Second Chances: One Step Closer to the Truth
Ric sat in the darkened panic room surround by Elizabeth's paintings that Faith had seen fit to destroy. One by one the things that once tied him to her were being removed from his life. He counted his slow deliberate breaths as they escaped him. It was the only way he knew he was alive. The numerous images of Elizabeth, his Elizabeth, with Jason threatened to strangle him. No matter where he turned he saw them – at Kelly's, the hospital, her studio, the docks. There wasn't a place in Port Charles that didn't conjure up some picture of them in his head. It was maddening.
He focused his stare to the crib that sat quietly in the corner of the room. The crib he had originally bought for their baby but then used it as a constant reminder to Carly that her and Sonny's child would be his – his and Elizabeth's. Almost in a trance like state Ric made his way to that piece of baby furniture. His hands stroked the dark cherry finish as he hummed the lullaby that he had always imagined his mother, the mother Sonny had stolen from him, singing him to sleep as a child. His fingers spun the mobile that still hung overhead. The mobile that he recalled Carly saying Sonny had picked out. Ric watched it spin in circles but rather than lulling him into a quiet state as it would an infant the motion only served to deepen his stupor. He picked up the tiny white teddy bear he had placed so loving in the corner. The teddy bear that he had given Elizabeth the day after they were married. It was a symbol of all of the good things to come in their lives. It was for their child. It now sat quietly waiting for a child that was never to be.
Ric dropped his body onto the cot next to the crib all at once feeling completely defeated. Everything that he had ever wanted in his life had been taken from him before he had ever gotten the chance to truly experience the joy of any of it. Sonny had had their mother's love – none of which was ever offered to him. Sonny had a wife and children who loved him – Ric had a no wife, no child. The only woman he ever loved loved someone else – wanted him dead. Ric found himself laughing suddenly almost cackling. The eerie sound reverberated off the concrete walls of the panic room. He finally understood he had nothing left to lose anymore. It didn't matter what he did or didn't do in the end Sonny and Jason would always be the winners. He couldn't have that. He wouldn't have that. Elizabeth may not have wanted him but he wasn't about to let her have Jason either.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Jason had been quiet on the drive from the hospital to the penthouse. Elizabeth sat silently trying to gauge what he was thinking. He never once looked at her but kept his cerulean eyes trained on the road in front of them. To her it was obvious that he had been upset that she had given Francis the slip at the hospital. She knew it was a dumb thing to do. She did it without thinking. All of the sudden she felt like a caged animal always being watched. For a second she dropped her defenses and just pretended she didn't need the protection.
Jason threw his leather jacket over the back of the chair and let his keys clatter on the desk as he dropped them. Max offered Elizabeth a small smile as she closed the door behind them. "Jason," she said softly.
"Hum?" he muttered never breaking his gaze out the window.
"I'm sorry about ditching Francis."
"I know."
"It was a stupid thing to do."
"I know."
Elizabeth wrapped her arms around her chest as an apparent chill filled the room. She closed her eyes and willed herself not to cry. She knew he hated it when she cried and that wasn't how she wanted to end up in his arms. She didn't want it to be out of his need to comfort her, but rather his need to just hold her.
"I don't know what else to say Jason. It was dumb and I'm sorry." She let out a quick hiccup as she tried to hold the tears at bay. To her surprise when Jason turned to look at her tears hung in his own eyes. She couldn't do more than give him a questioning look.
"Do you know my heart stopped when I saw the two of you?" he finally spoke. "Just the thought that he was close enough to touch you – to hurt you. I wanted to snap his neck." Elizabeth inched her way closer to where he was standing.
"I should have killed him Elizabeth. I should have done us all a favor the minute I found out he was blackmailing Carly. I could have saved us all so much trouble." Elizabeth watched the pain and torment Jason had been carrying for so long explode across his face. "I could have done it clean, but Sonny wouldn't hear of it. He couldn't kill his mother's son." It all at once became clear to her what was fueling the rift between Jason and his best friend.
"You aren't any more to blame for this than I am. You said it yourself Ric is the only one at fault here."
"What about Sonny?" Jason asked truly needing an answer to his question.
