IRREVOCABLE
This had to be some kind of sick twisted joke, it couldn't be the truth, it just couldn't. Glaring at the blonde that she had sworn would be the destruction of her brother, Emily Quartermaine couldn't believe the kind of crap that was spewing out of Carly's mouth. That was until she took a longer look at the blonde and could see that she wasn't just blowing hot air. In spite of her inner feelings about the situation, her mouth speaks to the exact contrary.
"Good." Emily snaps, arms folded across her chest. "At least now, you can't sink your gold digging claws into my brother anymore."
"Where do you think you're going?" Carly grabs hold of Emily's arm as she tries to walk away. "If you know where that little muffin face is you better spit it out now..."
"Or what Carly?" Emily counters, meeting her glare with one of her own. "Go ahead and do your worst. If it'll get you out of my brother's life for good, go right ahead. I dare you."
"You won't be able to hide behind Jason forever, little girl."
"Don't you mean that you won't be able to hide behind Jason forever?" Emily counters, yanking her arm free of Carly's grasp. "Now that Jason's married, he'll start to see you for who you really are and I, for one, cannot wait for that to happen."
"I'm his forever!" Carly shouts. "Me! Not that whiny muffin faced bitch! You hear me, Emily, I'm his forever!"
"Apparently Jason believes differently." Emily shrugs. "I thought it would take longer, but who am I to complain when things working out in my favor. Enjoy your place in my brother's life while you can, Carly, because I have a feeling its bound to come to a truly bitter end."
Making her way down the stairs, she makes her way out of the local diner, having decided that she's lost her appetite. When Carly had pulled her up the stairs, she had feared the worst, that something had been terribly wrong with Jason, but then confusion hit because Carly couldn't care less if she knew about Jason's condition had something actually happened. So, standing there in silence, she listened as the woman ranted on, thoroughly shocked with the information that was revealed to her.
She's been trying to get ahold of Elizabeth for the last few days, even going as far as stopping by the studio more than once, but she never ran into her and all her calls went straight to voicemail. Knowing what she knows now, it all made sense, and she couldn't decide if she was more hurt or betrayed by it all. Hurt because her friendship with Elizabeth has come to a point where she's left out of one of the most important moments of her best friend's life and betrayed because the moment had been shared with her brother, of all people.
In retrospect, if she allowed herself to really think about it, she'd admit that it wasn't exactly that much of a surprise. Sure, her brother had denied anything romantic happening between the two of them, but she wasn't blind. She could see it clear as day, just like everyone else, that there was more to the story than what they had lead everyone to believe. There was always something deeper between them, something she had feared from the moment it became apparent to her, but she had believed that they had left it alone.
When Lucky had been found, she had noticed a drastic change between Elizabeth and Jason, so, she logically assumed that they had put it to rest. Obviously Jason knows the kind of relationship that her two best friends shared, making it only logical that he would accept it and take a step back. Just as that thought hit her another came in full force. Her brother had been present in the diner when Lucky and Elizabeth had that final blowout, officially ending anything that may have still been between them. God, why didn't she see this coming? It was so obvious.
Taking a deep breath, she shakes her head wearily, thankful for the small miracle of Lucky no longer being in town. If Carly were to get her hands on him, lord only knows what that bitch would do to twist Lucky's already wrangled mind. Thankfully, for everyone's sake, the Spencers had taken Lucky out of town with Nikolas's assistance. After the blowout with Elizabeth, they had all agreed that maybe it would be best for Lucky to get some professional help. It wasn't an easy topic to broach with Luke and Laura, but thankfully they were able to see it her and Nikolas's way.
Strangely enough, it had been Lucky to seal the deal. As long as it was what he wanted, his parents accepted his choice and booked him the first flight out of town. If they're on time, they should be checking him into the facility this very moment. Once they're finished, Nikolas will call her and confirm that everything went to plan. She knows how much this is hurting him, seeing his brother in so much pain due to his family, but she won't let him dwell on it. He's not responsible for his mentally deranged grandmother anymore than she's responsible for Edward.
"What's bothering you, child?" Lila, her grandmother, questions when she walks into the family room.
"What isn't these days?" Emily counters, making her way to sit by her grandmother. "Grandmother, can I ask you something?"
"Of course, my dear."
"Jason confides in you above anyone else, doesn't he?" Emily questions, continuing on when her grandmother merely nods. "Did he tell you that he was going to marry Elizabeth?"
"Emily..."
"He didn't, didn't he?" Emily looks at her seriously, seeing the truth in her eyes. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"It wasn't my place." Lila says simply. "I'm obliged to keep anything told to me in confidence to myself. Its nothing I wouldn't do for you, my dear."
