After the accident with AJ, Jason's world changes in more ways than one and he takes Elizabeth along for the ride, redefining what family means as they try to navigate the twists and turns of their new reality.
A/N – I started writing this several years ago and decided to flesh it out. I hope you like it. I'll be posting Monday and Thursday. This one won't be very long. It should end right before Christmas and then I'll take a break. It's audit season, the first quarter, so work will be crazy.
Chapter 1
Ten, every time he gets to ten ceiling tiles like clockwork, someone interrupts him. Sometimes it's a nurse, or doctor, usually with no good news, and then there is his family who doesn't seem to give a shit about what he wants. They'd rather bore him to death with stories about the late, great Jason Quartermaine and repeatedly ask him if he remembers anything. God, they just won't go away. Speaking of that, he is bored out of his mind, but the doctors insist on him staying in bed because of his brain injury. When he is allowed to get up and take a piss, the whole world has to help him, and his legs are like rubber so he can't even run away. It's hell on earth. His life is now some fractured fairytale where he is lucky enough to still be alive but will have to deal with the consequences of the car crash for the rest of his life. His memories are gone and he's a blank slate which hasn't gone over well with anyone he has met. Unfortunately, people want him to be someone he isn't anymore, and they are driving him crazy trying to force him to recall memories that are no longer there.
Some days, he wishes he hadn't survived. Nothing makes any sense and the disappointment in his family's eyes just makes him feel like a failure. As a result, he's cranky and difficult with the staff, mostly so they'll leave him alone. While that worked on some of the nurses, others weren't so easily scared away by his gruffness or his frequent bursts of anger and he oddly respects that.
Tentatively, Elizabeth Webber moves into the room. In the last several weeks, Jason had scared off most of the nurses with his petulant and unrepentant behavior. While she's attending nursing school, she volunteers at the hospital a lot to try to get some experience. Even though she is a little frightened of him, she also realizes that right now, he is acting like a child because mentally, he is starting from scratch. Although he looks anything but one with gorgeous blue eyes and a jawline that any model would kill for, his lack of references and appropriate behavior is a reminder that he has a lot of adjusting to do. They had cut his hair into blonde spikes which are okay, but she misses the way his hair would fall into his eyes when you least expected it, making him flick his head or swipe at it. God, he is so beautiful.
His gaze pins her, almost making her freeze as she tries to find her voice and say hello, but nothing comes out because she is lost in a volatile sea of pure blue. The depth of his azure eyes is breathtaking, and she wonders if he even realizes the power behind them and how much he uses them to communicate. Considering his tantrums and anger issues, she had planned to approach him differently, but his intensity is distracting her from her game plan.
"You came back."
Elizabeth shrugged, trying to play it cool when inside, she isn't even close to it.
Jason crossed his arms across his chest. "What do you want?" When it comes to the petite nurse, he can't help but mess with her head, knowing how nervous she is around him. While she is clearly intimidated by him, she never seems to give up no matter how snarky he becomes, and it makes him wonder why.
"Nothing, I'm going to change your water and then leave you some new pajamas, courtesy of your mother, and then I'll get out of your way." She made her way towards the counter.
When he suddenly dropped his arms and groaned, she focused on him, wondering what she had said to elicit such a response, but he wasn't looking at her, so she quickly realized his discomfort is in the form of her sister who is dejectedly standing in the doorway. The uneasiness between her and her sibling hadn't gotten any better since Elizabeth moved to town six months prior. They are like oil and water and both had given up on being close. Their entire childhood they fought for attention and unfortunately, Sarah frequently won. Elizabeth was the brat and Sarah was the chosen one. After Sarah had left for college, things had gotten a little better on the home front, but her sister's accomplishments were constantly thrown in her face. When she had complained to her grandmother, Audrey Hardy offered her a room if she agreed to go to nursing school after she finished high school. Unfortunately, Sarah had the same idea and decided to be a resident at General Hospital and then met the man of their dreams, Jason Quartermaine, and once again her parents gushed over the choice because Sarah would be set for life while no one wanted poor, dowdy Elizabeth.
"Hi," Sarah said before moving closer.