"I just don't know," she returned honestly. "I want to understand where he's coming from. I want to think that I wouldn't want Sarah dead either, but truthfully Jason anymore I don't know. I've changed. The way I see things has changed. Maybe Sonny has changed too."
"What?" Jason was confused by her remarks. "The Sonny I knew wouldn't have hesitated to obliterate his enemy – wouldn't have thought twice about killing anyone who went after his family..."
"That's just it Jason," Elizabeth interrupted him. "Ric's his family. Like it or not he's Sonny's brother. He's Adella's son. Can't you get that Sonny doesn't know how to handle an enemy that's family?" Elizabeth attempted to reason with him.
"He's not my family!"
"I know that," Elizabeth brushed her hand across his cheek. "I know that baby. Thank you for protecting me," she whispered. "Thank you for going against Sonny and doing what you needed to do to protect me from Ric. I love you Jason."
Instantly Jason pulled her into a deep embrace. He hadn't realized it until he had heard her say those words that he had been afraid she wouldn't be able to understand what he had done. It didn't matter the conversation they had had before about her not wanting to know what happened to Ric or the part Jason played in it. That had only been talk but when it had turned into to something real – something tangible he feared that he would lose her all over again. "I love you too," he whispered into the folds of her chestnut locks. "I'd do anything for you Elizabeth."
"I know you would. You've proved that time and time again Jason. I know what this has cost you. It's obvious the strain it's put on your relationship with Sonny. He isn't one to except anything but blind obedience and I'm sorry that Ric coming after us had put you at odds with him."
"Don't be sorry."
"I am though. I know that if I weren't in the picture you would still despise Ric but you wouldn't have gone after him the way that you did. You wouldn't have ignored what Sonny wanted...."
"Fuck what Sonny wants. I'd do it again if it meant keeping you safe."
"Sshh," she pressed her finger to his lips. "I know and I love you for it." Finally she had achieved what she hadn't been able to all those months before. She was first and foremost in Jason's world. It was just a shame it was at the expense of his bond with Sonny.
"Jason," Max said as he was knocking and opening the door at the same time. "Sonny's...." Sonny closed the door in the guard's face before he had the chance to complete his remark.
"We need to talk," Sonny stated looking directly at Jason.
"Shouldn't you be with Carly at the hospital?" Jason asked never leaving go of Elizabeth's tiny hand.
"She whined so much that Dr. Meadows allowed her to go home as long as she promised to come back tomorrow for a few more tests."
"How's she feeling?" Elizabeth asked.
"A little tired. Whatever Dr. Meadows gave her to stop the contractions makes her sleepy."
"I think I'll go over and sit with her for awhile." Elizabeth gave Jason's hand a gentle squeeze.
"Thank you. And Elizabeth," She stopped and waited for Sonny to go on. "I know that Carly's never treated you with the respect that you deserve or has she given your relationship with Jason the consideration it deserved but what you did for her today – what you did for her and our child. I can't thank you enough."
"You don't have to thank me Sonny. I didn't do anything more than hold her hand. All she really wanted and needed was you."
"Thank you just the same."
"You're welcome. I'll be back later," she said looking at Jason.
"Want a beer?" Jason asked Sonny not knowing what else to say once Elizabeth was gone.
"No."
"You said we needed to talk, so talk." Jason said dispensing with any more pleasantries.
"What the hell were you thinking going after Ric?"
"I was thinking I was saving the woman I love from a maniac. What hell were you thinking when you let him get away with all he's done to you and your family?" Jason countered, all thoughts of the talk he had just had with Elizabeth leaving his head. He couldn't – didn't want to see Sonny's reasons for why he was doing what he was doing. To Jason it was just plain stupid.
"I give the orders here Jason!" Sonny fell back into his normal position of control. The position he always took when he had no other defense.
"So you've told me repeatedly."
"Ric was off limits! You were supposed to leave him alone!"
"Why so he could continue stalking Elizabeth? I couldn't do that Sonny. You may be willing to let him think he's got some power over you because you share the same mother but that doesn't work with me. I could give a damn less!"
