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Chapter 49
Walking into the penthouse Elizabeth felt like the weight of the world had been lifted from her shoulders. It would take a bit for this new reality to sink in. For it to really register that Lucky was gone. Jason hung up both their jackets. "I'm going to go take a shower." He hadn't cleaned up much before leaving the safe house, just changed his clothes and wiped himself down.
"Okay." Elizabeth said looking around. She knew it was a trick of her mind but the colors seemed brighter somehow. Like the cloud that had been hanging over her life was gone. Taking a deep breath she realized that she was tired. They hadn't been sleeping for long when the phone rang. Looking at the clock she was surprised to see it wasn't even six in the morning yet. Since it was still dark out that should have been a clue.
Upstairs in the master bedroom, she took off her shoes, and clothes before donning sleepwear. Under the covers she stretched out and waited for Jason to be done in the bathroom. When he came out she gave him a soft smile. "Come to bed, I want your arms around me."
"Okay." Jason crawled under the blankets and wrapped his whole self around his wife. "What do you want to do when you wake up?"
"No clue." She said closing her eyes. "I need to call Epiphany around seven to let her know I won't be in."
Jason just rubbed her back and listened as her breathing evened out. On some level Elizabeth was always tired. While she slept curled up against him every night now he knew that she hadn't really allowed herself to truly rest. As long as Spencer was breathing she couldn't completely relax. Now she could.
Reaching behind him Jason snagged his phone and sent a text to his father letting him know Elizabeth wouldn't be in. He went with the old standard family emergency. His dad wouldn't ask any questions. Johnny wouldn't expect him at work and Marco knew not to call unless Johnny got killed. Feeling the softness of his wife pressed against the length of him Jason let his body relax into sleep.
Jason's phone did ring, around eight. Sliding from bed he stepped into the hall to answer. "Morgan."
"Sorry to wake you." Johnny told his friend. He figured Jason and Liz were going back to bed. "Cameron needs to see his mother."
"I'll be right down." Jason ran into the bathroom to run some water over his face and brush his teeth. Downstairs when he opened the door Johnny and Cameron were waiting. "Hey buddy."
Cameron came in and hugged his dad. "I was missing mommy." He said softy.
Jason picked the little guy up. "I bet you were, we both were missing you too. Mommy is still asleep but we can go upstairs and peek in on her. Okay?" Jason asked his son. He should have foreseen this cropping up.
"Can I go back and play with Ben after? Georgie is coming over." Cameron was hoping to color some more.
"You sure can." Jason told him.
"I'll wait here." Johnny told them.
Jason nodded and gave Cameron a piggy back ride to the master suite. "Look." Jason whispered.
Cameron didn't say anything, just leaned into his dad and looked at his mom sleeping. The scary was building up inside him today. It was weird to wake up with her not close by. He really liked Aunt Em and Uncle Johnny, but he just needed to see him mom and dad too. Last night Ben said that sometimes he sleeps over the mansion and Cameron was hoping he might get a chance to as well. Maybe when he felt better about being away from mommy and daddy longer. "Okay." He said softly.
"Okay." Jason closed the door and took his son back downstairs. He opened the door and watched as Cameron ran across the hall to Emily who was waiting in the doorway. His sister waved before closing the door again. "Tell Georgie we are home, if this happens again."
"How is Liz?" Johnny wanted to know, both he and Emily were worried.
"I expect this morning to be rough, but she is incredibly resilient. Her and Cameron both." Jason was amazed by them. "We'll play it by ear. Maybe Ben can sleep over here tonight." If nothing else his nephew could keep Cameron occupied.
"I see a summer of kid swapping." Johnny grinned.
"Yup. Should be fun. If Georgie wants to go to the science museum we have a membership." Jason told his brother in-law.
"I'll let her know, I think there is a trip to the park planned. Jesse is on my door today for training. Joe is on yours and Hank is watching." Normally they only had two guards on the doors when the territory was quiet. Hank, a senior guard, was here to train Jesse. "I'm leaving now. Call if you need anything."
"Thanks Johnny." Jason said before locking the door and heading upstairs.
Georgie stepped off the elevator on the penthouse level of the Towers at eight-twenty, ten minutes before she was expected. If Johnny had any last minute instructions for her she wanted him to be able to give them to her, but still leave at his normal time.
Seeing Jesse Beaudry standing on the door was a shock. She knew, and really liked Jesse. His Uncle Mac and her Uncle Francis were very good friends. Jesse was three years older than her but he never treated her as a pest when they were growing up. She'd nursed a crush on him for years and was hoping that now that she was older he might actually take an interest in her.
She liked that he didn't work for Jason or Johnny. That he had a nice legal job at the PI firm. Georgie didn't judge the men of the Morgan O'Brien organization for what they did, but she didn't date them. Dating, and possibly falling in love with, a guy whose job increased the odds of him not making it to thirty wasn't something she was interested in. Maxie had ended up in the hospital last year after Milo got shot while working. The stress had put a strain on her heart.
So it looked like dating Jesse wasn't going to happen. "Hi." Georgie said smiling.
