A/N – Thanks for the comments. Next week is the funeral.

Chapter 25

About a half hour later, Audrey slipped into the room.

"How is he?"

A tear ran down Monica's face. "Heartbroken and tired… I never want to see him look so devastated again."

Audrey pulled up a chair and held her hand. "You know, the way Lila used to talk about him, I felt like I already knew him. Is there anything I can do?"

"Being here is helpful. He needs all the love and prayers he can get."

"I agree."

"Lila should be here any minute."

"I'll stay until she arrives. Will you pray with me?"

Monica nodded and Audrey began.

IiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiI

Ten minutes later, Audrey moved into the chapel where Elizabeth is sitting with her eyes closed and sat next to her.

"I know you were miserable when you came to town, but slowly your light came back and it's good to see. I was so worried about you."

"Why?"

"Because I love you and I want all my grandchildren to be happy. The two of you have been hurting for a long time. Sarah turned something that happened to her and the fact your parents are serial cheaters into some hideous plot to never give me grandchildren."

Liz smirked.

"And you are so compassionate and giving. I just want someone to spoil you rotten."

"Thank you for loving me, Grams."

"Always…"

"You have to fight for him. I know things seem daunting, but he needs you. I can tell from what Monica said that he is so lost."

Liz started to cry. "I don't know what to do. If I go in there now, it could make things worse for him."

"And the more time you spend fretting, the further apart you'll be. Don't let him hold onto to his misconceptions one second longer than he needs to. He can't run from you, so make him listen."

She hugged her grandmother tightly, needing to feel her love and warmth. "I love him so much."

"He loves you too, Elizabeth, and that is why he will believe you. Make him believe."

IiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiI

Lila was in the middle of a prayer when she felt Jason squeeze her hand. Her eyes popped open and blue met blue as a smile crept onto her face. "I've missed you."

"Me too..."

"Do you need anything?"

"No." Not only is he in mourning Sonny, but the memories regarding Elizabeth had come back too and that sent him into another tailspin.

"Have you seen Elizabeth?"

He grimaces and averts his gaze. "No."

"Jason, I know everything that happened."

His eyes snap back to her. "Then why did you even bring her up?"

"Because somewhere in that stubborn head of yours, you have to know that she loves you with every ounce of her being."

"I saw them."

"You saw what Patrick wanted you to see. Give her a chance to tell you everything that happened."

"I'm not sure that I'm up for it right now." The thought of being without her is making his stomach turn.

"If you let this strife linger, it's going to ruin everything. Just listen to what she has to say and remember that not everything is as it seems."

Patrick entered the room and Jason's blood pressure shot up a little. "Easy…you need to try to steady your breathing. I know you don't like me, but if there is something wrong involving neurology, I'm your best chance."

Lila glared at him. "Do your examination and then get out. I don't care who I have to fly in, this will be the last time you lay hands on my grandson."

"Can you get Johnny for me?" Jason asked.

"I'll find him."

Patrick is startled by her hostility and waits until she leaves before starting the exam. He's also partly jealous, because no fights for him like that. Jason is luckier than he realizes to have so many people who care about him.

Jason is tense but answers his questions.

"Do you have a headache?"

"Yes."

"That's combination of the smoke inhalation and the head injury. They should die down in a few days."

"How long do I have to stay in here?"

"At least for another day so that you can be monitored. In your field, it can get worse in forty-eight to seventy-two hours after you've been exposed. Make it through tomorrow and I'll sign off on it as long as you have someone to watch over you."

Audrey entered the room. "He has me."

Jason's gaze snapped to where she stood.

"I still have off and I can do it. Lila has two charity functions and I don't think you will go to the Quartermaines to stay, so that leaves me. I can teach you a few breakfast recipes and he can rest and watch soap operas with me."

Patrick almost laughed at the look on Jason's face.

"What do you say?"

He really didn't want to go to his parent's house because they will fawn all over too much. "Deal."

"Well then, I'll leave you to it." She wishes she could knock Patrick over the head with her purse as she gives him a stern glare.