"We know that it was Faith who set up the drive by. It's been Faith who has gone after Elizabeth over and over again...."
"You're like a fucking broken record you know that?" Jason raised his voice. "Faith...Faith...Faith! That's all you can ever talk about."
"Because it's her! She's using Elizabeth to get to you so she can get to me!"
"And what if Ric's doing the same thing? What if he thinks by going after Elizabeth he can distract me and in turn gets his revenge on you? You ever think that Ric and Faith might be working together? I know you can't be so blind as not to know that they were living in Ric's house together up until just recently. Why were you holding out on me Sonny? Why? Could it be that you couldn't stand the fact that I just might be right again when it came to Ric?" Jason still hadn't been able to get past the fact that Sonny wouldn't listen to him. That he wouldn't believe Jason had been right all along about Ric being the one who took Carly.
Without a word Sonny pulled out his cell phone and placed a cryptic call. "Pick her up! It's time that we end all of this finally!" Once his call was ended he turned back toward Jason. "I'll prove to you that Faith is behind all of this!"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Hey, how are you feeling?" Elizabeth asked Johnny closed the door behind her.
"Better. The contractions have completely stopped."
"Good. Sonny said you whined enough for Dr. Meadows to let you come home."
"I didn't whine, well maybe a little," Carly relented. "I just can't stand staying in the hospital. The beds are so uncomfortable and well the food is horrible...."
"I thought I was the one who did the rambling," Elizabeth smiled realizing for the first time that she was actually making Carly Corinthos nervous.
"I don't know how to thank you," she finally said.
"Sonny already did. You don't need to. Besides you would have done the same for me right?" Elizabeth laughed when she said it.
"Not always muffin, but I would now." Carly saw the noticeably stunned look on Elizabeth's face.
"I have to ask why Carly? Why the sudden change of heart?"
"You wouldn't believe me even if I told you. Besides I'm not even sure if I could explain it myself. Jason loves you. I can finally see that and I love Jase enough to want him to be happy. And like it or not muffin for whatever reason you make him happy," Carly smirked.
"Now there's the Carly Corinthos I know," Elizabeth giggled.
Sonny stopped outside the door to his home and listened to the women inside. He heard the sounds of laughter. He couldn't believe his ears. One friendship was forming while another was imploding.
"Sonny," Carly said as she hid the bag of potato chips Elizabeth had brought out from one of her many hiding places behind her back.
"I saw them." He pointed to the foil bag peaking its way from behind her. He tried to sound lighthearted but both women could tell he was anything but.
"Well I'm glad you're feeling better. Remember, do what Dr. Meadows told you. I'll talk to you soon. Night Sonny." Elizabeth exited the Corinthos' penthouse and headed for the one she shared with Jason.
"You up for a game?" she asked poking Jason in the back with his favorite cue stick.
He turned and stared at her – her blue eyes filled with a mischievous spark as she twirled the cue between her fingers like a large baton. "You think you can beat me?"
"You think you can beat me?" she countered him with his own words.
"Nine ball then," Jason returned in a playfully cocky tone.
"That's not fair," she moaned. "You know I can't shoot them in sequence."
"I know," he laughed as he sat the diamond shaped rack on the green felt and filled it with the first nine numbered balls. "I'll let you break though," he offered.
"Oh geez thanks, like that's going to make a difference." She rolled her eyes and Jason's smile grew wider. For her it would be worth losing just to see him smiling. She had decided to forego asking him about his conversation with Sonny. Something told her it was just a rehash of the same old worn out arguments.
"Saved by the bell," she said as the phone on the desk began to ring. They were just about to start their fifth game and surely her fifth loss.
"Hello?" Jason said into the receiver. "That's great. Yeah I'd like to come check them out. Now would be good. We'll be there shortly."
"Be where shortly?" she questioned.
"The Harley Shop."
"Harley Shop?"
"Yeah I thought you might like to help pick out the motorcycle you see the wind from."
Elizabeth's eyes lit up with excitement. Just the thought of being on the back of a motorcycle with Jason again had her pulse racing. They both could use a little of going no where – FAST!
"I'll take that giggle as a yes?"
