A/N: I need to clarify this. Surfingrams is NOT, I repeat NOT a grandmother. I really don't know her but had asked her permission to use her moniker in the chat scene of the story. She was gracious enough to say yes so I feel I did her an injustice by strapping grandchildren to her back. For that I apologize.
Also, only one person made note of the fact that I used the names Jack Burton (Steve Burton, actor who plays Jason on GH's real name) and then named his wife Shiree which is Steve Burton's real life wife's name. Hopefully there aren't any lawyers looking to sue me on their behalf over that. LOL. Actually I rather expected some backlash that I killed off the handsome man. Anyhoo…just thought I'd mention it.
I hope you all enjoy this chapter. I rather liked it a lot. And thanks to all of your wonderful comments. Again, Surf…I am so sorry.
Counting to Ten
Chapter 26
A Month Later…….
"Sonny, you are way overdressed for this." Jason said shaking his head and laughing.
"It's my son's first T-ball game. I wanted to look nice." Sonny replied stroking his hand down his three hundred dollar maroon silk tie and straightening his black Italian suit sleeves.
"I already told him Jason. He wouldn't listen." Max rolled his eyes as he plopped down on the bench in tan cargo shorts and a navy blue t-shirt with some sort of pattern print on it that Jason could not make out.
"I would think YOU of all people would be the last person to tell me how to dress for a four year olds baseball game. Hell, you are wearing those damn tired old motorcycle boots." Sonny retorted giving his enforcer the once over and sighing. "Do you even own any other shoes?"
"Yes, I do. They are those horrible Italian loafers you insisted I had to have with the suit
I own. Honestly, I don't see the need for a bunch of clothes. Four pair of jeans, six t-shirts, one suit and two pair of shoes. Simple. Just the way I like it." Turning his attention away from his partner and their guard, he gave a quick scan of the ballpark. "Max, did you have guards stationed around the perimeter of the park like I asked?"
"Yes Jason. Every time we are here whether it's for practice or games, we have the extra guards, the scanners and the dogs. See that old man over there with the beagle? He's a trained bomb and explosive sniffer. The dog that is. Then over there…" Max pointed and Sonny and Jason both followed his arm and index finger. "That woman with the stroller that looks pregnant. Well, she's not. At least as far as I know, and the stroller doesn't have a baby in it, it has a scanner that will detect firearms. We'll know of anyone carrying weapons. And of course you and I are in the dug out with the boys and Becky so everything is safe man."
"Good. Hey how is that going by the way? You and Jack Burton's wife, Shiree." Jason asked looking over at Max who at the mention of her name bloomed a huge smile and reddening cheeks.
"She's not his wife anymore Jason. The man's dead. Would you PLEASE stop calling her his wife? It makes me sound like I'm breaking up their marriage or something."
"Sorry man. Just habit I guess. You know, she's really working out well at the warehouse. Bernie says she's the best assistant he ever had." Jason replied changing the subject.
"I still say we should buy her a house. She needs a bigger place. She's got three damn kids. She won't take a paycheck if she receives Jack's pay for the next three years so let's buy her a house then stop the payment on Jack and start her getting her own paycheck. What do you say Jason?" Sonny asked. Ever since he found out about his favorite worker in his legitimate business being called to active duty, he had a bad feeling. He even tried to talk Jack into letting him pull some illegal strings to get him off the list but the man was proud, stubborn and didn't want anything to do with the illegal side of Corinthos-Morgan. When he heard the man had been killed, it was all Jason could do to keep him from dumping half their fortune on the widow and her kids.
"Well, we could always give her Elizabeth's house boss. Jason's never going to let her move in there anyway." Max spoke up. He had been dating the woman for three weeks and agreed that Shiree and her kids needed a larger place.
"That's not it. It just isn't ready. I don't want Elizabeth and Cameron living in a house with wallboards that could potentially mold and a roof that leaks." Jason defended himself and his actions.
Sonny smiled and pulled his hand to curl under his chin. "Jason, you know good and well that roof didn't leak until you had Milo climb up there and put a hole in it. He told me so don't look at me like that. You are stalling man. Just tell the woman you want her to live with you and be done with it. Man up and tell her she's staying right where she is."
