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I will be posting another chapter later in the morning.


Chapter 29

Francis opened the door to admit Johnny. "Jason called me, he'll be back tonight."

"She's dead?" Francis asked his friend.

"Her, Luke, and Lucky. Jason didn't explain much he just wanted to let me know they were coming back and that things were handled." Johnny was grinning. "So that means that I can get started on my little project." He'd spent the afternoon planning with Duke Lavery. The two men were going to Port Charles at the end of the week. They would arrive the day after Lila's deal with Sonny ended.

"I wish I could be there to see his face when you walk in the room." Francis said shaking his head. "Marco called me. He said that Alexis not only turned down Sonny's marriage proposal but she has decided that raising a child in the mob is less than ideal."

"Our former employer is having a bad week." Johnny didn't know Alexis but he certainly respected her. "How did he take that?"

"Alexis has no plans to leave Port Charles and has assured Sonny that he can see the child whenever he likes." Francis poured them both some coffee. "So he's fine with it."

"Those will be some long distance visits." Johnny said sipping the brew. "Duke plans on taking over the territory and he isn't going to let Sonny stay around. If Sonny doesn't accept the terms laid out Duke is going to kill him."

"What are the terms?" Francis wanted to know.

"They are quite generous." More than Johnny would have allowed. "Sonny will vacate New York completely. He is allowed to keep his island and the casino in Puerto Rico. He is essentially getting the chance to walk away with the only parts of the business still turning a profit. The coffee business just barely broke even at the close of the fiscal year." Johnny took another sip. "Duke isn't interested in coffee. He plans on selling that business. I'm gonna see if Jason wants it."

"He did a hell of job running it before." Francis had been impressed by Jason's business acumen.

"So where is Liz?" Johnny wanted to pass along Jason's message.

As if summoned she appeared at the top of the steps with her suitcase and the biggest smile either one of them had ever seen. "Someone's happy." Francis walked over and took the bag. The past day had been hard on her.

"That someone would be me." She hugged Frannie and then Johnny. "This is for you." She said handing him a jar.

"Strawberry preserves." Johnny grinned.

"Siobhan came over and showed me how." Elizabeth had made a jar for everyone. Two for Jason because strawberry was the only type of jam he normally ate. Then the two ladies had gone out because Elizabeth had an appointment to keep.

"I've got blackberry bushes on my property." Johnny told her. "You are welcome to come pick some when it's the season for it."

"That would be lovely." She was fairly vibrating with joy. "I've called Siobhan, she and Cooper are coming up to get me."

"Hold on, Jason won't be back for a few hours." Johnny said laughing.

"I know. I have things I need to do." Elizabeth had plans for the night.

"Is that right?" Francis said grinning.

"Yes. It is." She said grinning back at him. "I still have to be Elle McCarthy right?" She needed to make a few purchases.

"For a little while yet." Johnny said nodding. Once Sonny was contained and Duke was sure the soon to be former mob boss was going to behave then she and Jason could come out of hiding. Sonny was the last person Johnny worried about. Johnny was more concerned about Helena's cronies. They would give it a few months before Jason Morgan and Elizabeth Webber resurfaced.

"Okay. Chloe is coming with us too." Elizabeth said as a knock sounded on the door.

Francis opened the door and admitted his guests. If Liz was going home then he was going to see if Diane was free for the evening. Maybe she'd like to spend the evening in and have him cook for her. "Everyone is in the kitchen." Because Chloe was going out Jesse was also going along.

"Well, look at you." Chloe said to her young friend. "You are practically glowing." She knew there was only one thing that could cause a smile that wide. "I think we need to get you something pretty to welcome your fella home."

"He was in Italy for one night not off fighting a war." Johnny guffawed. He was just picking on Liz.

"He was there to keep me safe." She said sticking out her tongue. "I'd love to shop, but I need to make one more stop as well. We can do that first and then shop." Looking at the clock Elizabeth frowned. It was past eight. "Is anything still open?"

"My workshop is." Chloe has some things she thought would work.

"Really?" Elizabeth's eyes almost fell out of her head they got so wide. "That would be amazing."

"I know." Chloe was after all her own biggest fan. "Let's run your errand and then get to it. Sean you'll call when you are ready to swing by?"

"I'll call and you can met us at the airport." Johnny said giving her a kiss.

