Chapter Twenty-Five

"Hey, Morgan! Wait up!"

Jason turned and stopped as Claudia waddled up to him. He had to smile at the sight that she made. While he may not know the woman that well, what little bit he had been around her yesterday, she seemed nice and he could see that she loved Elizabeth like a sister. He had also noticed that she was amazingly good with Sophie. "Did you need something, Claudia?"

She paused in front of him, out of breath and panted for a couple of seconds. "Actually, I wanted to ask if Liz was being released today. I haven't had a chance to see her today. When I looked in last night, you were both asleep."

"As long as all her blood work comes back okay," he answered. "How is John? Has he woken up yet?"

Her brown eyes dimmed a bit, but she plastered a smile on. "Not yet. But Dr. Drake said it may be later on today." She licked her lips. "I do want to thank you for calling in the specialists. John was being completely unreasonable."

Chuckling, he pushed his hands in the front pockets of his jeans. "I can understand. I have had two brain surgeries. The first one I didn't even realize because of the accident. The second one though, it took me awhile to consent to." He looked around and spotted Jerome at the end of the hallway but did not see Lorenzo or Georgie. "Please tell me that Georgie is still with you guys?" he asked worriedly.

"She is sitting with John right now. Lorenzo left one of our guards on her."

"Thank you. Mac would kill me if anything happened to her."

Her eyebrows lifted. "Who is Mac?"

"Her stepfather. He is the police commissioner back in Port Charles."

Disbelief and amusement crossed her features and she smirked. "That is rich. And she traveled with your family here? I am surprised that he did not freak."

"No one really associates my grandmother with my business. And Georgie was involved with my cousin until he cheated on her. I am sure that Mac was just happy to get her away from Dillion."

"I need to get back before Lorenzo sends out a search party," she said as Jerome started toward her. "Tell Liz that I will stop in a bit before she is discharged."

Watching her turn and make her way to the guard, he shook his head. She rattled just like Elizabeth did. Heading back toward Elizabeth's room, he checked his phone and listened to the voice message from Sonny. Hearing that they had landed about thirty minutes ago, he knew that he had to tell Elizabeth that Sonny and Dante were in Italy.

"I thought that you had got lost," she teased as he entered and sat beside her bed.

"Nope. Claudia caught me in the hall and wanted an update on you."

"Did she say how John is?" she asked anxiously.

"He hasn't woke up yet, but Patrick told her that he should sometime today." Seeing that she was concerned, he rubbed his thumb over the top of her hand. "He will be fine, Elizabeth. He is strong, young, and healthy otherwise."

"I know, but I still worry." She closed her eyes briefly before smiling at him. "How is Sophie? I miss my baby girl."

"Grandmother and Emily had her at the pond with Francis and a couple of other guards. She was having a blast feeding those ducks that she is in love with."

"Good. I am happy that she is not scared after yesterday."

"Me too. I was so scared that I wouldn't find you in time," he admitted softly.

Turning and meeting his gaze, she nibbled on her bottom lip. "I knew that you and John would find me. I had faith that you would stop Manny."

Tucking a loose curl behind her ear, he cupped her face. "I would have never stopped looking for you. I love you, Elizabeth."

"I love you too, Jason. After yesterday, I realize what a bitch I was in Port Charles and when you first arrived in Italy. I owe you an apology. I should have never been so mean."

"No," he told her adamantly. "I know that I hurt you. You were angry and had every right to be. Speaking of being angry, I need to tell you that Sonny and Dante should be here in a little bit. When hell broke lose yesterday, I called him for more men to be sent."

Releasing a sigh, she glanced at her hands. "I thought that you might have. And I understand why you did. I just don't know if I can deal with all his issues with John right now, especially with John's condition still uncertain. I admit that I need to talk to him again, but I don't know if now is the right time, Jason."

"It's your decision, but you should know that he was really concerned. But you don't have to do anything that you are not ready for, Elizabeth."