"I just...its just that..." Emily sighs. "I wish he would have told me. I wish one of them would have told me."
"Would you have accepted their choice?" Lila dares to question, eyeing her intently. "Or would have done anything to stop it from happening?"
"I..." Emily looks down at her hands, letting out a deep sigh, seeing her grandmother's point. "The latter...probably."
"Your brother and Elizabeth have the right to love and marry whoever their heart desires." Lila says softly as she takes her granddaughter's hand in hers. "Just like you or anyone else, for that matter."
"You're right...I know you are." Emily says, meeting her grandmother's eyes. "I just can't help feeling hurt and betrayed by the way they did it. She's my best friend and he's my brother...I know their reason for not doing so, but they should have told me. They should have given me the chance to try and accept it."
"No one can tell you how to feel about their marriage." Lila says softly. "But you mustn't take it personally. Neither of them had any intention to hurt you. Trust me."
"I..." Emily shakes her head, leaning over to kiss her grandmother's cheek before rising to her feet. "I'm really tired. I think I'll go to bed now."
"Before you do, I'd like to ask something of you, if that's alright."
"Sure, okay."
"When you speak to your brother, like I know you will, promise me you'll keep an open mind." Lila says firmly. "Let him explain, if that's what he wishes to do, and try not to rush to judgement if he chooses not to."
"I promise."
Granting her grandmother a smile, Emily makes her way out of the family room and up the stairs, needing to get a good night's rest before she even thinks about having that conversation with her brother. Obviously, she had a lot to say to him and a lot of questions, but that can all wait for another day. Right now, all she wants is to enter into a peaceful slumber, leaving the world of the conscious far behind.
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The pounding in his head alerts Jason to the massive headache that has begun forming in his head as Elizabeth grandmother roams through his penthouse shouting for her granddaughter to make her presence known. Far be it for the woman to believe him when he tells her that Elizabeth isn't there and that she was no longer within the Port Charles boarders. No. That would mean putting even an ounce of faith in his word and, as she had so eloquently put it, she'd sooner jump off a cliff than believe a word he says.
Apparently someone from the courthouse had congratulated Audrey on Elizabeth's marriage while also making subtle jabs at the fact that the man she had married was none other than the notorious Jason Morgan. Of course she had denied such a thing and practically castrated her friend for saying such distasteful things about her granddaughter. That was, of course, until more than one person confirmed that Justice had been in to pick up the marriage license for Jason. Hence her presence in his penthouse at this hour of the night.
"I don't know what you have done to coerce my granddaughter into marrying you, Mr. Morgan, but rest assured that I will not rest until this dreadful mistake is rectified." Audrey snaps, glaring at him as she prepares to leave the house. "I don't care what lies you told my granddaughter to fool her into becoming your wife. I will not stand for it, you hear me?! I will not stand for it."
Swallowing back anything he was tempted to say, having witnessed the time of love that this woman had for Elizabeth, Jason simply pulls open the door and waits for her to walk out of it before shutting the door swiftly behind her. He had expected such a reaction from the elder woman, having been prepared to accept whatever she had to say as long as she didn't spew anything negative in regard to Elizabeth, thankful that the anger was directed solely on him.
Jason'll give her the time she needs to wrap her head around it, a good month or so, before he informs her that enough was enough. He will only take so much from the woman before he starts firing back his own jabs at her relationship with Elizabeth. The fact that her family thinks they can just treat Elizabeth however they damn well please and then act like they have the right to dictate her life in any way is beyond him. Its something he won't stand for.
Shaking thoughts of Elizabeth's family from his mind, Jason checks the date on the calender, noting that she should be in Florence by now. Checking the time difference, he makes his way over to the desk, plopping down onto the desk chair before picking up the phone and dialing the number that Johnny had sent him while they were still in Rome. Deciding that it was worth the risk of getting the voicemail, seeing as it was nearly three in the morning where she is.
"Its about time you called me." Elizabeth voices the moment she picks up her end of the line. "I thought I'd hear from you a lot sooner than this, Mr. Morgan. For shame."
"Well, Mrs. Morgan, you could have called just as easily, you know."
"Touche." she laughs softly. "I guess I just miss you more than I thought I would."
"I miss you, too."
"How are you? How are things back home?" Elizabeth questions. "Johnny only tells me what he hears from Francis and that's not much."
"I'm fine." he assures. "Everything's pretty much the same here. Aside from the fact that word has started to get around that we're married."
"Pretty slow for Port Charles." Elizabeth comments as she relaxes back into her bed. "Guess it was bound to get around sooner or later."
"I was hoping much later." he admits, running one hand down his face. "Your grandmother practically tore apart my penthouse looking for you."