"YES...yes!! Let's go."
Ric sat in the darkened panic room surround by Elizabeth's paintings that Faith had seen fit to destroy. One by one the things that once tied him to her were being removed from his life. He counted his slow deliberate breaths as they escaped him. It was the only way he knew he was alive. The numerous images of Elizabeth, his Elizabeth, with Jason threatened to strangle him. No matter where he turned he saw them – at Kelly's, the hospital, her studio, the docks. There wasn't a place in Port Charles that didn't conjure up some picture of them in his head. It was maddening.
He focused his stare to the crib that sat quietly in the corner of the room. The crib he had originally bought for their baby but then used it as a constant reminder to Carly that her and Sonny's child would be his – his and Elizabeth's. Almost in a trance like state Ric made his way to that piece of baby furniture. His hands stroked the dark cherry finish as he hummed the lullaby that he had always imagined his mother, the mother Sonny had stolen from him, singing him to sleep as a child. His fingers spun the mobile that still hung overhead. The mobile that he recalled Carly saying Sonny had picked out. Ric watched it spin in circles but rather than lulling him into a quiet state as it would an infant the motion only served to deepen his stupor. He picked up the tiny white teddy bear he had placed so loving in the corner. The teddy bear that he had given Elizabeth the day after they were married. It was a symbol of all of the good things to come in their lives. It was for their child. It now sat quietly waiting for a child that was never to be.
Ric dropped his body onto the cot next to the crib all at once feeling completely defeated. Everything that he had ever wanted in his life had been taken from him before he had ever gotten the chance to truly experience the joy of any of it. Sonny had had their mother's love – none of which was ever offered to him. Sonny had a wife and children who loved him – Ric had a no wife, no child. The only woman he ever loved loved someone else – wanted him dead. Ric found himself laughing suddenly almost cackling. The eerie sound reverberated off the concrete walls of the panic room. He finally understood he had nothing left to lose anymore. It didn't matter what he did or didn't do in the end Sonny and Jason would always be the winners. He couldn't have that. He wouldn't have that. Elizabeth may not have wanted him but he wasn't about to let her have Jason either.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Jason had been quiet on the drive from the hospital to the penthouse. Elizabeth sat silently trying to gauge what he was thinking. He never once looked at her but kept his cerulean eyes trained on the road in front of them. To her it was obvious that he had been upset that she had given Francis the slip at the hospital. She knew it was a dumb thing to do. She did it without thinking. All of the sudden she felt like a caged animal always being watched. For a second she dropped her defenses and just pretended she didn't need the protection.
Jason threw his leather jacket over the back of the chair and let his keys clatter on the desk as he dropped them. Max offered Elizabeth a small smile as she closed the door behind them. "Jason," she said softly.
"Hum?" he muttered never breaking his gaze out the window.
"I'm sorry about ditching Francis."
"I know."
"It was a stupid thing to do."
"I know."
Elizabeth wrapped her arms around her chest as an apparent chill filled the room. She closed her eyes and willed herself not to cry. She knew he hated it when she cried and that wasn't how she wanted to end up in his arms. She didn't want it to be out of his need to comfort her, but rather his need to just hold her.
"I don't know what else to say Jason. It was dumb and I'm sorry." She let out a quick hiccup as she tried to hold the tears at bay. To her surprise when Jason turned to look at her tears hung in his own eyes. She couldn't do more than give him a questioning look.
"Do you know my heart stopped when I saw the two of you?" he finally spoke. "Just the thought that he was close enough to touch you – to hurt you. I wanted to snap his neck." Elizabeth inched her way closer to where he was standing.
"I should have killed him Elizabeth. I should have done us all a favor the minute I found out he was blackmailing Carly. I could have saved us all so much trouble." Elizabeth watched the pain and torment Jason had been carrying for so long explode across his face. "I could have done it clean, but Sonny wouldn't hear of it. He couldn't kill his mother's son." It all at once became clear to her what was fueling the rift between Jason and his best friend.
"You aren't any more to blame for this than I am. You said it yourself Ric is the only one at fault here."
"What about Sonny?" Jason asked truly needing an answer to his question.