Not wanting to discuss Sonny anymore, she switched topics. "Have you seen Georgie this morning?"

"Not yet. Claudia said that she is with Zacchara right now. Johnny told me that she stayed with Claudia in the waiting room last night." He rubbed his temples. "You do know that Mac will kill me if she startes up with Zacchara, right?"

Laughing, she wiggled so that she was sitting up more in the bed. "Georgie is a big girl, Jason. Trust me, nothing anyone says can stop the feelings if they are developing. Everyone tried that with us in the beginning. Besides, John is a wonderful catch and deserves happiness. If that is in the cards for them, Mac will have to deal with it."

A quick knock on the door sounded before it was pushed open by Johnny. He gave Elizabeth a wicked smile and a wink. "Hey, Lizbits! How are you feeling?"

"I am ready to go home. I miss Sophie. And pour Lila must be ready to hop on the first plane back home."

"Hardly," he refuted as he moved to the end of the bed. "She was actually having a blast when I just called to check on everyone."

Jason's eyes narrowed as he saw Elizabeth wince. "Are you okay?"

Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she blinked. "Um, yeah. I just got dizzy for a minute. I think some of that sedative that Dean injected me with is still making woozy, but I am fine, Jason. I feel great otherwise."

"I am going to get some coffee and breakfast. Do you guys want anything?"

"I would love a hot chocolate," she immediately answered.

Both men grinned. "Of course you do. Jason?"

"Just a coffee. Thanks, O'Brien."

Waiting until they were alone again, Elizabeth looked over at him. "Can you take me to see John real quick? I just need to see with my own eyes that he is okay, Jason. Please," she added as she saw the denial in on his face.

Sighing, he stood, unable to tell her no. "Okay. I will get you a wheelchair. But if you get dizzy again, you are coming straight back to your room," he warned before brushing a kiss against her forehead before he went off to grab a chair for her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~b~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lorenzo entered the dark room and smiled at seeing his wife asleep in the chair. He had been concerned that she was pushing herself too hard with everything that was happening. Turning and looking at the chair in the corner, he saw that Georgie was also asleep, curled up into a small ball in the chair. Shaking his head, he silently retreated from the room when his phone vibrated in his pocket.

"Alcazar," he answered.

"It's Grambler," his researcher announced as he typed on his computer. "We have a problem."

Cursing under his breath, he only waited for an explanation.

"I have been keeping tabs on Lansing after we learned about Elizabeth's adoption. For several years there has been no movement in our area, but last night he booked a flight for three to Italy. No other names listed."

"Shit! When is the flight due to arrive?"

"Tomorrow morning at nine. With the attacks and all that we know, I wanted to give you heads up."

Aggravated, Lorenzo thanked him before hanging up. Debating on just killing the bastard when he got off the plane, he knew that they needed to know what he was up to now. The extra two seats were also a concern to him. Turning to go in search of Morgan, he saw the very man pushing Elizabeth down the hall, heading his way. Putting on a welcoming smile for Elizabeth, he bent down and hugged her as they stopped in front of him.

"Liz, you should be in bed until they discharge you," he admonished.

She only shrugged, used to his over protectiveness. "I needed to see John for myself. Any changes yet?"

"No, he is still out, but he is resting peacefully. Claudia and Georgie are asleep, but you can go in. Morgan, can I speak with you while she is looking in on them."

Jason's eyes took in the other man's serious expression and gave a quick nod. "Give me a minute. I will be right back."

Elizabeth clasped his hand as he parked the chair beside John's bed and squeezed it tightly. "Go ahead and see what Lorenzo needs. I will be fine."

Kissing her lips gently, he pulled back and jerked his head to the door. "I will be right outside, baby. Just a few minutes and then you are going back to your room."

Waiting until he had slipped from the room, she looked John over and sighed. His color was good and he looked peaceful, but she wished that he would wake up soon. Taking his hand in hers, she took comfort from the warmth of his skin. "Come on, John. You have to wake up soon. I need to know that you alright. Sophie needs you back to spoil her rotten. I won't lose my best friend because he was too stubborn to get help sooner." She paused and grinned. "Besides, I think that you have finally found what you have been looking for all this time. Kinda fell right into your path."