Patrick is not a happy man even though he knows he brought it on himself. Unfortunately, his jealously reared its ugly head. "If you have any questions, let the nurse know. I have a consult and then need to find Elizabeth. I'm sure that she's tired today."

Jason flinched and then Patrick smirked and left. "Asshole…"

IiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiI

Johnny slowly moved into the room as Jason stared him down.

"I need to know everything."

Johnny started to pace. "The ceiling came down and I had to be held back. When the PASS signal indicated you were in the front of the building, we made a run for it and when we found you, Sonny was on top of you and the civilian who died. Sonny hung on for an hour, but the damage was too extreme. He never regained consciousness."

Jason swallowed hard.

"Jason, it was Anthony Zacchara that had been setting all the fires."

"Why?"

"He thought he was protecting Claudia from me," Johnny's bottom lip trembled before he sucked in a deep breath to maintain his composure. "The sick bastard thought I kept hurting her and I had to pay. She found out, but it was too late. The roof had already collapsed."

"Jesus. Was he caught?"

"Not before taking Elizabeth hostage."

His eyes widened. "Did he hurt her?"

"She was scared shitless because he tripped, and she was laying on the ground in front of him when the cops used him for shooting practice, but she just has a small cut on her head and knee. She'll be fine physically." Seeing him getting antsy, he changed the subject. "The funeral is in four days." There is a lot to coordinate due to traffic and the amount of people that will attend.

"I'll be there."

"I have no doubt. Have you spoken to Elizabeth?"

Jason studied his face. "You know, don't you?"

"I do, but you need to hear her out. It's not what you think."

His head is pounding, so he finally gives in and presses the morphine button and relief came quickly.

"Don't be an idiot. Fight for her."

Jason felt tears well in his eyes and he fought them back. "I know what I saw! This isn't my fault."

"No, you don't! You saw what he wanted you to see."

"You are the second person that has said that."

"Listen to her Jason, or you'll lose her forever. Is that what you want?"

"No." His voice is so soft and full of vulnerability that Johnny is quiet for a second. "You're blaming yourself because of Anthony."

Johnny growled. "And you're blaming yourself because of Sonny."

"Touche…"

The girls move towards them. Jason eyes Elizabeth who looks like she's coming apart at the seams.

"Well, I have a shift," Sarah said. She is very worried about her sister and hopes they hash it out without bloodshed.

"I'm going to go to the firehouse. The guys are meeting me there."

"Tell them I said thank you," Jason said.

"I will. Behave."

They left, and Jason coughed and then cleared his throat. Liz quickly held up a water picture and he took a few sips out of a straw.

"Everyone seems to know all of our business. They say I should listen to you, so talk."

She can see the finality in his as tears prick hers. "First, I'm so sorry that I didn't realize what he was doing. I thought I could handle it and I never thought he would go to these extremes." She fights the urge to touch him and instead, plops into a chair and then grips the sides. "I was working and there was a bad accident. Kelly ended up losing a patient who was pregnant and asked if I'd go to Jake's with her to have one drink. I agreed because I knew she really needed it and figured I'd just go to the dinner from there." When he said nothing, she continued.

"I ordered a Cosmo and there was a disruption around the time it was delivered because people were fighting. Anyway, I started to sip it and got almost half way done when Kelly's pager went off and she had to leave. I guess another bartender was there and Coleman had come back and when he saw me, he sat across from me and we talked. I only know this because of what I was told later."

"What do you mean?"

"Jason, I was drugged."

"What?"

"I know it sounds crazy, but it turns out that Anthony Zacchara was following Claudia and thought she was on to him regarding the shoddy construction and she was there that night, sitting in the corner. We ordered the same drink, but they were mixed up."

Jason glanced at the water pitcher and she grabbed at it and he drank a little bit more. "Go on." Thank God for the morphine. He certainly needed it for this story or he would be beyond pissed.