Francis locked up behind everyone. "Am I needed at the airstrip?"

"No but you are welcome to come. You plan on making kissy face with my attorney?" Johnny asked his friend.

"Kissy face?" Francis said grabbing his jacket and rolling his eyes. "Get out." He held the door open. He was going to call Diane from the car. If she wanted to spend some time together he would stop off and pick up a nice bottle of wine.

Johnny was laughing and as he walked past his friend he made some kissing noises. "You are not needed at the airstrip. I will tell Jason you were more interested in getting laid then welcoming him back."

"Yeah, because I'm sure he'll miss me. The man won't hear a word you say once he sets eyes on Liz. If you have business to discuss call the plane." Francis advised.

"Good point. I need an answer on the coffee business for Duke." Johnny said as they boarded the elevator. "He wants a deal in place before we leave."

"If Jason isn't interested I'll take it." Francis liked the business. "I can use your ports right?"

"I think we can work out a deal." Johnny told his friend. "Dublin would love to have another industry." Permits would be needed and Diane could make that happen. The city council would quickly approve it because it meant more jobs and because Johnny was going to make sure the right people knew he wanted the business here. "Corelli Coffee. Has a nice ring to it."

"Don't make the sign yet. Jason may want it." Francis would then just find something else to do.

"I'll call the plane and let you know either way." Johnny said as the two men parted to go to their cars.


The first stop that Liz wanted to make was The Merrion Hotel. Chloe recommended it highly. She and Johnny had spent a wonderful weekend there last year. Elizabeth booked a single bedroom suite in the Garden Wing of the hotel. Because they were checking in so late she booked the room for two nights. Jesse called in the room number so that security could be set up.

After that the group headed over to Chloe's workshop. Elizabeth enjoyed looking at the exterior of the building. Noting the architectural details. The stone work was amazing and Elizabeth made a note to come back during the day. "Jesse and Cooper why don't you two gentleman lounge out here." In the reception area. "Jesse knows where everything is so he can play host." She thought the two guys would like some time to chat. "Ladies follow me."

They passed drafting tables and dressmaker's forms. The walls were covered in designs from the upcoming line and Elizabeth realized she was getting to see something that few saw. Chloe Morgan in process. "That looks like the lace you were making." Elizabeth pointed to a sketch of a vibrant blue lace and cotton dress. It looked delicate and feminine but at the same time young and fresh.

"That's why I was tatting. I need to make some panels for that." Chloe said pointing out where on the dress her pieces would go. "Let's go into the dressing area." Chloe hit the panel on the wall and the room flooded with light.

Elizabeth looked around and realized they were standing in a closet the length of the building. "Wow."

"I know." Siobhan said looking around. "It's like a fashion candy store." All hues of colors danced before them. Different fabrics and textures mingled comfortably.

"Has Diane seen this?" Elizabeth asked joking.

"It's part of her retainer that she gets an hour in here at the end of every season." Chloe told her friend. "I'm serious." She added when Elizabeth laughed in disbelief. "She gets to pick five pieces and the woman takes her decision very seriously."

"I make it a point to visit Aunt Dee's wardrobe whenever I have to look posh." She already had her mind set to wear the hunter green cashmere wrap dress on her first date with Cody. He had called to tell her that everything went well. It was nice because he didn't have to.

"What color does Jason like you in?" Chloe was already pulling pieces that she'd like to see Elizabeth in.

"Green, blue, and pink." Elizabeth said blushing slightly. She'd never shared that information with anyone.

"Gorgeous and with great taste, yup he's a Morgan." Chloe said laughing. "Let's have a look at what we can put together. How about this." The designer pulled down an empire waisted dress with shirred bodice that had an A line silhouette. It was made of silk and was a beautiful dusky rose.

"That's beautiful." Elizabeth loved the fact that she wouldn't look like she was playing dress up. The scooped neckline would be sexy but subtly so. "I don't have anywhere to wear it."

"I wager that our boy is going to take you out to dinner before you leave the city." Chloe would need to pull a suit for him. Something dark because he was not a man to wear a light colored suit. Her Johnny looked dapper in basic grey but Jason would need a charcoal. And no tie, it would be sin to put him in a look that was too civilized. "This will do." Chloe grabbed a garment bag.

