Elizabeth has finally gotten to sleep in Jason's arms. It took him talking nonstop for the last two hours for her to finally get some rest. Jason hasn't spoken that much in, well, he's never spoken that much. He can see that this whole situation is really getting to her and he really wants to help her. He doesn't really know what the right thing to do is in situations like this and he hopes that what he's doing is enough. As he strokes her hair softly, a knock sounds at the door, prompting him to gesture for Steven to come in.
"Finally asleep?" Steven voices, looking at his sister.
"Yeah." Jason shakes his head. "What's up?"
"She's awake." Steven leans against the wall. "Sarah's sitting with her right now."
"Damn." Jason sighs, glancing down at Elizabeth. "I have to wake her up now, don't I?"
"Not just yet." Steven understands his reluctance to wake her up. "Audrey actually wants to talk to you first."
"Me?" Jason eyes him intently. "Why?"
"Don't know." Steven admits, he's curious about that himself. "I'll stay with Blaze while you go see her."
Reluctantly getting out of bed, Jason kisses her forehead before walking out of the room. He's not entirely sure what this was about, but he owed it to Elizabeth to talk to her grandmother. So, after taking one last glance at Elizabeth, he walked the distance to the ICU. Sarah wasn't happy with being kicked out of Audrey's room, but Jason didn't particularly care. The blonde was just as annoying as Robin had been.
"You wanted to see me?" Jason voices, not really knowing what else to say as he stands by the bed.
"Yes." Audrey's voice is weak, but firm. "Please, sit. How's Elizabeth doing?"
"Elizabeth's asleep." Jason says as he sits in the chair. "She hasn't really been sleeping well since you were admitted."
"This is exactly why I kept it from her." Audrey sighs, knowing just how her granddaughter was reacting to the news. "I never wanted her to deal with this."
"She loves you." Jason shrugs. "There's really no way else that she'd take you dying."
"Touche." Audrey accepts that fact. "She's going to need you when I'm gone."
"She'll always have me." Jason eyes her intently. "I don't understand though...you didn't want me with her."
"I had my reasons for the way I treated her." Audrey takes in a deep shaky breath. "I need you to make me a promise."
"Depends on the promise."
"I need you to promise me that you will protect my granddaughter. From everyone and from herself." Audrey feels herself growing weaker, but she has to get it out. "She's going to need you when I'm gone. You're a good man, Jason Morgan. Be the man that my granddaughter deserves. Be someone she can rely on, someone she can trust, someone she can love."
"I promise to be everything she needs." Jason says solemnly. "If you're worried for her, don't be. I'll never let anything bad happen to her."
"Thank you." Audrey smiles slightly. "You can go wake her up now."
With a single nod, Jason walks out of the room. He wasn't expecting that, but he accepted it for what it was and went to wake up Elizabeth. She was a little confused at first, but when he told her that Audrey was awake, it clicked for her. He walked the distance with her before waiting outside the door as she sat with Audrey.
The moment Elizabeth's eyes landed on Audrey, tears welled up in them and it took all she had to just walk the distance to sit in the chair. Audrey could see the toll it has taken on Elizabeth and she really hated that it was hurting her so deeply.
"Have you been eating?" Audrey questions, seeing that she looked a little thinner than usual.
"They make sure I do." Elizabeth assures. "Between the ten people in my life...they all make sure I eat."
"Good, that's good." Audrey smiles slightly. "How're you holding up?"
"Why didn't you tell me?" Elizabeth counters, not really wanting to talk about herself. "I've been a lot stronger these last few months. Why did you keep this from me?"
"You're the strongest person I know, my dear." Audrey assures. "But your heart can only take so much...this was too big for you to handle."
"I deserved to know." Elizabeth says seriously. "You are the only true family I have left. I deserved to know that I was losing you."
"Yes, you did." Audrey took her hand in hers. "But you are still so fragile...I just knew I had to keep it from you for as long as I could."
"How am I supposed to say goodbye?" Elizabeth questions, gripping her hand tightly. "How do I say goodbye to the only mother I've ever known?"
"I'm sure you'll figure it out." Audrey takes in a deep shaky breath, she can feel herself weakening. "I'm so sorry for how things have been lately. I never wanted to hurt you by pushing you away."
"Why did you?"
"I know it was tough love, but with my time being limited...I didn't have much choice." Audrey explains. "I knew you needed a push and I couldn't be more proud of how you handled it."
"So this was some kind of lesson?" Elizabeth eyes her intently. "Kicking me out...bringing up Richard...it was all just a lesson?"
"Lila and I have spoken in length about what's best for you." Audrey's eyes start to droop a little. "She knows Jason better than anyone, just like I know you, and we both decided that you'd be happiest together. I'm glad that we were right."
"You wanted me with Jason?" Elizabeth was seriously confused. "I don't understand."
