Author's Note: I can't tell you how thrilled I am to get feed back on the direction of the Jason/Kellie relationship and other aspects of the story. I'm glad to hear the idea of a Jason/Kellie pairing has potential. When the idea first formed, I wasn't sure it would work or be well received. All I knew was that if there was the potential for their relationship to turn romantic eventually, I had to take it slow, not to mention it won't be something either one will see coming. I'm also glad you're enjoying my take on the Nelle storyline. I have a hard time believing with the all the stuff that's come out on the actual show in recent weeks about Nelle that no one would have picked up on a lot of her past activity previously. I had plans for awhile to have Kellie factor into digging up dirt on Nelle faster. The Chase Harrison reveal just gave me more material to work with thankfully. The whole Sam and Kim trying to involve Jason in Drew's memory procedure/Peter prison break baffled me. It was nice to write that scene a little differently as well and put Sam and also Carly in the position to be the strong woman I think they are capable of being, but are sometimes not played that way on the show.
Going forward, this story will begin wrapping up. We'll have some scenes with Jason, Kellie, and the kids on the island, the conclusion of the Nelle saga, and Kellie's decision on where she goes after the island. The Garrett storyline and the Kellie/Jason relationship will continue to be explored in the next story.
The next day, Jason found himself waiting at the bridge. Kevin moved the last therapy session out of the office.
"I see you got my message," Kevin said, arriving and sitting on the ledge next to Jason.
"Why here?" Jason asked, "I'm still not talking."
"Would you believe I just wanted to get out of my office," Kevin said, "Figured you won't talk anyway, so why not soak up some Vitamin D."
"No," Jason said.
"How's Carly?" Kevin asked.
"Okay, I guess," Jason said.
"Any luck helping Carly prove her story?" Kevin asked.
"It sounds like it," Jason said, "I really didn't have to do anything."
"Interesting," Kevin said, "So it wasn't up to you to come up with whatever was needed to help Carly."
"No," Jason said.
"You don't know what to do with that, do you?" Kevin asked.
"No," Jason said, "Michael and Spinelli said…"
"Said what?" Kevin asked.
"That I don't know what to do when people don't look to me for help," Jason said, "And the people that are looking to me to save, rescue, or help them, probably shouldn't be."
"It's hard for you isn't," Kevin said, "To try to figure out how to move forward when you are missing five years of your life and everyone else around you moved on."
"I don't even know where to start," Jason said.
"What do you want right now?" Kevin asked.
Jason thought about it for a moment, "To be any where but here. To be somewhere no one has any expectations and I don't have to run into Sam and Drew…"
"Have you grieved the loss of your relationship with Sam?" Kevin asked, "The loss of your expectations for returning home?"
Jason shook head, "Both Kellie and Lorenzo have told me I need to do that."
"What's stopping you?" Kevin asked.
"It means moving on," Jason said, "Giving up hope for what I thought would be."
"And if you're busy being someone's rescuer, savior, helper whatever you want to call it,," Kevin said, "You can put off thinking about what that really means. By nature you want to do whatever you can to help the people you care about. For years even before you were shot and disappeared, you've done that, sometimes unhealthily so. Right now you have an opportunity to step back and take care of yourself like you would everyone you care about. It's good to look on the bright side that you made it home and you're alive. But what you went through will stick with you for years. More so if you don't take some time to put your self first. You won't move on the way you need to otherwise."
Jason grimaced as what Kevin said struck a nerve, "Kellie and I had a conversation last night here of all places about her moving back to Port Charles and how making that decision means she's finally moving on without Tyler. I told her to take all the time she needed to get to where she could make that decision even if it meant hanging out on the island longer."
"So what you're saying is you just gave Kellie the same advice you might want to consider taking in some form yourself," Kevin replied.
Jason made a face indicating his grudging agreement with Kevin's comment.
"If anyone understands what you're going through, it's probably Kellie," Kevin said, "I know you both have been friends for quite while. Given the losses you've both experienced it's not surprising you'd go through the same emotions, similar grieving processes. I know you've both been helping each other. I think the only thing that's kept the two of you from fully helping each other is you both have this idea you shouldn't fully rely on anybody."
"She and I discussed that last night," Jason said, "We promised that we would actually start letting us really be there for each other."
"I'm actually really glad to hear that for both of you," Kevin said, "So what's next?"
"I think I'm going to take Kellie up on her invitation to stay on the island," Jason said.
