Chapter Thirty-Seven
Jason let Mac out, but before going back upstairs he grabbed his cell phone and sat on the couch. Whatever his feelings about this, he needed to make sure Liz and their children were safe.
"Sonny, sorry if I woke you, but I need to see you right away, could you come over here?" Jason asked, hating to bother his friend, but left with no other choice.
"Sure, and I wasn't asleep, give me five and I will be right over." Sonny said, his worry evident in his voice.
Jason flicked his phone shut, placing it on the coffee table. He pinched the bridge of his nose, a sure sign of stress.
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Liz had waited patiently for him to come upstairs, when he didn't, she threw on a pair of his boxers and one of his t-shirts and headed back downstairs, she couldn't handle the waiting.
She stopped before entering the living room, she just stood on the bottom step, cast into her mind, into her memories. Would the trip be bittersweet or would her carefully crafted life soon come crashing down around her?
It seemed like the forces of the universe continued to work against them, always trying to tear apart what they had built. Not this time she vowed. They had been dealt with many trials and tribulations before and now it seemed like fate had stacked the deck even further against them, but she would not run, they were right, Carly was right, many times before.
She had been scared, loving Lucky was safe, because it was something she had been used to for so long, like that old comfy chair you should throw away, but kept around for sentimental reasons, not because it really served as anything remotely useful, just because it had always been there.
With Jason, she loved him with every fiber of her being, every piece of her heart and when you loved like that, you took the risks that loving like that could bring. Before, she hadn't trusted in herself enough, it was never Jason she didn't trust, because he had always been there, his loyalty is one of the many things she had fallen in love with.
But he did lead a dangerous life, that was one of the biggest reasons she had run last time, it wasn't the lies per se, she understood things about the business were not discussed, she had left Jason that long ago night, because the reality of what they had done for Sonny finally sank in. He had had to fake his own death, just so he could remain alive long enough to find out who wanted him dead, talk about your oxymoron.
She had been wrong to run then, but she had feared for her heart, because Jason had become her world and without him, what would be left of her. The realization of it all compound within her, she would not let someone tear their family apart, she was going to fight.
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Jason's "spidey senses" for lack of a better word, were alerting him to her presence, he couldn't be sure how long she had been standing there, but he could always tell when she walked into a room.
"I know you are behind me, why don't you come sit down. I just called Sonny and he should be here soon." Jason said, not bothering to turn around.
"Ho-how did you know I was standing here?" Liz asked wistfully.
"I always know when you enter or exit a room, we are a part of one another, plus you smell like vanilla, so who else could it be." Jason said, finally turning to give her a tired smile.
Liz quickly joined him on the couch, tucking her feet under her as she lowered her head to his shoulder. "Why'd you call Sonny?"
"Because I too want to marry you and not at a later date, at the time we chose, so I am going to need him to help, if we are going to find the animal behind this letter." Jason said quietly.
"Makes sense." Liz replied, trying to stifle a yawn.
The couple sat their, arms wrapped protectively around one another, waiting, it seemed it was always about waiting.
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Sonny knocked once, not wanting to wake the younger children and not bothering to wait for a welcome, entered the house. What greeted him as he entered was beautiful, Jason was gently stroking Elizabeth's cheek, her eyes closed, and every so often a soft snore was heard, Sonny had to laugh at that, but quietly.
"Sonny." Jason said quietly.
"Jason, what is it you wanted to speak to me about and should she be here to hear it?" Sonny asked, knowing a call this late had to be about business.
"It's fine she already knows, besides she's out like a light, long night." Jason said with a smirk. Before Sonny could ask more questions, Jason handed him the sheet of paper he had in his hands. It looked a little worse for wear, but it was still intelligible.
Sonny read the letter, his anger evident, someone was threatening his family, they weren't blood family, but hearts and souls connected them.
"Is it someone we know, is it one of our enemies?" Sonny asked.
"No one knows, Mac brought that over, the only thing we are sure of is that Mateo was working for the guy behind the letter, whether Mateo is alive or not, I don't know." Jason exclaimed, his hands tightening into fists.
"What do you want to do, you know I will stand by any choice you make." Sonny said, hoping to alleviate some of the stress and knowing he more than likely wouldn't be able to do even that small task. His friend was worried and beyond that, he could see that Jason was ready to take the blame of it all on his shoulders once again.
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Lucky awoke stiff, he couldn't be sure but it felt like he had been in the same position for many hours, his neck creaked when he tried to straighten and his back protested the sudden movement, unwittingly hissing with the pain of it. His back had never fully healed, he was always going to have the pain.