"Are you stupid?" Jason asked.
Sarah froze. "What—why would you ask me that?"
"Because you don't listen. I told you that I don't want you here."
Her bottom lip quivered. "But Jason—" It has been so hard dealing with his moods when all she wants to do his hold him and feel his energy again, but he refuses to even speak to her. The man was her fortress and strength, encouraging her when her residency took a toll on her and convincing her that she could do it and succeed. Whoever is lying in the bed is not her Jason, but she refuses to accept that he may never remember because she can't let him go.
"No buts!" His voice echoed through the room making the women jump. "Now, get out."
Sarah squelched a wail. "Elizabeth, do something!"
Liz sighed. Her sister is coming apart at the seams with tears springing from her eyes, looking completely tortured and it had no effect on Elizabeth because Sarah can turn on tears like a freaking faucet with no effort. She hates when people put her in the middle, especially since they don't get along.
"How do you know each other?" Jason asked.
"We're sisters," Sarah explained.
His eyes bugged out as he laughed. "No fucking way." Not only do they look nothing alike, but Elizabeth had won in the personality department. Jason Quartermaine must have been insane to put up with the blonde who may be book smart, but after listening to her yammer on and on for hours in the past, he discovered she is a narcissist and Jason Quartermaine was a total pussy. The orderlies had been a great source of entertainment and had helped him learn some colorful phrases which he liked to use to shock his parents because God knows that the golden boy never said them.
"We are nothing alike, but we are sisters."
His gaze settled on Elizabeth who looks uncomfortable and slightly perturbed. "Sorry…"
Liz shrugged. "It's not your fault."
Sarah stomped her foot. "Shut it, Lizzie."
Liz's eyes narrowed. "Don't call me that!"
"I'll call you whatever I want."
"If you call me Lizzie, I'll refer to you as the Bitch from here on out."
Sarah gasped and then her jaw dropped when Jason started to double over laughing. She hadn't seen him crack a smile since he awakened, and he picks now to laugh.
"Wait until I tell mom and dad!" Leave it to Lizzie to always try to make her look bad.
"Do I look like I care?"
Sarah left in a huff, so Liz got back to work.
"Alright, you're going to sit and tell me about me and Sarah." His family kept singing her praises to get him to fall in line and he didn't believe a word out of their mouths.
She busied herself with wiping the counter. "I don't know a lot. She said that you are the love of her life and were going to get married." Unfortunately, she said it a lot just to rub it in but there is no way Liz is going to tell him how supposedly great he was in bed. Apparently, he is phenomenal and, as her sister so cattily bragged about, is hung like a horse.
He made a face like he tasted something disgusting. "There is no way in hell I'd marry her."
"Well, you're a lot different now."
"Is that good or bad?"
"I didn't know you that well, but you're a lot edgier now. I think it suits you though." She blushes which just fuels his curiosity.
"Were we friends?"
She is tempted to admit her stalkerish tendencies when it came to the former Jason Q. but decides to hide that for now. "No. I don't get along with Sarah, so we didn't hang out. You seemed nice enough though." No one needs to know that she had crushed on her almost brother-in-law. It was something she only admitted to herself.
While she struggles to keep her composure, she can barely look him in the eyes and had started to fidget which further intrigued him.
"Okay, so we weren't friends, but—were we together behind her back or something?"
She turned so red that he got concerned.
"What? Why would you ask me that?"
"You're awkward around me and can't look me in the eyes and don't even get me started on your red face. How do you do that, by the way? It's kind of cool."
Mortified, she just stared at him for a long moment and then luckily was saved when another nurse entered the room.
He smirked. Interesting—apparently Elizabeth Webber either had a crush on his nemesis, old Jason or maybe golden boy did something inappropriate that she won't admit to. Out of the two sisters, she is more his type. Her skin is so creamy that he wants to lick it and wonders what it would taste like.
Noticing his shifting expression which now is way too wicked for her to deal with, she decides to bail.
"I have to go," she said, blushing under his lustful gaze. She practically ran out of the room and Jason couldn't help but smile.
"Why are you grinning like that?" Epiphany asked as she moved inside. "It's a little creepy." She wasn't even aware his mouth would move in an upward direction.
