Jason had to walk away due to the business, but he can't get her off his mind. She is hurt because she had allowed herself to trust and hope. Are they done, or are they just beginning?

A/N – I was asked to do a Brason or JaBritt fic. If you don't like them, then skip it. You don't have to trash them in the comments. if you do, enjoy. It won't be that long, but I don't have a final chapter count yet. There is a collage picture on my site Drawn To You and AOC.

Chapter 1

Every muscle in his torso is taut as Jason watches Britt read in her office. He had hurt her when she was already reeling from her Huntington's diagnosis and it is something he deeply regrets. Not only is keeping his word very important to him, but then there is the fact that the trust she had given him is gone, so she won't let him support her. It's understandable given the circumstances, but the reality of the situation still doesn't ease his guilt and regret. There is a bond between them that had developed for months. She hadn't been on his radar before that, nor did he ever think that somehow, they'd end up in bed together or caring for each other. Over the course of several months, he had gotten to know her better and watched her battle between good and bad, trying to navigate where she fits in. When he had needed her, she helped him fight off the enemy, almost getting hurt in the process. As much as she thinks she is a bad girl, she did the right thing in the end. Most people deserve second chances. The way she had lashed out, was a result of not only coming from a fucked-up family, but her track record with men isn't great. She has been hurt many times before, sometimes because of her actions, but he hadn't intended to add himself to the list. When he saw her with Jax, his heart had dropped. He guesses he should be used to someone he cares about sleeping with someone he can't stand, but it was his treatment of her that pushed her down that road and unfortunately, she rode it to the end.

Carly observed from the end of the hallway, seething to find him there acting like a stalker. She can feel his tension from where she stood. They need to focus on the business, not the woman whose helplessness got Jason shot in the first place and ruined their plans. What is it about Britt that has Jason so preoccupied and twisted? While she may be attractive, Jason usually likes women who need saving or have had a rough time. Britt has been a train wreck since she got to town. Carly should know. Sure, her parents suck, but there has got to be something else she's missing. It can't be that she saved him—could it? No, there is something Britt is hiding and she's going to find out if it's the last thing she does.

When Jason was gone, she got a taste of the power that Sonny had always coveted and now, she gets it. When Cyrus got in her face and she could smack him down, it made her feel invincible. While she could have stepped aside, providing a clear path for Jason to take over as he has done before, she couldn't give it up. They thought she was weak because she was a woman, but she is far from it. Her gender shouldn't factor into it. No, she wants to be respected, and Jason by her side like he has always been—where he belongs.

Slowly, she moves forward.

"Jason," she whispers prompting him to spin around.

His eyes narrow and then he quickly closes the distance and then pulls her into an empty room.

"Are you following me?"

Her eyes grow wide. "Not like you are implying. I tracked you down because we need to talk about Novak."

"Jesus, Carly, can I have a moment to myself?"

"We don't have time for that right now. You said that you're committed to this."

"I am."

"Then why are you anywhere near her? You have to let her go."

Jason's jaw clenched as he stared at her. Carly had been a polarizing presence in his life for years. Ironically, it has come to this and after all this time, he has to marry her to protect the business when he swore her off regarding love years ago. Sure, he loves her as a friend even if her choices occasionally make him question it but marrying her for any reason is overwhelming.

Sam, who had seen them go into the room is standing outside listening, unsure of who they are discussing.

"Do you think you need to remind me of that?"

"Jason… I'm sorry. I know this is hard for you. It's tearing me apart that Sonny is gone, and we have to get married while I'm still grieving."

Her eyes prick with tears which makes him shift uncomfortably.

"I know that you care about her. Maybe I don't understand it after all she has done, but I'm trying to."

"You don't need to understand. It's my life. You have done a lot too, and I have forgiven it."

She doesn't want to think about her mistakes, this is about the present, not the past. "I know you always have to make a sacrifice—"

"Do you?"

Silence fills the room as they stare.

It's hard to look away from his piercing blue eyes, especially when they are slightly cold which usually isn't directed at her, at least not lately. "Yes. I know what you have done for me and the business."

"It's endless. You could have just removed yourself from the equation to protect the kids and you didn't. Instead, you expect me to sacrifice for it." He has held his tongue, trying to put up a good front, but he can't hold it any longer. Yes, it's his fault that he had allowed things to get to this point. Maybe he's just tired of giving up everything due to his loyalty.

"I'm sorry. I just—being in charge made me feel empowered when all I have felt since Sonny has been gone is lost. It gave me purpose. I just wanted to protect his legacy."

He rubbed the back of his neck. "I said I'd marry you and I will, but you can't expect me to just turn off my feelings for her so quickly."

"Isn't that what you did with Sam?"

Sam sucked in a harsh breath. Up until that moment, she had thought that maybe they were talking about her. Apparently, Jason has feelings for someone else. It is certainly not what she expected, but at least it proves that Carly and Jason are only marrying for the business. Several women run through her mind, but in the forefront, Elizabeth is out of the picture, and the rest aren't Jason's type. Then suddenly, a face flashes before her eyes and she realizes the significance of where she is standing and her heart twinged, but she needs to hear him say it. She won't believe it until she hears the name.

"I didn't just get over Sam. You know it hurt me. I thought that she would always be there. She convinced me that she could handle being in my life and having my child, and I trusted her."

"And everyone but me has walked away from you. They couldn't handle your life. I am the one that always has your back. You need to think about that because I don't think this time will end any differently."

Sam knows she hurt him, but it also hurt her that he didn't fight to be with his family and instead chose the business yet again. She thought what they had was different, but their love wasn't strong enough to break that bond.

"Sam created danger around the kids too, especially with that Shiloh mess and almost got you killed. She risked her parole over and over and then walked away from you after one close call."