"Hey." Jesse responded having a good long look before knocking on the door. "Ms. Corelli is here."
"Show her in." Johnny told the new guard.
"Yes sir." Jesse stepped back out. "You can go in."
"Thanks." Georgie walked in and smiled at Johnny. "So Jesse is working for you now?"
"Started this morning." Johnny told the younger brunette.
"That's surprising. I wonder how Mac is taking it." Georgie knew Mac thought Jesse would take over the PI business.
"Mac talked to Jason." Johnny told her. Something in Georgie's voice was off. If he was right she didn't like Jesse working for them. Interesting. "The two monsters are upstairs. You know the drill."
"I do." Georgie confirmed. Johnny meant about guards when they went out.
"Jason and Liz are next door if Cameron needs to see them." Johnny passed along, he also told her about the science museum. She already knew where to find the cards for the zoo and aquarium if the boys wanted to go there. "Call if you need me."
"Will do." Georgie said watching as he walked out the door. "Ben, Cameron!" She called upstairs wanting to let the boys know she had arrived.
Elizabeth was spooned up with Jason when she opened her eyes. Blinking a few times she brought the clock into focus and was surprised at what she was seeing. That couldn't possibly be correct.
"Good morning." Jason said from behind her.
"I think you mean good afternoon. It's two-fifteen. Unless I slept through the entire day." Looking over her shoulder she saw her husband's amused blue eyes looking back at her. "I didn't did I?"
"No." Jason grinned at her. "It's past noon."
"Oh okay. I guess I was tired." Elizabeth said sitting up. She had to go to the bathroom. "Be right back, don't move."
"Okay." Jason said watching her walk away. She wasn't gone long and cuddled up to him when she came back. "You hungry?"
"A little." Elizabeth said in no rush to move. "This is nice though."
"It is." Jason said pulling her closer. "Cameron was over earlier. He needed to see you."
"You should have woken me." She would have loved to see him. Elizabeth was missing Cameron. They hadn't been apart for this amount of time in a while.
"You needed the rest." Jason told her letting his fingers run through her hair.
"I did." She said sighing softly when he started a gentle massage. "It's important that Cameron and I get used to being apart outside of daycare. I don't want us to develop attachment issues."
"There's no rush. Sleepovers next door are a great way to start. Next month we can try a night at the mansion." Jason suggested.
"How much stuff can your father buy if he has the boys for a night?" Elizabeth asked chuckling.
"Don't even think about that. Ben stayed with my parents for a week while Johnny and Emily went on vacation, he came with more stuff than he left with. It was insane." Jason told her.
"I guess it won't do any good to tell him to exercise some restraint?" She guessed.
"Nope." Jason confirmed. She was starting to tremble slightly so he tightened his arms.
"Did you call the hospital?" She figured he would have.
"I did." He confirmed. She was trembling harder.
"Sorry." Elizabeth whispered just before the tears came.
"Don't be sorry, baby. You never have to apologize for what you feel." He said rocking her slightly.
"They've been gone for a while now, and I should be past this. I just didn't expect it to hurt so much." She was trying to explain. "He sat there and told me he killed them like was nothing."
"I know." Jason murmured. He suspected that Lucky was more than a little sociopathic as well as egomaniacal. It left him feeling cold that the dark haired man had been allowed unsupervised visits with Cameron. "Would you like to have your parents and sisters remains brought here to Port Charles?"
"What?" Elizabeth asked looking up.
"We can bring your family here, if you like, so you can visit." Jason told her. He knew it was possible, Francis would have to look up the laws in all the states involved, but cost wasn't an issue.
"Thank you." Elizabeth told him as the tears continued to fall. "I wouldn't feel comfortable doing that. My parents and Sarah all loved Colorado. They would want to stay there."
"Okay." Jason just wanted her to know it was an option. "How about we plant some trees in their memories. That way you can have a place to go when you need to feel close to them."
"I'd like that." She said giving him a sad smile. "I don't have any of their things. I know it's the last thing I should care about, but I do. I wish I had something of Sarah's to give to Cameron. I have just one picture of her and one of my parents because we couldn't take too much with us." She put her face to his shoulder and cried harder.
"You've given Cameron something. You tell him about Sarah, and his grandparents. You share your memories and through them he knows his family. I know you've told Cameron how much your sister loved him." He'd never heard her say the words, but he knew his girl. Knew her heart.
"I do." She said quietly. "I told him Sarah grew him in her stomach, but had an accident when he was little. I said I'm his now mommy, but that he had another mommy who loved him with all her heart."
"That's beautiful. He's a lucky boy." Jason could feel his own eyes burning. She needed this. Needed to grieve for what she lost. It wouldn't be just today. It would be a process. In the end it would heal something inside her that was broken. "If you ever want to go to Colorado to visit the graves say so. We can't go just yet, but this time next year should be fine."
"I don't think it will be safe even then." Elizabeth told him. "I broke the law when I took Cameron and the police Chief would love to arrest me."
"No you didn't." Jason hadn't realized that she was worried about this.