Sam eyes opened groggily, it took her several moments to remember where she was and what was going on. "Lucky, what's wrong?"
"Nothing, just a little stiff and sore." Lucky said, dismissing his pains. "How are you feeling?"
"I feel like I swallowed sandpaper, my throat feels raw." Sam said honestly, not bothering to sugarcoat it for the man she was married to. That baffled her, it was hard to wrap your mind around the fact that you were married to your ex-fiancé's soon-to-be wife's ex-husband.
Lucky passed her a fresh glass of water, while the same ideas were floating through his mind, he was married to his ex-wife's soon-to-be husband's ex-fiancé. Wow, when did life get so complicated.
"I think we need to talk about the baby, you know as well as I do that this child may not be yours." Sam said, hoping in her heart of hearts that the child she carried was in fact Jason's, at least that way she would always have a place in his life.
"What if it is, is there any way we can find out, before the baby is born without risk?" Lucky asked, truly hoping that the fates would give him a break and allow this child to be his.
"There is no safe way, I can't risk having an amniocentesis just so I can alleviate yours or other people's curiosities. Dr. Lee doesn't hold out hope of me carrying this child to term, but if I have to sit and do nothing for nine months, that is exactly what I will do. You don't understand how important this child is to me." Sam explained.
"I don't think you understand, if this is my child, or not, I will do everything I possibly can to make sure you can carry him or her to term." Lucky said honestly, for once not even thinking about pills and there tempting draw.
"Why would you do this, what happens if this child is Jason's, what then, you will have spent all this time for nothing!" Sam replied, confused by his kindness.
"Because that child may very well be mine, that is all that matters." Lucky said with a finality that stopped any replies Sam might have wished to make. Because the honesty in his voice spoke volumes.
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"What does Liz think about all of this, does she have any idea, is there someone who would want revenge against her or the two of you? Because honestly, things have been overly quiet lately on our front, I can't imagine who in our business, that is still around, would want to harm Liz or the children. Those men are scoundrels through and through, but they have higher honor than stealing a man's wife and children." Sonny said, looking at the sleeping beauty who trusted her life and that of her children to the man currently supporting her head, he had changed so much in the last year, it left him flabbergasted that he hadn't seen the devotion these two shared before, perhaps if he wasn't so wrapped up in his own problems all the time, he would have seen.
"I know she doesn't plan on hiding out or running scared, she plans on going about daily life and should she needed to fight, she plans on it. I have been with many women throughout the years, but not a one of them were ever so fiercely loyal, willing to sacrifice their own happiness for those around them and oh so willing to take on the biggest threats to keep what she wants. I just don't know if I can handle having her in harms way, it is driving me insane, all I want to do is protect my family." Jason said with pride.
"You forgot to mention, that no matter what happens, tomorrow will see me as your bride or the city of Port Charles will be left to face my wrath." Liz said with a smile, slowly sitting up. "Hi Sonny."
Sonny tried to suppress the smile that tried to alight on his face, but it was useless. Jason was right, Elizabeth had strength and beauty, but she was also completely in love with his best friend, that could not be disputed.
"How long have you been awake?" Jason asked, not bothering to hide his own smile.
"Just, I'm sorry I fell asleep, I didn't think with that much anger raging from within I would ever sleep again, I guess my body knew better." Liz said, assessing the men around her. "Why are you two smiling?"
"No reason at all." Jason and Sonny said in unison.
"Mmmhmm, why don't I believe you!" Liz exclaimed. Looking warily at Sonny, then at Jason. "What was I doing, talking in my sleep again?"
Both men looked at each other, then broke into a fit of laughter, it was a good laughter though, it lightened the mood some. It also brought a clarity of mind to know that no matter the challenge's that life threw their way, they would persevere.
"You were snoring, just a little." Jason said trying to stop the laughter, but finding it hard with Sonny cracking up so few feet away.
"I don't snore!" Liz said with a passion of assurance. "What? I don't!"
"Whatever you say my dear." Jason said, placing a simple kiss to her lips.
"Sonny how about tomorrow Liz and I come over and we can discuss what we can further do to protect my family." Jason said, feeling a little better about the situation.
"How bout I meet you here, I have a few things to look into and when I am done with those I can stop by here." Sonny said, hoping his excuse for not wanting them at his house would be suffice, he didn't want his dates identity discovered. They were still trying to decide where they stood and if he could postpone all the questions, even for a day, he would do just that.
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