"I just don't know," she returned honestly. "I want to understand where he's coming from. I want to think that I wouldn't want Sarah dead either, but truthfully Jason anymore I don't know. I've changed. The way I see things has changed. Maybe Sonny has changed too."
"What?" Jason was confused by her remarks. "The Sonny I knew wouldn't have hesitated to obliterate his enemy – wouldn't have thought twice about killing anyone who went after his family..."
"That's just it Jason," Elizabeth interrupted him. "Ric's his family. Like it or not he's Sonny's brother. He's Adella's son. Can't you get that Sonny doesn't know how to handle an enemy that's family?" Elizabeth attempted to reason with him.
"He's not my family!"
"I know that," Elizabeth brushed her hand across his cheek. "I know that baby. Thank you for protecting me," she whispered. "Thank you for going against Sonny and doing what you needed to do to protect me from Ric. I love you Jason."
Instantly Jason pulled her into a deep embrace. He hadn't realized it until he had heard her say those words that he had been afraid she wouldn't be able to understand what he had done. It didn't matter the conversation they had had before about her not wanting to know what happened to Ric or the part Jason played in it. That had only been talk but when it had turned into to something real – something tangible he feared that he would lose her all over again. "I love you too," he whispered into the folds of her chestnut locks. "I'd do anything for you Elizabeth."
"I know you would. You've proved that time and time again Jason. I know what this has cost you. It's obvious the strain it's put on your relationship with Sonny. He isn't one to except anything but blind obedience and I'm sorry that Ric coming after us had put you at odds with him."
"Don't be sorry."
"I am though. I know that if I weren't in the picture you would still despise Ric but you wouldn't have gone after him the way that you did. You wouldn't have ignored what Sonny wanted...."
"Fuck what Sonny wants. I'd do it again if it meant keeping you safe."
"Sshh," she pressed her finger to his lips. "I know and I love you for it." Finally she had achieved what she hadn't been able to all those months before. She was first and foremost in Jason's world. It was just a shame it was at the expense of his bond with Sonny.
"Jason," Max said as he was knocking and opening the door at the same time. "Sonny's...." Sonny closed the door in the guard's face before he had the chance to complete his remark.
"We need to talk," Sonny stated looking directly at Jason.
"Shouldn't you be with Carly at the hospital?" Jason asked never leaving go of Elizabeth's tiny hand.
"She whined so much that Dr. Meadows allowed her to go home as long as she promised to come back tomorrow for a few more tests."
"How's she feeling?" Elizabeth asked.
"A little tired. Whatever Dr. Meadows gave her to stop the contractions makes her sleepy."
"I think I'll go over and sit with her for awhile." Elizabeth gave Jason's hand a gentle squeeze.
"Thank you. And Elizabeth," She stopped and waited for Sonny to go on. "I know that Carly's never treated you with the respect that you deserve or has she given your relationship with Jason the consideration it deserved but what you did for her today – what you did for her and our child. I can't thank you enough."
"You don't have to thank me Sonny. I didn't do anything more than hold her hand. All she really wanted and needed was you."
"Thank you just the same."
"You're welcome. I'll be back later," she said looking at Jason.
"Want a beer?" Jason asked Sonny not knowing what else to say once Elizabeth was gone.
"No."
"You said we needed to talk, so talk." Jason said dispensing with any more pleasantries.
"What the hell were you thinking going after Ric?"
"I was thinking I was saving the woman I love from a maniac. What hell were you thinking when you let him get away with all he's done to you and your family?" Jason countered, all thoughts of the talk he had just had with Elizabeth leaving his head. He couldn't – didn't want to see Sonny's reasons for why he was doing what he was doing. To Jason it was just plain stupid.
"I give the orders here Jason!" Sonny fell back into his normal position of control. The position he always took when he had no other defense.
"So you've told me repeatedly."
"Ric was off limits! You were supposed to leave him alone!"
"Why so he could continue stalking Elizabeth? I couldn't do that Sonny. You may be willing to let him think he's got some power over you because you share the same mother but that doesn't work with me. I could give a damn less!"