"She'll need shoes." Siobhan moved to the wall that housed accessories. "Black would be expected." She learned a lot during her stint as Chloe's guard. "What about brown?"

"Good choice. You can walk in heels?" Chloe asked Elizabeth.

"Yes, above three inches is dicey though." Some of those heels were scary.

"Let's get you in this and we'll nip and tuck." The designer walked to the doorway, "I'll get my kit, Vonnie show her where to change." Unlike the models she didn't think Liz wanted to strip down where she stood.

Chloe got set up and when Elizabeth walked out she smiled. "Well done." She said to herself. It took no time at all to fit the dress and Chloe had Elizabeth walk around the room so she could make sure the line was right. "Good. Off with it."

"Thank you Chloe it's stunning." Elizabeth felt pretty.

"Of course it is, I designed it." Chloe said laughing.

"She looks good in your clothes." Siobhan was also laughing at Chloe's egotistical statement. "I'm betting that she'll be a regular customer at the boutique once Jason sees how good she looks."

"I'm betting your right. She's family so I'll make sure she gets a discount. And when the time comes I'm going to design her wedding dress." Chloe could already see it in her mind's eye. Elizabeth would look like a fairy princess.

"So how do I pay for it?" Elizabeth wasn't sure how this worked.

"You don't, you make sure that when the paper prints your picture they get a good view of my dress. Now let's get the rest." Chloe was already putting things in a garment bag. Underwear and two nice pieces of sleepwear, those last items she guessed would never even leave the bag.

"Knock, knock." Jesse said sticking his head in the room. "Johnny called. We should get going."

Elizabeth's smile got wider. "How long will it take to get to airport?"

"We are going to Johnny's private hanger so about thirty minutes. Twenty if we hustle." Siobhan told her charge. "I'm guessing you are voting for that option."

"Johnny taught me how to drive. If it's thirty minutes away I can get us there in ten." Elizabeth wanted to see Jason.

"I'll drive." Cooper said laughing. "I'll get us there in fifteen and still breathing. Let's go ladies. I'll carry that if you like." The guard took the garment bag and the group departed.

Elizabeth sat in the back of the car and told the butterflies in her stomach to calm down. They had been apart one and half days but it felt like a lifetime. She'd gotten used to having uninterrupted time with him. While it was true that eventually they would both get jobs and start to have a more normal life she was hoping to still have long periods of time where it was just them. As they got closer to the airstrip Elizabeth realized she was about to get her heart's most secret wish. Tonight was truly the beginning of her life with Jason.


"Jason isn't interested in running the coffee business, so if you want it you can have it." Johnny told Francis. Diane wouldn't be free for another hour. They were waiting for the ladies to arrive with their guards.

Francis was happy with this turn of events. "Will I pay you or Duke?"

"Him. I've already transferred the marker." Johnny had been grinning when balance in his account jumped. It wasn't the money, but what it represented. The downfall of Sonny Corinthos. Jason believed that Sonny was having a break from reality when he ordered Johnny's death. But Johnny knew differently. He had stumbled across Sonny's side business and the older man wanted him erased before he told Jason.

Even after the execution order Johnny kept his mouth shut. He didn't feel it was his place to destroy Jason's relationship with his mentor. He wasn't going to be the one to tell the enforcer that Sonny was running drugs through the shipping lanes. Once his secret was discovered Corinthos had stopped his activities, understanding things weren't really as secure as he suspected. It was ironic that less than a year later Sonny would do something else stupid something and cause Jason to walk away.

"Tell Duke to call Diane and get the deal set up. We can sign the papers once everything is official." Francis was going to be running an international legitimate business. "Can I buy a warehouse from you?"

"Yup." That would let others know not to target Francis. "I'll sell you three that way when you expand your places are all together." Johnny would put him at the far end of harbor with the other legal businesses. "I want a corporate discount."

"We'll talk about it." The big blonde smirked. Of course he would cut his friend a break on the price. "Here come the cars." Jason would drive one back into the city after the groups broke up.

"Don't get between Liz and Jason." Johnny said starting to laugh.

"Do I look like I came down in the last shower of rain?" Francis said laughing as well.

"How much longer?" Elizabeth asked running up.

"Look up." Johnny pointed to the sky at the incoming lights.

Elizabeth grinned from ear to ear. Jason was home!


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