"I do have one condition if you go to the island," Kevin said, "I'm aware of the sleeping arrangement you and Kellie have with other to keep each other's nightmares at bay. It was one thing when your trips were short. But since I'm guessing this trip to the island is a little more indefinite, for both your sake's I need to request that the two of you sleeping in the same bed stop. Otherwise, neither one of you will work through the nightmares."
"She already told me if she moves back to Port Charles that sharing the same bed won't be happening," Jason said, "I get it."
"Good luck," Kevin said, "I know this was our last session. But if you ever decide you want another session, you know how to get a hold of me."
"I'll keep it mind," Jason said, "Thank you for listening to me not talk mostly."
"I can still learn a lot by what a patient doesn't say," Kevin said.
PCPD Interrogation Room
Jason met with Sonny and Carly.
"I can't believe that Diana is telling me to plead insanity," Carly said.
"But the cops are still investigating," Jason said, "So that's a good sign."
"But the D.A. got the trial date set," Sonny said, "I don't anticipate the cops will come with anything by then if they're even actually looking."
"They're looking," Jason said.
"How do you know?" Carly said.
"A friend who would rather remain anonymous," Jason said.
"That's not enough," Sonny said, "How do we know we can trust them?"
"We can trust them," Jason said.
"If Jason says they're good, I believe him," Carly said.
"I still agree with Diane about your plea," Sonny said.
"That's not why I'm here. I just wanted to let you both know I'm leaving town for awhile," Jason said.
"Jason, you can't leave now," Carly said, "I need you here. To know you believe me about Nelle."
"This isn't a good time, Jason," Sonny said, "Between this and Ava and the coffee business. I need you around right."
"It's never a good time for me to leave," Jason said, "But I need to get out of town for awhile."
"What for?" Sonny asked, "A lead on Carly, as for Peter August leave him to the authorities since he escaped. With any luck, he'll get himself shot. Where are you going?"
"The island," Jason said.
"Did something come up with Garrett?" Sonny asked.
"Some increased chatter he's active again," Jason said, opting to let Sonny and Carly think that rather than explain, "Nothing concrete. But Alcazar and Kellie asked if I'd check out the security and give my input."
"There's nothing here more important than that," Sonny said, "Go help Kellie. I'll feel better knowing you're looking out for my daughter.
"But Jason," Carly said, "What I'm supposed to do with you not here?"
"You've got this," Jason said, giving her a hug, "Trust me when I tell you everything will be fine. Remember to trust your instincts."
"Keep me posted on the Garrett situation," Sonny said, "Thank you for looking after my family. Maybe you can convince Kellie to move back here."
"If Kellie's going to move back here, it'll be her decision, in her own time," Jason said, turning to leave, "You know that better than anybody, Sonny."
Back at his apartment, Jason was locking the door to leave.
"You going somewhere," Drew asked, noting the duffle bag Jason was carrying.
"Out of town," Jason said.
"I just stopped by to thank you for not taking up Sam on her request to make a deal with Peter August," Drew said, "She told me you turned her down."
"He didn't need to be on the loose," Jason said, "And if you weren't willing to make the deal with him, it wasn't my place."
"Oscar made me think twice about going ahead with the procedure without the flash drive," Drew said.
"I get why you'd want to do it without it," Jason said, "But there are a lot of people that need and depend on you now."
"Oscar reminded me of what I'd be missing if everything goes wrong," Drew said.
"If there's nothing else," Jason said, "I have a plane to catch."
"You okay?" Drew asked, "You look like you did the other night at the Floating Rib when you came in, turned around, left."
"Not that it's any of your business," Jason said, "I can't handle seeing you with Sam right now. I need to leave town for awhile to figure out how to move past that. Now if you'll excuse me?"
"Jason, I know we might never be each other's favorite person," Drew said, "We may never see eye to eye on much, but I'm sorry for what you're going through."
"As far as Sonny and Carly are concerned I went to the island to help Kellie with her security," Jason said.
"Let me quess," Drew said, "Carly said she needs you to support her against Nelle even through there may not be much you can do at the moment and Sonny had five million jobs he needs to delegate to you."
"Something like that," Jason said.
"Are you actually going to the island?" Drew asked.
Jason nodded.
"Good for Kellie," Drew said, "Giving you the space you gave her all those years again when everyone found out she was Sonny's daughter. Well, provided she's not another one in a line of people always asking you to solve their problems.
"That is definitely not Kellie," Jason said, "She always tries to solve her own problems."
"Just checking," Drew said, turning to leave "I hope you find whatever it is you're looking for. "