"Look, I don't want to do that. We're good. I don't want to give her any reason to get mad at me. I" he trailed off when he looked up to see both pair of eyes intently watching him. "I need to go get the camera. I promised Elizabeth I would film the game for her since she can't be here. Also, we need to make the line up before all the kids arrive. Is the coach here yet?"
"Max, I think you'll be able to tell your new sweetie that Corinthos-Morgan has just bought her a house. I'll get with Ned and she'll be able to move in once JASON fixes the roof. Jase add on a large room to the back of the house for a new master suite. The three bedrooms can be for the girls and Max and Shiree can have a new room courtesy of you. Tell the contractors I want all of it done in a week. No excuses. Oh and don't worry about taping the game for Elizabeth. Stan will be here in a few minutes to handle that for me. I'll have him make a copy for you. He's bringing help. It will be filmed like it's the Yankees playing the Mets in the World Series." Sonny walked away before Jason could protest, thank him or defend his actions with regard to Elizabeth. He knew his enforcer and knew that he was going to find another 'problem' with the house Elizabeth found until she gave up or he finally got up the courage to ask her to live with him. Jason didn't lie. It was something he just couldn't do. However, Jason had perfected the art-form of making situations happen so he didn't have to.
"He's got your number Jason. You know that right?" Max said as he lifted himself up off of the grandstand bench and started walking toward the field.
"SHUT UP MAX! And yes. I am well aware." Jason glared then dropped his head at his admission.
"Stonecold. Maximus Guardimus. The wee ones and I return. We have triumphed in the field of play and reign victorious over all things teetering and tottering." A plaid clad and beanie topped Damien Spinelli announced walking back with Cameron, Becky and Morgan in tow.
All three kids were in their white baseball uniforms with blue pinstripes down the sides. They were made by the same company that makes the Yankee's uniforms. Sonny insisted that the team received the best of the best. Their uniforms were the exact replica of the Yankees and their team bore the same name. He had also insisted that none of the parents had to put out dime one for their kids to play on his team. He stacked his team with workers from his legitimate and illegitimate company and then hired a former pro ball coach to come in and train and coach them. Jason had protested. He wanted the kids to have a real experience but Sonny being Sonny was having none of it. HIS kid was on the team so that meant only the best and stacking the cards in their favor. Just like he did with Michael and his soccer team.
"Jason, Spelly was on one side of the teeter totter and we" the little boy who had Jason firmly wrapped around his little finger gestured to himself, Morgan and Becky "were on the other side. It was so fun."
"You were huh? Thanks Spinelli. You can go if you want. You don't have to stay." Jason said looking up at his protégé as he crouched down to the children's height.
"Oh but Master, the Grasshopper wants to stay and watch the wee ones participate in America's pastime. I want to experience the hotdogs, the seventh inning stretch, sing the songs and bask in the glory of all things baseball."
"T-ball doesn't go to seven innings. But stay if you want. You can help Stan with filming it for Elizabeth." Jason adjusted Cameron's uniform then moved to adjust Morgan's. Becky's was perfect and straight but the two boys had somehow twisted their pants and their shirts were untucked. "Better yet, pull up the list of players so we can make the line up. I want that kid Justin to hit first. And Becky here, she hits fourth."
"But Jason, Becky had to go first. She's the girl. Girls first remember. That's the rule." Cameron spoke up and Morgan was nodding in agreement.
"Well boys…" he scrubbed his face trying to figure out how to explain this. "Becky is our best hitter. She needs to go fourth. If we get two players on base, she'll bring in the run. If not, she'll hit first in the second inning so we can put a score on the board. With team sports, you have to do what's best for the team and sometimes that means breaking the 'Girls First' rule. However, I am very proud of both of you that you have remembered that rule."