Snorting, Claudia sat up, startling her. Flashing a quick look at the sleeping woman, she smirked. "That is something that we both can agree on. How are you, Lizzie?"

Smothering a yawn, she leaned back and rested. "Still so tired. I can't believe that Dean was working with him."

Eyes darkening with rage, Claudia grimaced. "He got off too easy. He should be very happy that Manny put him out of his misery." Pausing, she stood and stretched the kinks out of her aching back. "He will be fine, Liz. You know how stubborn he is."

"That I do." Releasing his hand and placing it back on the bed beside of him, she looked over at Georgie. "Make sure that she is eating, Claudia. I am going to try and get her to go back with me today. She needs some actual rest."

"Good luck with that. She totally blew a gasket at O'Brien last night when he tried to get her to leave." Claudia smiled, remembering the small woman laying into the stunned Irish man. "It was pretty entertaining."

Amused, Elizabeth shook her head. "I am sure that Johnny was speechless for once in his life." Looking back at John, she prayed that he would pull through with no lasting effects from the procedure. "He has to be fine, Claudia."

Moving forward, the woman gave her friend a quick hug. "He will be, Liz. Everything that the doctors are saying is positive. It will all be fine. He will be home spoiling Soph and torturing you in no time."

Out in the hall, Jason frowned and tensed. "Trevor is on his way to Italy? Dammit! It has to relate or have something to do with Elizabeth."

"I am having men trail him as soon as he lands. I want to know what he is up to before we make a grab."

Wishing that they could just kill him and be done with it, Jason knew that Lorenzo was thinking more clearly and was right. "Good. I should also let you know that Sonny is in Italy."

"I know," he said simply. "Our men told me when he and Dante landed. The only thing that I ask, for me and John, is to make sure that he does not hurt Liz again. Or Sophie. I think that they have been through enough. And he cannot see John while he is in the hospital."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~b~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Trevor gave Courtney a sly grin as he looked over at her. "Are you prepared for this?"

"I am," she answered sweetly, loving that they were doing this. "But this could backfire, Trevor. What if he doesn't care? After all, he has that little bitch again. He was always blind when it came to her. I had to drug him to even keep him from chasing her the first time."

He cast a glance at the sleeping child that was starting to stir beside her and only scoffed. "Morgan has a huge weakness for family, Courtney. And you having his child will create enough of a rift between him and Elizabeth so that I can get her away from him. One way or another, I will bring Sonny down. Distracting his enforcer and grabbing his daughter and granddaughter is my best chance since those two idiots couldn't do anything right."

"Fine, but I am warning you that my son had better not be hurt in this, Trevor."

Grabbing her hand and squeezing it until tears filled her eyes, he chuckled. "We are playing by my rules, Courtney. You need to remember that. Morgan will not harm your precious brat. He loves children, you stupid moron. I want you to do your magic and make sure that Elizabeth never trusts him again. Otherwise, you are of no use to me anymore. Do you understand?"

"Yes," she whispered, moaning slightly at the pain that was radiating from her hand. When he released her and pulled her close for a kiss, she returned with enthusiasm. "I love you, baby."

"As I do you. Now make sure that you do this right. The only reason that I let you keep your brat is because I felt that he might come handy someday. Don't make me regret it."

"I won't, Trev." Courtney turned and handed her almost three year old son, Shane, a cookie to calm his whining down as he woke fully. She couldn't wait to see the look on the bitch's face and Jason's when they saw that she had his son. And wouldn't it just be so much better that Trevor had been the only father that he had known. Giggling, she looked over at Trevor and gave him a sexy smile. "We should have bought his nanny. We could have some fun before the main game starts."

His dark eyes swept across her body. "I am sure that someone from the hotel that I booked will watch the little brat for a couple hours, my dear sweet wife."