"I like her."
Piph does love his lack of a filter but needs some confirmation. "Who?"
"Elizabeth."
She stopped in her tracks. "Oh, hell no! Do you even know how insane that would make the Quartermaines and Webbers? They would lose their ever-loving minds, at least what they have left from dealing with your situation."
His grin grew even wider.
"You listen to me, I can't control you once you leave here, but Elizabeth has been through a lot in the eighteen years that she has been on this earth and you are not equipped to deal with that right now, so you need to slow your roll."
He rolled his eyes.
"I mean it. She is a great person and doesn't deserve someone messing with her head." Elizabeth is one of her favorite volunteers and she can't wait until she's a full-fledged nurse.
"I think she liked me before."
"And? You're not him, so it doesn't matter." The only way to get through to Jason is to be frank, which is something Piph has no problem with.
He averted his gaze. "I know everyone thinks I'm damaged goods now, but she doesn't treat me like that. Yesterday, she brought me some magazines to read and she doesn't judge me. I like her."
"I don't judge you either, but I don't see you trying to get into my pants."
His head cocked to the side as he tried to figure out how he'd fit in there along with her and she laughed loud and long.
"You're a mess. I didn't mean literally, I meant—"
He eyes her curiously as she tries to figure out how to put it into words.
"Forget I said anything. I'm going on my rounds. Can you please try not to offend my nurses?"
He chuckled. "Okay." He likes her because she's straight with him and he needs that right now.
An orderly enters the room. "I'm going to walk alongside you as you go to the bathroom to change."
Jason groaned. His body isn't fully co-operating yet and sometimes, it's embarrassing. "Tell me something…"
"What?"
"What does it mean if someone says you're trying to get into their pants?"
He laughed. "It means that you want to have sex with them."
"What's sex?"
The man paused. While he knows that Jason had been in a traumatic accident, the question had thrown him.
"Uh—it's what men and women who like each other do. There's a lot of kissing and then intercourse."
Jason's eyes widened. "I think I know what that is."
"Well, Tony did say that you had recalled some of your medical studies. I'm sure you took anatomy."
"I'm going to like getting into someone's pants."
The orderly grinned. "How about you hold off until you can walk without looking like an old man?"
Jason laughed. "Yeah." Things are finally looking up.
IiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiI
Elizabeth opened the door to the roof and moved towards the edge. How Jason could see right through her all the time she didn't know, but he's driving her to drink. For the last two months, she has had a burning crush on him and could never understand why Jason Quartermaine would want her sister and even questioned his sanity at times when her sister would do something stupid and he'd forgive her.
"Are you happy?" Sarah said easing her way towards the ledge.
"I don't want to argue with you."
"You made me look bad in front of him. I'm trying so hard to get him to remember and what you did just made it worse."
Liz rolled her eyes. "Why is it always about you? He doesn't want you hovering over him. What he needs is space."
Sarah shoved her. "Who the hell are you to tell me what to do with my fiancé? If it were you in my place, you'd be doing the same thing! You'd fight for him."
"Maybe, but I'd also try not to force him to be someone he's not."
"Talk about making it all about you. This isn't about our childhood. Besides, no one forced you to be a brat."
"You had it so easy, Sarah, and you're not even thankful for it. It's not my fault that Jason can't stand the sight of you, so don't take it out on me."
Sarah swung her arm and smacked Elizabeth hard.
Elizabeth touched her mouth to check for blood and then smacked the taste out of Sarah's mouth. "Don't ever touch me again." She stormed back into the stairwell.
Sarah sunk to her knees as she sobbed and a few minutes later, Nikolas appeared.
"Are you okay?" He helped her to her feet and saw the mark on her face. "Who hit you?"
"It doesn't matter," she said as she swiped at her face.
"Yes, it does."
"I don't want to talk about it."
Their gaze locked. "Okay but let me help. Can I give you a ride home?"
"Yes."
He is aware of her plight. Hell, the whole town is reeling from the Quartermaine drama, especially if you've been treated to Jason's ire. Sarah looks like hell and he just hopes that he can distract her long enough to see a smile on her face again.