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"Jason, this is Johnny….Yeah I'm here. Where else would I be?...Listen, we have a problem…No, she's not in danger but…no, the Zacharra girl didn't go into the Museum…no she isn't…Look Jason, if you'd let me FUCKING TALK, I could tell you what the problem is." Silence. Now the man decides to be silent. Finally "Ric just entered the museum…YES RIC LANCING, WHO THE FUCK ELSE RICK SPRINGFIELD? WOULD I CALL YOU IF RICK FUCKING SPRINGFIELD WENT TO THE GODDAMN MUSEUM?...fine, I'll stop shouting…well?...WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU WANT ME TO DO?...you know ever since you started dating this Webber chick you've lost your fucking mind…well, you're right, I guess it IS a good thing I am at least twenty miles away from you then…yeah, yeah you can kick my ass later. I'll even let you….Really? Just stay here? No shit Sherlock...well no…I know you are at the baseball field…yes I am well aware that this is the first game…YOU KNOW YOU'RE REALLY STARTING TO PISS ME THE FUCK OFF. JASON I KNOW YOU ARE AT THE FUCKING BASEBALL FIELD WITH MORGAN AND CAMERON AND EVERY FUCKING BODY ELSE ON OUR FUCKING STAFF. I DIDN'T SAY I NEEDED YOU TO COME OVER HERE TO WIPE MY ASS. I JUST WANTED TO KNOW IF YOU WANTED ME TO GO GET RID OF RIC OR STAY HERE OR WHAT….YOU KNOW WHAT? FUCK OFF MORGAN!"
Johnny hung up the phone and stared at it for a while. Jason really had been different since he had gotten back from Disney World over two months ago. When Elizabeth came to town, Jason stopped hanging out which really upset Johnny. They were pretty close friends. No more late nights at Jakes. No more pool. No more bets on who could bed a girl first. No more running smak on the dock workers. No more bar fights. It sucked going out without Jason.
Johnny was second in line to him. A kind of back up enforcer. He hadn't pulled guard duty in quite some time but Jason put him on Elizabeth. At first he thought it was to test the little brunette. Johnny had mixed emotions over that thought. First, he would love to bury himself in one Elizabeth Webber. She was HOT! Then again, burying himself in her would be basically burying himself because Jason would most certainly kill him. He was truly surprised at how much this one woman and her son had changed his pal.
To top everything else off, Jason was so indecisive. He had been suffering from a serious case of the dumb ass lately which made it even more difficult for the number two enforcer. He had to guard Elizabeth while she was at the museum five days a week then he had to pull duty for Sonny as his enforcer because Jason wants some time. What a load of manure. Johnny was tired, hungry, bored, filled with pent up aggression and needed to spill a load into the nearest blonde with big tits. Why Jason couldn't see that was beyond him. The pansy ass was living with blinders. Blinders by the name of Elizabeth Webber.
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"Can I help you? OH" Elizabeth pulled her hand to her mouth. She didn't know why Ric was there but she sure didn't want to talk to him. She has not had a conversation with him in four years. Not since he spewed all of his hurtful words at her. Now that she had been dating Jason Morgan for around two months, she finally knew what it was like to be loved. Also, she knew what it was like, what it was SUPPOSED to be like. How a real man should treat a woman. Ric was no real man.
"Elizabeth. How is your boy Casey?" Ric snarled as he slowly turned around and pierced his cold dark brown eyes into her deep pools of blue.
"His name is Cameron. What do you want?" her gaze equally cold she prayed he could not see her hands trembling.
Looking down and seeing her hands shake, Ric smiled. "I heard you were working at this gallery and I thought I would come by to see you. You know I feel really bad about the way we left things back in Colorado."
"Do you? Do you really feel bad? Because I don't really think you do. I was so hurt by that and you knew I would be. It doesn't matter though. It taught me something."
"Really? What is that?"
"It taught me what a pencil dick feels like. I'll certainly never make that mistake again. Now if you'll excuse me. I would like it if you would leave. You are not welcome here Mr. Lansing. DON'T COME BACK!"
"Such words. Did Morgan teach you to talk like that? You were so innocent and kind. Has Morgan turned you into a brazen whore?"
The silence in the room was immediately broken with a loud crack.
Johnny looked up from his phone and stopped grumbling about his phone call with Jason when he was the glass door to the museum swing open. A very red faced District Attorney Ric Lansing stormed out with a very irate looking Elizabeth Webber right behind him. She was saying something to him, loudly he assumed since he had the windows up and the A/C blasting.
