Halfway through dinner, Jason and Natalie arrived and tension could be felt between them the minute they joined the group. They almost seemed awkward with one another and even though Natalie was trying to put on a forced smile, Jason was of stone. Even though most of the couples spoke during the dinner, they were relatively quiet.

Once dinner was over, the women tidied and put things away as the men continued to talk and goof around.

From where he was seated, Jason kept his eyes toward Trent's back door. Slowly, the women came out and settled back around the bonfire, except Emily. He quickly dodged a look toward Sonny and saw that he was busy looking at pictures on Brock's phone. Jason stood nonchalantly and walked toward the house and let himself in.

When he entered the kitchen, Emily was cutting two pies. He looked at her. She was different. She was truly beautiful and glowing, more than he had ever noticed when they were together. Was it being away from the Navy? Was it a result of being with Sonny? It intrigued him.

"Hey," he said softly, almost too softly, as if he had wanted to make sure that no one outside heard him even though it would have been impossible.

She turned around and saw him. "Hey," she simply answered back as she returned her attention to the pies.

He moved inside the room. "Can we talk?"

"There's nothing to talk about Jace."

He dug his hands in his pockets. "That's not true."

She turned and looked at him. "Even if it were the case, this is not the time nor place to do it."

"Well, you didn't answer my text, so you can imagine that if I can be alone with you, I'm going to take up the opportunity."

She placed the pies on plates. "I had other things to do than answer your text."

"I bet," he said in a snappy tone of voice.

Even though she wanted to respond and lash out at him, she refrained from doing so.

"Is he the reason you broke it off? Did you screw him in Bouet? I saw you and him that night leave instead of joining the rest of us. Or maybe he did?"

Her head spun in his direction, her eyes burning with rage. She was so enraged her hands were shaking and her nostrils were flaring. She hadn't been angry like this a long time.

"Wouldn't that be convenient for you."

He stepped closer to her, his eyes intensely searching hers. "I wasn't the one who put an end to our relationship. I still have feelings for you. You think that I haven't suffered from all of this, from everything you went through, and I couldn't be with you!"

She started to walk in his direction to take the napkins on the kitchen table.

"I have a right to know," he said as she reached his side and put the plates down on the table.

She stopped momentarily and looked at him, her eyes dug deep in his. "You lost that right, the minute you slept with Ashley. You are the only one at fault here, don't look for an escape or somebody else to blame."

Without thinking straight, he put his arms around her waist and pulled her into him and started to kiss her. It took her a minute to fully grasp what was happening, it had gone so fast and she hadn't expected it. With all the strength in her, she shifted her hands and with her palms flat on his chest, pushed herself away from his hold.

"I love Sonny and as hard as that may be for you, you're going to have to live with it. I'm not coming back to you Jason. I never will. After everything I've lived with Sonny, I know now that you and I would never have worked, you are too selfish. It's time you moved on."

She picked up the plates and napkins and headed for the door.

Sonny lifted his head and looked around for Emily. He saw her coming over with the pies and stood to help her. As he reached her, he saw Jason come out of the house. He hadn't even noticed that Jason had vanished and as he looked back toward the rest of the group, it was obvious that they had been inside the house together and alone, something he wasn't too keen on. Not that he didn't trust Emily, far from it, but he knew how Jason could be and he almost wanted to protect Emily from being hurt, even if it meant being protected from Jason. He had always said that he would make sure she never got hurt.

He took one of the plates form her hand and searched her eyes. She said nothing. If there was one thing she wanted, there and then, was to pretend as if nothing had happened and everything was normal. Showing Jason that she had been unphased by what had just happened, was more than a clear indication that she had more than moved on.

"Thanks, babe," she said as she handed Sonny a plate and smiled.

They walked together toward the others. "Who wants some of Emily's homemade cherry pie?" asked Sonny as they reached the group.

Everyone's hands shot up. Jason joined them quietly as they were being served. Natalie leaned toward him. "Everything OK? Where were you?"

"Everything is fine. I had to use the bathroom."

"He kissed you!? Again!?" said Sonny as he removed his cap and placed it on the table in the foyer angrily.

"I pushed him away and told him we were through."

"We've been together for over a year, what else does he need to know you're through and that you and I are serious?"

"Look, it doesn't matter. I don't want to think or talk about Jason. If he didn't get the picture tonight, he will eventually. And giving this and him more importance than it needs to, is just what he is hoping."

Sonny sighed and took her in his arms. "You're right. I'm sorry, it just gets to me that he's not man enough to walk away and think about your happiness, even if it's not with him."

She smiled at him. "That's why you're the better man, like you said, remember?"

He nodded.

Still feeling him a bit unsure, she put her hand softly on his face. "I love you. You make me happy. You make me a better person. I'm with you and I'll always want to be with you. You said months back that he was my past and you were my present and future and that's the way it is."

He nodded again this time showing that he meant it and kissed her.