"I kidnapped him. We hadn't gone to court yet and I was supposed to testify." Elizabeth explained.
"Lucky's parental rights were already terminated by that point, so that isn't an issue. With you being Cameron's only parent you can't kidnap him. As for the court case, it couldn't proceed because Lucky wasn't in custody. Francis is very good at his job, he already checked. The state has you and Cameron listed as missing persons. From the information Spinelli was able to get the FBI office in Boulder thinks the two of you are dead." Given Lucky's previous behavior and the condition the apartment was in when Elizabeth fled it wasn't a hard conclusion to reach.
"Should we tell them that we are okay?" Elizabeth worried her lower lip.
"No. Elizabeth and Cameron Hardy don't exist anymore so technically they are right." Jason told her. Also he didn't want to bring unwanted attention to her and Cam until they were sure no one else from the Spencer contingent was going to be an issue. "Chief Donnelly is not something you need to worry about. He won't arrest you when we go." She didn't need to know that today was going to be the last day Donnelly drew breath.
"I'm tired, which shouldn't be possible considering how long I slept." Elizabeth just leaned into Jason.
"Sleepy and tired are two different things. Let's go downstairs and I'll make us lunch. Then we'll cuddle on the couch and watch some television. Cameron will be home later, probably with Ben in tow, so enjoy the quiet."
"That sounds great. Let me get dressed." Elizabeth said willing herself to get up.
"Why?" She was in full pajamas. "You are covered. The boys won't see anything they shouldn't." Jason wanted her relaxed. "Let me get you some thick socks for your feet and we'll head downstairs."
Elizabeth had switched to sweats when she opened the door at four p.m. "Hi guys."
"Hi mom." Cameron said hugging her legs.
"Hi Aunt Liz." Ben bounded in with his overnight bag. Having a cousin was the best, he loved sleepovers.
"Thanks Georgie." Liz said herding the boys into the den.
"You're welcome. Same time tomorrow?" The brunette asked.
"Yeah, we appreciate this." Jason said handing over an envelope with Georgie's payment. "That's for the week."
"Okay." Georgie had stood her ground about payment when this was arranged. Johnny and Jason each wanted to give her one hundred dollars a day. She wasn't taking eight hundred dollars from them. Instead they settled on four, which covered the weekend if they needed that as well. "I'll come here tomorrow."
Jason just nodded. He walked her to the door. "Jesse can you please make sure Georgie gets home safely?"
"Sure thing." The newest guard said smiling. His shift was technically over, but he wasn't going to complain.
"Night Georgie." Jason said going back into the penthouse.
"Night Jason." Georgie said walking over to Jesse. She waited until they were in the elevator before speaking. "So you are working for Jason and Johnny now?"
"Just started today." He told her. "I'm off Thursday night, would you maybe like to go see a movie?"
'Of course.' Georgie thought to herself. 'Now he asks me out.' "Sorry, I don't date guys who work for Jason and Johnny."
"I thought you were dating that computer guy." He knew she was currently single.
Georgie rolled her eyes, she really was going to strangle her uncle. "We are just good friends. I'm not actually seeing anyone."
"So if I wasn't working where I am you would go out with me?" Jesse asked her. "Where is your car?"
"Getting inspected." Georgie told him. "I caught a taxi." They were silent as they got in his car. "I'm not judging you Jesse." She didn't want him to think that. "I just see how Maxie worries, and I don't want that." She shrugged. "Sorry." She repeated.
"It's okay." Jesse said starting the car. The rest of the ride was in silence. He walked her to her door at the house and headed to the warehouse to check with Marco.
"How was your first day?" Marco asked his newest employee.
"Good. Hank taught me a lot." Jesse had paid close attention.
"Think you want to continue?" Marco asked the younger man. He knew Jesse well, and knew that he would make an outstanding guard. Hell he had enforcer potential, if he stayed. Which honestly no one wanted. They had all watched him grow up and knew he had a good thing in the PI firm.
"I made a commitment." Jesse answered. He had taken the job in good faith.
"Why did you want this job anyway?" Marco wanted to know.
Jesse wasn't sure he wanted to admit that he did it to impress a girl. That sounded like a boneheaded excuse, which honestly it was. It was also the truth. "A girl." He said grinning ruefully. "Who it turns out doesn't date mob guys."
Marco laughed. "Why don't you go home and I'll tell the bosses that you had a change of heart. No harm no foul." The LT told him.
"I think I'd like that." Jesse said shaking Marco's hand. "Thanks."
"Don't mention it." Marco said sitting behind his desk again.
Jesse drove right to the Corelli house and rang the doorbell. "Hi Jesse." Georgie was surprised to see him back.
"I quit." He told her.
"Okay." Georgie said even more surprised. "I didn't expect you to do that." But she couldn't help but be flattered. He must really want that date.
"It's a really funny story." Jesse said grinning. "I'll tell you over pizza on Thursday night?" He asked hopeful.
"Pick me up at six." Georgie told him.
"I'll be here." Jesse said whistling as he headed back to his car. Now he needed to go see his uncle and get his job back.
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