Then he saw it. It was in this moment that his whole opinion changed and he no longer harbored ill will for his loss of his friend Jason Morgan and he no longer wished for a five foot whatever brunette to disappear so he could get his life back. He laughed and opened his phone. He could not wait to tell his friend that his girlfriend just shot the district attorney a bird and the DA was now walking quickly to his car rubbing his face where a clearly defined small handprint was tattooed in bright red.
XXXXXXXXXXXX
"Carly dinner was great. I'll have to get your recipe." Elizabeth said as she stood up and started picking up plates from the table to take to Jason's best friends kitchen. All of the other dinner guests looked back and forth at one another. A round of deep and uncontrollable laughter erupted from the table and when Elizabeth turned around she saw that everyone, including Michael and Morgan were near tears in laughing fits. Only she and Cameron were looking bewildered.
"What's so funny?" Elizabeth asked as she walked back to the table and set the stack of dirty dishes down at her place setting.
No answer.
She looked over at Jason and honestly could not remember a time she saw him laughing so hard and for so long.
"What?" she asked again.
No answer.
"Carly" broken sobs "she…she" more broken sobs "she wants your….RECIPEEEEEE" Sonny now had tears rolling down his face that he was steadily wiping away and he was hunched over the side of the table.
"Yeah Mom. How about that recipe? Do you even know what the main ingredient was?" Michael spit out through tearful laughter.
"Oh my Miss Webber, you are so funny." Max said.
"Yes, a riot!" Johnny supplied.
"What did I say?" Elizabeth asked still wondering what the hell was so darn funny. She noticed Morgan whispering to Cameron and then Cameron started laughing.
"Mommy made a joke!" Cameron announced.
"Yes she did Cam. Mommy made the funniest joke I have heard in…well forever." Jason replied as he put his arm around her waist and tugged her to him.
"Elizabeth, the whole town knows that Carly doesn't cook." Shiree explained as Kate nodded in agreement. "She doesn't make anything but reservations and large credit card bills for Sonny, Jax and Jason. Well, maybe not Jax any more. It's no secret in this town. Carly doesn't cook."
"Watch it!" Carly sobered from her own laughter. "I'm not sure I like you yet and YOU" she pointed at Elizabeth "I will never be Suzy Homemaker. I'll leave that to you."
"CARLY" Jason stopped laughing and sent a cold glare at his best friend.
"WHAT? I didn't start this. SHE did." Carly responded with a hurt look on her face and her hand to her chest.
"Jason, it's okay." Elizabeth ran her hand through Jason's hair to calm his nerves. "Carly, I really thought you cooked this. I didn't know you can't cook."
"No one said I CAN'T cook. Just that I DON'T." Carly responded with a sly grin. She was glad Elizabeth took her side against Jason's unjustified warning.
"Dinner was great. I'll have to call the chef at the No Name to thank him." Jason added as he stood and pulled Elizabeth into his arms. "We're leaving. Come on Cam. You need a bath then it's close to bed time buddy."
"Oh, I was having such a good time though." Elizabeth sighed as she looked up at Jason.
"Yeah Jase, why don't you stay. We can put the boys in the tub upstairs and Cam can spend the night if he wants to." Carly responded.
"Actually, is Letecia here? Why don't we all go out to that new Jazz club that opened up." Kate offered, looking over at Carly to judge her reaction to taking a hand in Sonny's boys care.
"Or we could all go to Jake's and play pool." Johnny offered. He shot a look over at Jason and frowned when Jason started shaking his head 'no'. "Why not Jason? Jakes too good for your girl?"
Jason's head shot up. "Why would you say something like that Johnny?"
"Well, ever since you met her, you don't seem to do any of the things you used to." Johnny replied dryly.
Max backed his chair up and pulled Shiree with him out of the way. Carly braced her hands on the table and Sonny put a protective arm around Kate just in case he needed to cover her.
"KIDS GO UPSTAIRS. NOW" Carly demanded and Michael stood pulling Cameron and Becky along. Morgan knew the look on his uncle's face and was already half up the stairs before his mother ever suggested it.
"What's going on?" Elizabeth asked as Jason forcefully pushed her out of the way.
"You watch your mouth Johnny. Honestly, I don't know what is going on with you. First today on the phone and now your running smak again. Whatever your problem is, it has nothing to do with Elizabeth. You make sure you remember that before opening that trap of yours again." Jason's words were cold, calculating and lethal.