"I'm sorry about that." she sighs. "I knew she'd overreact, but that's a little much, even for her."
"Don't apologize." he says firmly. "Its nothing I can't handle."
"Do I even want to know how Carly and Sonny reacted?"
"Sonny has accepted it." Jason replies. "Carly...well, she reacted pretty much how you'd expect her to react."
"I hate that she's putting you through that." Elizabeth wishes she could have been there to defend Jason, but she can't and she knows that.
"I'm just glad you're not here to deal with it." Jason admits. "This was my choice. I'll handle the fallout."
"You know I'd gladly face it with you if you want."
"I know you would and I'm thankful for that." Jason says sincerely. "Just knowing you're enjoying Italy, however, is more than enough for me."
"Oh, god, Jason, I can't even begin to tell you how amazingly perfect this past week has been." she says dreamily, knowing it was his subtle way of changing the subject. "I feel like I'm in a never ending dream. Its so beautiful here. Beyond anything I could have ever imagined."
For the next hour, he listens as she tells him all about Rome and the adventures she had while she was there. She tells him about all the sketches she has created, swearing that she will end up with a suitcase filled with sketchbooks if she's not careful. The sights were just too beautiful to not want to get it onto paper.
Closing his eyes, Jason could almost picture Rome as she describes it to him, having been there once, he can sort of piece together a coherent picture just from listening to her. Hearing her yawning on the other end of the line, he knew he had to let her go, knowing she only had a week to experience Florence and he didn't want her to miss out by sleeping in all day.
"Only if you promise you'll call again." Elizabeth counters when he suggests she call it a night. "Please, Jason."
"I'll call again. I promise." he says sincerely. "When you land in Milan."
"No." she says immediately. "Before I leave Florence."
"Okay." he agrees. "Before you leave Florence. Now, will you get some sleep?"
"I will." she says softly. "Thank you for finally calling me."
"Thank you for answering."
Waiting long enough for her to hang up on her end, Jason takes a deep breath before placing the receiver back on the hook. He couldn't exactly say how long he had stayed in that chair, relishing in the feeling that was coursing through him after having spoke to her. If he closed his eyes and willed himself to believe it, he just might have believed that she was there with him.
Listening to her go on and on always put him in a sort of tranquil state. Always feeling the most relaxed as she went on about pretty much anything. Hearing her talk of the country she loved so much reminded him so much of the time she had told him about her love for art. He could just hear it in her voice how much she loved it there.
Feeling the fatigue setting in, Jason rises to his feet before making his way upstairs to his bed. As he's getting undressed, Jason's eyes find its way to the painting, allowing a soft smile to touch his lips before he slides into bed. He was right, he thought, slowly fading into a deep slumber, it was the perfect place to hang the painting. Exactly right.
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Snuggling into her covers, Elizabeth knows that she should find a way to fall asleep, anxious to experience the beauty of the Uffizi Gallery with her own eyes, but she just couldn't help but think back on her conversation with Jason. Talking to him always gives her peace of mind, knowing that he was okay, always relishing in their conversations for as long as they last.
Obviously she knows that she can pick up the phone and call Jason whenever the mood strikes, having done it enough times in the past, but she just can't help feeling nervous now that she's technically his wife. Her friendship with Jason has come to mean so much to her that she was fearful that their first conversation since her leaving would be awkward. She's thankful, though, that it had been anything but.
With a soft smile, she closes her eyes, imagining the painting of the wind hanging where he had said he put it. The thought of him going to bed and waking up with her painting as the last and first image to greet him had a strange affect on her. It was like this warm feeling that spreads from your head to your toes.
As the fatigue starts to win over her desire to stay awake, Elizabeth's last thought before she falls into a peaceful slumber is how perfect it'll be to see the painting again. How perfect it'll be when he finally visits her. One day, she reminds herself, repeating his promise in her head. Not anytime soon, but he will visit. And that was enough to send her into a deep, peaceful, slumber.
A/N: Here you go, for those who wanted Emily and Audrey's reaction to the nuptials. The next chapter will be set about a year or so into the future from this point. (A scene that had been suggested by one of you beautiful reviewers, I might add.) So, look forward to that and see if its the scene you think it'll be or something you hadn't expected. Just for good measure, thank you to the moon and back for all your wonderful reviews. I'm not entirely sure if it was ever explained in the past, but Carly had made some kind of statement recently as to why she doesn't like Elizabeth. Something about how she always enjoys being just out of reach. I don't know. I kind of tune Carly out these days. Anyway, thank you so much for your reviews, I hope you enjoyed this update and hope to hear more from all of you. Hugs and much love to each and every one of you as you face your day ahead or as you end your day.