"We know that it was Faith who set up the drive by. It's been Faith who has gone after Elizabeth over and over again...."
"You're like a fucking broken record you know that?" Jason raised his voice. "Faith...Faith...Faith! That's all you can ever talk about."
"Because it's her! She's using Elizabeth to get to you so she can get to me!"
"And what if Ric's doing the same thing? What if he thinks by going after Elizabeth he can distract me and in turn gets his revenge on you? You ever think that Ric and Faith might be working together? I know you can't be so blind as not to know that they were living in Ric's house together up until just recently. Why were you holding out on me Sonny? Why? Could it be that you couldn't stand the fact that I just might be right again when it came to Ric?" Jason still hadn't been able to get past the fact that Sonny wouldn't listen to him. That he wouldn't believe Jason had been right all along about Ric being the one who took Carly.
Without a word Sonny pulled out his cell phone and placed a cryptic call. "Pick her up! It's time that we end all of this finally!" Once his call was ended he turned back toward Jason. "I'll prove to you that Faith is behind all of this!"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Hey, how are you feeling?" Elizabeth asked Johnny closed the door behind her.
"Better. The contractions have completely stopped."
"Good. Sonny said you whined enough for Dr. Meadows to let you come home."
"I didn't whine, well maybe a little," Carly relented. "I just can't stand staying in the hospital. The beds are so uncomfortable and well the food is horrible...."
"I thought I was the one who did the rambling," Elizabeth smiled realizing for the first time that she was actually making Carly Corinthos nervous.
"I don't know how to thank you," she finally said.
"Sonny already did. You don't need to. Besides you would have done the same for me right?" Elizabeth laughed when she said it.
"Not always muffin, but I would now." Carly saw the noticeably stunned look on Elizabeth's face.
"I have to ask why Carly? Why the sudden change of heart?"
"You wouldn't believe me even if I told you. Besides I'm not even sure if I could explain it myself. Jason loves you. I can finally see that and I love Jase enough to want him to be happy. And like it or not muffin for whatever reason you make him happy," Carly smirked.
"Now there's the Carly Corinthos I know," Elizabeth giggled.
Sonny stopped outside the door to his home and listened to the women inside. He heard the sounds of laughter. He couldn't believe his ears. One friendship was forming while another was imploding.
"Sonny," Carly said as she hid the bag of potato chips Elizabeth had brought out from one of her many hiding places behind her back.
"I saw them." He pointed to the foil bag peaking its way from behind her. He tried to sound lighthearted but both women could tell he was anything but.
"Well I'm glad you're feeling better. Remember, do what Dr. Meadows told you. I'll talk to you soon. Night Sonny." Elizabeth exited the Corinthos' penthouse and headed for the one she shared with Jason.
"You up for a game?" she asked poking Jason in the back with his favorite cue stick.
He turned and stared at her – her blue eyes filled with a mischievous spark as she twirled the cue between her fingers like a large baton. "You think you can beat me?"
"You think you can beat me?" she countered him with his own words.
"Nine ball then," Jason returned in a playfully cocky tone.
"That's not fair," she moaned. "You know I can't shoot them in sequence."
"I know," he laughed as he sat the diamond shaped rack on the green felt and filled it with the first nine numbered balls. "I'll let you break though," he offered.
"Oh geez thanks, like that's going to make a difference." She rolled her eyes and Jason's smile grew wider. For her it would be worth losing just to see him smiling. She had decided to forego asking him about his conversation with Sonny. Something told her it was just a rehash of the same old worn out arguments.
"Saved by the bell," she said as the phone on the desk began to ring. They were just about to start their fifth game and surely her fifth loss.
"Hello?" Jason said into the receiver. "That's great. Yeah I'd like to come check them out. Now would be good. We'll be there shortly."
"Be where shortly?" she questioned.
"The Harley Shop."
"Harley Shop?"
"Yeah I thought you might like to help pick out the motorcycle you see the wind from."
Elizabeth's eyes lit up with excitement. Just the thought of being on the back of a motorcycle with Jason again had her pulse racing. They both could use a little of going no where – FAST!
"I'll take that giggle as a yes?"
"YES...yes!! Let's go."