"Why, is she going to wilt with the weeds?" Johnny shot back.
Jason leapt over the table and tackled Johnny. Sonny, as expected, grabbed on to Kate and shot out from the table before it broke in two. Max grabbed Elizabeth's arm and pulled her over to where Shiree was standing. Carly, of course, jumped right in between the two warring enforcers.
All of the dishes flew to the ground with a loud crash and the curtains were now pulled down from the rod. Red wine was staining Carly's white carpet. The flowers from the vase that was in the middle of the table were strewn everywhere. The large oak table that seated twelve comfortably was in several pieces on the floor and in the middle of it all, Sonny's two enforcers. The only enforcers for the Corinthos Organization were engaged in attempting to kill each other.
Fists were flying, two grown men were rolling on the ground and basically beating the shit out of each other. As soon as one would roll on top of the other, Sonny and Max would take turns pulling their guns from behind their backs. Those two boys carried a large arsenal on their person.
"We won't be able to get the ones from their boots." Max informed his boss.
"They won't go for them. Each is too quick so they know they wouldn't get down to get it without a boot to the nose." Sonny replied as he now had three guns in his suit pocket. One Johnny's and two Jason's. He clasped his hands in front of him and leaned back onto Kate who was shielded from the tirade between Sonny and the wall.
"Are either of you going to help me?" Carly asked as she tried unsuccessfully to pull the mobsters apart again.
"YOU FUCKING WATCH YOUR MOUTH ABOUT ELIZABETH" POW!
"YOU GO PACK SOME SAND BUDDY. I DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THE B..ERR..WOMAN." BONK!
"BITCH? YOU WERE ABOUT TO CALL HER A BITCH. YOU ARE A FUCKING DEAD MAN JOHNNY" his hands slowly closed around his friends throat.
"JASON" Elizabeth's scream pulled Jason out of his blind fury. He turned around and the first thing she noticed was the blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. Then his reddening eye.
She looked over at Johnny and saw the same thing. His eye was red, his lip was bloody, he had finger prints around his neck and Carly was pushing him back to the wall.
"Jason, just go. I'll take care of this. Get out of here." Carly said using all of her strength to keep a fuming Johnny back.
"I…Uh…" Jason looked down at Elizabeth and saw the terror in her eyes. "Fine, I'll go but this isn't over O'Brien" Jason made his last warning pointing a long slender finger at his friend. He latched on to Elizabeth's hand and headed toward the door. The last thing he saw as he marched out onto the front porch was one curly headed boy with huge eyes, crouched at the top of the stairs watching the whole thing.
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"We have to go back in and get Cam. I have to explain to him what he just saw me do." Jason said as he pulled his t-shirt up and wiped the blood from his lip. He inspected his cleaning job in the rear view mirror then looked over at Elizabeth.
"First, I would like for you to maybe explain it to me. And what were you talking about him starting this on the phone." Elizabeth asked as she pulled her legs under her on the front passenger seat of Jason's black Escalade and reached over into the back seat for Cameron's bag.
"We got into it on the phone this afternoon."
"Why?" She asked as she pulled out a small ziplock baggie with bandaids, antibacterial spray and cream, a bottle of children's aspirin, cotton swabs and a small roll of gauze.
"I DON'T KNOW ELIZABETH" His words came out harsh and loud. He was exasperated with the whole situation.
"Yes you do." Her words became even softer. He almost had to strain to hear her. She sprayed some antibacterial spray onto a cotton ball and pressed it to the corner of his mouth eliciting a hiss from Jason. "Don't be a baby."
He shot her a glare but could see the smile curving her lips and he knew she meant the dig about his open cut and his hissing from the sting of the medicine. He then let out a long slow breath. "He called me to tell me that Ric Lansing had shown up at the museum."
"Oh" she left it at that and arched her eyebrow prompting him to keep talking.
"I was so angry that I couldn't be there and Johnny was asking me what I wanted him to do. Honestly, I wanted to tell him to walk into the museum and shoot Ric dead on the spot. I should have been there. You shouldn't have had to deal with Ric by yourself."
