Chapter Twenty-One

Surrounded by darkness, Elizabeth can feel herself being weighed down by something. Her feet feel cemented to the ground beneath her, every inch of her body reacting to a danger she cannot see. A danger whose threat was very much real and very much imminent.

A line shines through the darkness, illuminating the box that she had stored away beneath her bed. Her body starts to float toward it, no longer feeling constrained to the ground. The closer she gets to it, a whisper of a voice starts getting louder, until she can hear it clearly.

"You're in danger." the voice says in a hushed tone. "Watch your back. You're in danger."

Shooting up in bed, Elizabeth gasps for air, as if she had not been breathing for more than a few minutes. Sweat trickles down her forehead, trailing its way down her neck, as she tries to calm herself down. Her heart is pounding so loudly that she can hear it in her ears.

Looking over at Jason, she couldn't help but smile slightly. He looked so peaceful laying there in a deep slumber. What she wouldn't give to be able to go to sleep and finally make it through an entire night without dreaming.

Knowing she wasn't about to fall back to sleep, Elizabeth slides out of bed, pulling on her robe before making her way to the door. As she stands in the doorway, she glances back at Jason once more before walking out of the room and closing the door.

Making her steps light, Elizabeth slips into her room, which has now been labelled the guest room. Kneeling beside her bed, she reaches for the box beneath it. The hushed voice echoes in the recess of her mind, warning her to be careful. That she was very much in danger, but not divulging the origin of the danger itself.

Rising to her feet, Elizabeth slides onto the bed, crossing her legs beneath her before setting the box down in front of her. To open it or not to open it, that is the question, one she wasn't sure she had the answer to.

A soft knock draws her attention to the door, finding Jason standing there, leaning against the doorjamb. She smiles slightly at him, gesturing for him to walk into the room, making room for him on the bed beside her. As he makes the venture to sit beside her, Elizabeth moves the box to sit on her lap.

"Is that the box from Steven's motel room?" Jason inquires, leaning back against the headboard, the fatigue still coursing through him.

"Yeah." Elizabeth confirms, running her fingers over the cover. "I still can't bring myself to open it."

"Give yourself time." Jason puts his hand over hers. "And when you're ready, I'll be right beside you."

"I know." Elizabeth sighs, leaning back against his shoulder. "It just feels like something I have to do. Like its important that I open it."

"Okay, how about you leave it be for now?" Jason suggests, rubbing her arms soothingly. "I'm sure it'll keep till morning and we can figure it out from there."

"I guess." Elizabeth takes a deep breath before handing him the box to set down on the side table. "Should we go back to our room?"

"Looks like I'm not the only one milking this whole "our" thing." Jason teases, helping her out of bed.

"What can I say?" Elizabeth shrugs, following him out of the room. "You're weirdness has grown on me."

"Oh yeah?" Jason smirks, turning to face her. "Lets see how you like this one."

Jason grabs her from her waist, tossing her onto his shoulder and carrying her to their room with her laughing the entire way. Kicking the door closed behind them, it was Jason's turn to hold her up against the door, staring deeply into her beautiful blue eyes.

"I know I keep saying this, but I need you to believe it." Jason says in a soft tone, sliding his hands up to embrace her face. "I'm here for you, no matter what. You can count on me."

"I do." Elizabeth assures, sliding her hands to rest over his. "I admit, sometimes I tend to forget that, but it doesn't take me that long to remember. All I have to do is think about you and there it is."

"I know we can't do it now, but once this is all settled...once we deal with the courts and secure your independence..." Jason takes a deep breath. "...I'm going to take you away from here...show you the world."

"What about your business?" she counters, staring at him intently. "Don't you have to be here for that."

"I'll handle it." Jason says simply. "Sonny will just have to take it back."

"What if he doesn't?"

"Then it'll crumble." Jason says with conviction. "I never wanted to be the head of an organization. I still don't."

"Yet you are." Elizabeth reminds him. "How will you get out of it?"

"I'll find a way." Jason promises. "Nothing will stop me from showing you there's more to this world than Port Charles."

"Sounds perfect." Elizabeth smiles, unable to imagine it, but knowing that it would be something to hope for. "I saw a guidebook on Italy in the living room. It looks like a good place to start."

"Italy it is then." Jason says without hesitation. "I'll take you anywhere you want to go."

"Once my life is mine again, right?"

"Its already yours." Jason brushes a few strands of hair from her face. "But...yeah."

"Okay." Elizabeth leans into him. "For now...I'll settle for what we have right here, right now."

"And what's that?"

"Each other." she says simply. "And that's all we need."

"Its all I'll ever need." Jason watches as she closes her eyes before his, too, closes before their lips meet.

He found that it was easy, talking to her and just being with her, everything with her is simple. Direct. To the point. Everything he never thought he'd be able to say, things he had a hard time even coming up with the words to express, somehow just flow out of him when he's with her.

No thought goes into what he says because it comes from a place deep within. His heart of hearts. Though their lives are both riddled with complications and confusions, he knows that at the center of it all, he has her and she has him. Something they both have come to rely on in such a profound way.

Cradling her in his arms, Jason carries her to their bed, laying her down before sliding in beside her. Wrapping their arms around each other, Jason and Elizabeth resign to falling asleep in each other's arms. For a while, he simply listens to her breath, waiting for her to fall back to sleep before he allows the fatigue to put him under.

A/N: Thanks for the reviews.

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- ROCkER -