wanted to keep him today... I know that would have been selfish of me because Jake is so excited to be starting school finally," Elizabeth admitted to Jason softly.
"I worry about him too. Sonny has him being watched at school; he just wanted us to feel safe right now sending him. No one will see anything unless something were to happen," Jason tried to reassure Elizabeth that Jake was safe.
"I still don't like that world, but I rather have that right now at least for a while," Elizabeth relented knowing it made her feel better knowing Jake was looked after.
Honestly she knew that Jake would most likely be looked after for a long time to come. Although Sonny never spoke to her; Elizabeth knew Jake's supposed "death" had affected Sonny as well as others.
"Am I taking you back to your house?" Jason asked her.
"I think I'm going to call a cab; there are a few things I need to take care of," Elizabeth pulled out her phone.
"You sure? Can't I drop you somewhere," Jason asked not wanting to just leave her like that.
"Promise, I'll be fine. After everything, thank you for being kind to me," Elizabeth shook her head a little.
"I might not like what you did, but you're still Jake's mother. Forgiving you is going to take time," Jason shrugged as he was trying his best.
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After leaving Elizabeth at the school; Jason went over to the penthouse where work had already began for the remodel. He knew that it was Sonny who had called in the work crew because Jason hadn't started to make the calls since talking to Sonny the day before. He talked with the foreman about what he was looking to do, and within hours they head a plan together for the end game for the floor plan. Then Jason headed over to the suite that Carly had set them up in; finding Sam there with lunch from Jake's on the dinning room table.
"Where's," Jason started to ask her.
"Lexi has two classes, and has to find a study group at PCU. I got Spinelli to do me a solid," Sam smirked as they both sat down at the table to burgers, fries, and two salted caramel milkshakes.
"Nelle?" Jason questioned eyeing her.
"There's not much," Sam sighed as she had hoped for more.
"Well," Jason asked curious.
"Penelope Magnolia Hayes didn't exist until she was five years old. There is no birth record where her birth certificate say she was born. Also the woman who is listed as her mother had a hysterectomy two years before her birth. Nothing about her birth makes any sense. All her teachers growing up had nothing, but wonderful things to say about her. Her "mother" died when she was young and her "father" seems to have disappeared into the wind years ago," Sam pulled out the folder of what Spinelli had sent her.
"At least I have somewhere to start sort of, but it looks like her parents are hiding something," Jason replied as he started looking through the files for clues.
"Well I was thinking we could wait for this weekend; when Monica has the boys and Lexi," Sam asked suggestively.
"We?" Jason questioned her.
"Just you and me out for the truth," Sam nodded slightly.
"That sounds like fun," Jason smiled as he leaned over kissing his wife.
Feeling his phone vibrate Jason pulled out his phone noticing it was Danny's school.
"Hello, this is Jason Morgan," Jason answered his phone.
"This is Miss Sloan. Your son Danny got sick in class; he seems to have caught a bug that's been going around," Miss Sloan explained to Jason.
"His mother and I will be right over to get him. Thank you," Jason said before hanging up.
"What's going on?" Sam asked worried something was wrong.
"Danny got sick in class, so we got to go get him," Jason said as he got up followed by Sam.
"If Danny has it then Jake probably will come down with it soon. Those two are thick as thieves," Sam sighed knowing both most likely had whatever it was.
"Should we get Jake from school?" Jason asked as they left the suite.
"This is his first day... We'll just keep an eye on him for symptoms," Sam shook her head a little.
"I'll stick with Danny tomorrow. Kind of wanted to hang out with him; I just didn't think he'd be sick when we did," Jason sighed as they got onto the elevator.
"Who knows he might be fine by tomorrow afternoon if it's not that bad," Sam said hoping her baby wasn't sick too long.