"So since you couldn't beat up Ric, you took it out on a very close friend." She surmised correctly.
"But he kept goading me. He almost called you a bitch. I won't stand for that." Jason defended his actions.
"That was while you were already fighting. His words before weren't anything to fight over. Tell me this. Why did he say you don't do any of the things you used to do since I came to town?"
"Because I don't go out with the guys. With him specifically. I go home every night. But I want to go home every night. I want to be with you. Only you." He thought better of his words and added "And Cameron of course."
"Well, let me ask you this. Do you think I wouldn't want to date you if you hung out with the boys every once in a while? And what's with this Jake's place? Why would you think I was too good for it?"
"I never said that."
"Oh really because once Johnny suggested it you tensed, held me tighter to you and immediately shook your head 'no'."
"You saw that?"
"I catch a lot of things Jason. Like, why would you have not asked me immediately about Ric showing up at the museum today. Why is it so important that you be the perfect father figure for Cam all the time and why on earth do you keep messing with my house so I can't move in?"
Silence.
"I'm waiting" she admonished as her arms naturally crossed over her chest.
Silence.
"Jason, you have several questions that I expect some sort of answer to." She was getting irritated at his silence. They would never make it if he kept his feelings bottled up from her. She knew he wasn't a talkative man by nature but he talked to her. He always told her exactly how he felt and she needed that same honest communication now.
"Jakes is where Johnny and I go to pick up girls. I actually have my own room there. It's where I picked up Carly about thirteen or fourteen years ago. I don't want to take you there because I don't want to cheapen you like that. I am pissed at Johnny because he is calling me out on it. I know he's mad at me and I know why. He's not a guard Elizabeth. He's MY backup. I just don't trust anyone else with you. He really shouldn't be guarding you. It's not his job but I asked so he does it." Jason took a deep breath and continued. It actually felt good to get some of it off of his chest. Clear his conscience and all that. "I didn't ask you about Ric because you didn't offer. I don't know whether it's because what he said is bad, good, indifferent although I doubt it's the last two. He could easily turn you against me. Johnny's right. You are too good for me and I'm scared. I don't know what to do so I keep holding on so tight. I don't want you and Cameron to move out. I keep coming up with reasons for you not to move in to your house. I want you and Cameron with me. Always. And Cameron. If he doesn't like me, you'll never stay with me. I know how important he is to you. I just…I can't lose you. I don't want to live without you now that I know what it's like to have a family. My own family. You, me and Cam"
"And Spinelli." Elizabeth added climbing back up on her knees and moving across the SUV to sit in Jason's lap.
"And Spinelli" he breathed as he tucked his head in her neck. He wrapped his arms around her and held so tight she nearly couldn't breathe.
"Jason, let's go back inside and you and Johnny can step out front to have a talk. I'll help Carly clean up the mess. Maybe we'll go to Jakes or maybe we'll go to that Jazz club or maybe we'll just go home. Cameron may want to be with us after the display he just witnessed and YOU DO need to explain that to him."
"Elizabeth…I love you so much. Please don't leave me." He begged into her neck. His face was throbbing, he felt like an ass and he was scared to death that the woman in his arms was just a temporary moment of bliss.
"Jason, I don't know why you think I am going to leave you. I have no intention of doing anything of the sort. Get rid of the house. If you are okay with Cameron and me living with you, I am too. Cameron is thriving with you and Spinelli around. You are good for him Jason. But don't feel like you have to be the perfect parent. No one is. He loves you warts and all. And I love you too. I'm not going anywhere so quit fighting with your friends. Go out with them once in a while. I trust you. I would hope you'd get rid of the room at Jakes but I trust you won't cheat on me. Actually part of the problem is that you don't bring me around your friends very often. All they know is I'm the girl that keeps you away from them. No wonder Johnny doesn't like me. And if he's not a guard, then why are you having him guard me all day. Doesn't he have more important things to do?"
"Yes but you are the most important thing to me. I want to know that you are safe when I'm not with you. Elizabeth, you have no idea"
She placed her finger to his lips to quiet him. "You know what? Suddenly I just want to go get Cam and go home. OUR home."
"Our home" he said quietly as he leaned in and kissed her, wincing slightly at the cut on his lip.