"I went to the bathroom and barely could make it back to my seat. Coleman had to help me, and he was shocked by my condition and ask the waitress how much I had drunk and she said just the one, which I hadn't finished. Claudia approached us, and they ended up calling Patrick because I had mentioned him when I was talking to Coleman—you know, about my plans for the evening." She had a long talk with Coleman earlier who had showed up to see if Jason was okay after he had heard about Sonny. "Anyway, Patrick told them to bring me to the house, so Claudia drove me. From there, I only have your version of what you saw. I passed out before even getting to his house. We think Patrick set it up so that you'd see us together. I was so mortified when I woke up, but I was fully clothed, and he said nothing happened. It was close to the time of my shift, so he dropped me off and once I got into the parking lot, I texted you and I was so upset. I was in a daze when I walked inside, and Kelly, Epiphany, and Emily took me into the locker room."

He figures that is how his family found out and is so disturbed about Anthony and Patrick, he can barely see straight.

"I suddenly wondered if I had sex with him when I was unconscious and asked Kelly to do an exam and a blood test."

Jason is barely holding on, tears already escaping. "What happened?" Just the thought that someone had taken advantage of her like that is devastating.

She wipes at her face. "Kelly said that I didn't have sex with him and the blood test confirmed that I was given a sedative. When Anthony finally caught up with Claudia, she was given one too."

Jason lost it and Liz quickly moved towards him and hugged him the best she could.

"Please forgive me. I love you so much. I'm so sorry you had to see all of it. I can't even imagine what was going through your head. I can't lose you, Jason. Please say that you'll forgive me."

He cried harder, as her whimpers grew into sobs, it was partly the fact that the woman he loves had been through so much and partly his grief over Sonny that is making him so emotional. All of it gushed out as he held onto her for dear life.

Epiphany started to run into the room because of the machines and when she heard a tortured sob, she backed out, knowing that Jason needed to let his feelings out. She closed the door and then turned to Johnny, Audrey, Lila, and Monica. "They are talking and upset, but hugging. Let them be for a while. I think everything is going to be okay."

Everyone let out a sigh of relief and Audrey and Lila sat.

Inside, Jason finally started to calm a little. His arms dropped because he's too tired to hold them up, so she gently let him retreat.

"I was devastated seeing you with him. He made it look like you were into it and at first, I was crushed, but then I walked around to the front and was angry. I was going to kick down the door, but we got a call and I had to go."

"I'm so sorry."

He moved his hand palm up and she put her hand in it. "It's not your fault. I'm sorry too. I gave up to fast." God, he wishes he had banged on that door and demanded to talk to her.

"Jason, you thought you saw me making love to another man. I get it and it looked very bad. Thank you for being willing to listen. Are we going to be alright?"

"Yes. I need you. I don't think I can get through this without you."

"I need you too." Relief and exhaustion settled in and her shoulders sagged.

"Are you still working?"

"Yes."

He pushed the call button.

"And what does my man need?" Epiphany said, making Jason slightly smile.

"Can you clock Elizabeth out?"

"Already done…"

"You're going to get another kiss for that."

Piph smiled. "You just keep them coming."

"Deal..." There are probably only four women in his life he'd let blackmail him, and she is one of them.

He patted the bed next to him, prompting her to slip out of her shoes and slide next to him.

"Much better... You know what this means, right?"

Noting the playfulness in his eyes, she smiled. "Why don't you tell me?"

"We get to have make up sex."

She laughed as she carefully molded herself against his body.

He smiled. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For being here and not giving up on us, I know all of this is hard to deal with and you didn't sign up for any of it, but I'm so grateful to have you by my side."

"I'm not going anywhere. I was so scared that you wouldn't make it, but there's just something about you that makes me not want to run. You have my heart."

"I feel the same way."

Her head rose up. "Why?"

He frowned. "Is that a trick question?"

"No—I just—in some ways, I just feel inadequate." She is attributing the situation with Patrick as her being weak and regardless of what he said about cheating, it's still a sore point.

The need to punch Patrick in the face was paramount. "Elizabeth, to me, you're perfect. I couldn't ask for more in a girlfriend and I hope you realize that someday, I want much more."

She blushed and then smiled. The fact that he wanted a future with her sooths her soul. "Are you always going to know just what to say to me?"

"I'm gonna try."

He coughed a bit and then they were silent for a long time, both thinking about how content they felt. Even though his head and chest still hurt, it dawns on him that his heart is much lighter.