"Carly…"

"I know it's not that black and white and I hate that she hurt you even though I get why she walked away, but her decision-making has sucked for a while. She even sold out your family regarding the shares."

Sam rolled her eyes. Just once she wishes she could punch Carly in the face for her hypocrisy. It's okay when she makes mistakes but no one else gets the same courtesy.

"I'm not discussing Sam with you."

"Yeah, you'd rather hold it all in. Fine, it's your life, but if we're going to make this work, you need to leave Britt behind, for her sake and yours."

Sam is too stunned to move. It's what she thought, but it doesn't hurt any less that she had guessed it. She should have made him take her on the run instead of Britt and then, the britch wouldn't have gotten under his skin.

"Circumstances brought you together and she saved your life, I get it. You don't like to just sleep around, and you feel bad for hurting her. I know that I'm asking you to sacrifice your life yet again and I feel like shit for it."

Sam highly doubts that. How could he sleep with Britt Westmore of all people? She wiped a tear away. It's truly over. While she knew that he'd eventually move on, she didn't think it would be so soon. Jason and Britt have been working together for months, so she doubts that it was just something that happened on the run. She still loves him and doesn't think that will ever go away, but things hadn't been totally right between them since he returned and there were lots of reasons for it. Wiping her face one more time, she headed toward the elevators, determined to put the past behind her like she has so many times before.

"Goodbye, Jason."

Britt had seen Sam walk away and is curious, so she moves next to the door.

"Please, Jason. I know that you're tired of sacrificing everything for the business, but I need to protect Sonny's legacy and the kids."

"I told you that I'd marry you to protect the family and I meant it, but you get no say in my private life and I will not discuss Britt with you. I don't even get why you bring her up when you know it's not helping me get over it." There are so many things he can't tell Carly, not that he wants to. Britt's illness is none of her business and he prays that she never finds out. "If you care about our friendship as much as you say you do, then leave her alone and drop this. She doesn't need you hurting her further."

Britt is stunned as she makes her way back to her office. How he looked and what he said to her when he confessed about the marriage is starting to make more sense. There were tears in his eyes. He doesn't want to marry Carly but feels he has to. "What does that mean?" she said aloud as she grabbed her keys and purse. She needs to talk this out.

Jason pressed his finger against his lips when he heard Britt's footsteps, and when they were no longer audible, he took a deep breath. "Are we done?"

Carly nodded as tears flooded down her cheeks. "I'm sorry."

"So am I."

The pressure she is putting on him is causing more damage than she had realized, and she's wondering what his statement meant.

"Do you want to push the wedding back?"

He pinched the bridge of his nose. "No. Honestly, with Novak's attitude, I don't even know if it will make a difference, but we have to. It's expected."

She nodded, wishing Jason would embrace the idea a little more than he has because they need to make it believable for this to work.

He gripped her arms. "Are we good?"

"Can I have a hug?"

He embraced her. "It's going to be okay. We'll get through it." God, he wishes he could believe his own words.

IiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiI

Brad picked up the phone. "What happened?" Her eyes are red, so something had gone down.

"It's good to see you too."

"Don't change the subject. Talk to me."

"I miss you so much."

"I miss you too." He means it with every fiber of his being. "Now spill. I need details."

She sighed heavily. "I just overheard Jason and Carly say that they are getting married for the business, not love, and I don't know how to deal with that," she said with tears in her eyes.

Brad eyed her sympathetically. While the relationship or whatever they are calling it had taken him by surprise, he just wants her to find some happiness.

"I mean, it doesn't really change anything. He put her and the business first and ditched our developing romance."

"Then why are you so upset?"

"When we separated, he had tears in his eyes. He said things that implied that if the situation were different, that he would be with me."

His brow rose. "You kind of left that out before."

"I didn't want to acknowledge it because it just makes me hurt more that he would rather sacrifice his happiness than take a chance with me. I get he has a job to do and right now, things aren't going well. I also know that he cares about me, but I still hurt when I see him because…"

"What aren't you telling me?"

"I didn't want to worry you."

When tears flow down her face, his stomach turns. "You know you can tell me anything."

"I just hate saying it aloud. I have the Huntington's marker. Jason encouraged me to face it and take the test. He was by my side and helped me not feel sorry for myself and try to be more positive. I let him in here," she said patting her chest. "He wanted to support me, and it gave me hope because I don't get happy endings, and then it was ripped away."

Brad averted his gaze as he processed it. "Oh, Britt. I'm so sorry. That's so huge in many ways. I get it. I'm sorry he hurt you." He can't imagine how devastated she is and wishes he wasn't stuck in a prison of his own making.

"Me too, but maybe I was asking for it. Why would anyone truly care about me anyway?"

"Hey, what am I—chopped liver?"

She closed her eyes to gather her composure. "No. I just—I hate that I still want him every time I see him and then Carly is like this bucket of ice-cold water that reminds me that he has always been hers. I guess I answered my own question."

"What?"

"It doesn't matter the reasons he broke it off, it still hurts. In ways, it might be worse."

"I wish I could hug you."

"Me too."

"You'll have to settle for a raincheck."

"Okay."

He paused for a moment. "Maybe you should talk to him and let him know that you know. It would give you some closure."

She sucked back a sob. "Maybe I'm not ready for that conversation."

"Just think about it. If you don't, you won't be able to concentrate on anything else."

"You're probably right."

The guard cleared his throat.

"I hate leaving you like this."

"It's okay. I'll be fine. I'm sorry for dumping on you."

"That's what friends do."

As he was being led back to his cell, he prayed that Britt talks to Jason because the pair have a lot of things that they need to clear up.