"He's a really good man." Audrey admits. "He'll make you appreciate life and you'll teach him to see life through your eyes. Everything I've ever done, everything I've ever said, was in hopes that you will grow into the woman I know you can be. And you have."
"I don't want to say goodbye." Elizabeth's tears fall harder. "I don't want to lose you, but I know I'm going to."
"You'll be okay." Audrey promises. "I could never leave you if I wasn't sure you'd be happy again. Don't dwell on losing me for too long...I want you happy. I want to live instead of only surviving."
"I love you!" Elizabeth cries, laying her head down on their joined hands. "I promise I'll make you proud of me."
"I already am." Audrey assures, reaching her other hand to rest on Elizabeth's head soothingly. "I've always been proudest of you. I love you, dear child! You promise me something."
"Anything." Elizabeth says without hesitation.
"If you ever need someone to talk to, you go to Lila." Audrey whispers. "She's very wise and she'll help you understand things when you need clarity."
"I promise."
Elizabeth can feel her grandmother's pulse weakening beneath her touch, forcing her to look up at her grandmother and seeing that she was slipping away. Getting up, Elizabeth places a kiss on her forehead, knowing that her grandmother put DNR on her chart.
"Goodbye, gram." Elizabeth whispers, laying her forehead against hers. "I'll always love you!"
With her last breath, Audrey manages to say, "Goodbye."
As the monitors go off and the doctors rush into the room, Jason wraps his arms around her while they call the time of death. Elizabeth breaks down in his arms, falling to her knees as the tears fall harder. She was really gone. Her grandmother was just gone and now she had to go on living without her. Jason couldn't help the tears that fell from his eyes as he listened to her cries. Not knowing what else to do, Jason held tight to her. Giving her whatever support he could and just letting her cry it out.
"I can't be here." Elizabeth whispers, turning to look at Jason. "Take me home please."
"Okay." Jason helps her up, picking her up into his arms when he notices how weak she is. "Just rest. I'll take care of you."
Elizabeth doesn't have the energy to argue, she simply lays her head against his chest and closes her eyes. The days of no sleep coming back to bite her as she slips into a deep slumber. Jason forces his feet to move, to carry her out of the room.
"I'm taking her home." Jason tells Steven and the guards. "If you need us, you call me."
"Take care of her." Steven says, tears in his eyes. "Blaze likes to hide how she feels. Don't let her."
"I'll take care of her." Jason promises before carrying her onto the elevator.
Brenda was sitting in her bedroom at the Quartermaine estate, having moved in at Lila's request, and she couldn't believe what she was watching. This had Robin's stench all over it, only with a twist of Quartermaine. Every part of her wanted to knock some sense into Emily, but by this point, she was certain that Jason will do the honors. Everyone has tried to get through to Emily, no one succeeding. The fallout from this is on Emily now.
"Did you see it?" Brenda asked Lila when she walked into the living room.
"I saw." Lila confirms, saddened by the turn of events. "She has taken it too far."
"I know." Brenda sighed. "I just hope she's ready for what happens next."
"I doubt she will be." Lila sighs. "Audrey Hardy just passed away. Her grandson Steven just called to let me know."
"Oh my gosh." Brenda gasped. "Poor Elizabeth."
"Lord help Emily when Jason finds out what she's done." Lila shakes her head, imagining just what her grandson will do. "That young woman has been through so much...she doesn't deserve this atop it all."
"I don't understand why she's so adamant on keeping them apart." Brenda admits, pouring them some tea. "Now she's losing both of them forever and I highly doubt her reasons are really worth it."
"Only Emily knows her reasons for doing something like this." Lila accepts the cup of tea. "As family, all we can do is be there when it all falls apart."
With Elizabeth asleep upstairs, Jason walks across the hall to Sonny's penthouse. He got a call about what his sister has done and he was fed up with her childish attitude. He was done with her and it was time that she got a piece of his mind. Finding Carly and Sonny in the living room alone, Jason walked over to stand in front of them.
"Carly, I need a favor." Jason says seriously. "Elizabeth's asleep in our room and I don't want her alone. Can you go stay with her until I get back?"
"Where are you going?" Carly dares to ask.
"To see Emily." Jason says through gritted teeth. "Will you stay with her?"
"Of course." Carly says quickly, knowing that Jason wanted to get to Emily already. "What did she do?"
"Pick any news channel." Jason blurts out as he walks back to the door. "Its been on a loop all day!"
Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews!
Don't usually do this, but here's what you can look forward to in the next chapter. Emily's in for a world of anger from a few people in Elizabeth's life. Can you guess from who?
Can't wait to hear what you all thought of this update! For those of you just jumping into this fic, thanks for taking the time!
For those of you here from the start, you're awesome!
Till next time...
