Chapter 1
Sonny closed his cell phone slowly; one lone tear making it's way down his cheek. He reached for Carly, intending to offer comfort as much as be comforted. "There's been an accident…"
"No." Carly said in a heartbroken tone. "Sonny please don't tell me this." She begged, tremors distorting her voice. She put her fingertip to his lips. "Don't say another word please." The only movement from him was the trembling of his lip underneath her fingers and the hot splash of tears on her hand. "Don't say it." She repeated in a heartbroken tone. "Cause I just don't wanna know."
"You have to know." Sonny's voice was rusty and halting as he tried to come to grips with what he had just heard. He gripped Carly's shoulders gently but firmly. "You have to know Carly."
"No I don't. Get away from me." She said in a blind panic. As long as he didn't voice what had happened everything would be just fine. It had to be. They couldn't make it without Jason.
When Sonny didn't relinquish his hold, she pushed away. She was beyond caring that he was in pain. Her own pain was consuming her like a relentless fire, threatening to burn her soul from within. She moved to the opposite end of the couch and wrapped her arms around her legs, rocking back and forth slowly.
"No it can't be. He seems so close. I could almost feel him here awhile ago." It can't be true." Her features toughened as she reached denial. "It's a lie Sonny! Whatever they told you is a lie."
Sonny ran a trembling hand through his hair and shook his head. "I wish it was Carly. His bike was hit. We don't know how bad it is but someone that's been watching out for him is with him. They wanted us to know." He looked over to find that she had blocked her ears against his words.
That was the final straw for Sonny. He moved quickly over to Carly and pulled her finger out of her ears. "Did you hear me. He isn't dead but he might die. Now, stop being like a two-year-old and get ready. We're going to GH."
~*~
V Ardanowski's knees scraped the pavement as she examined Jason Morgan. Only a fool would have suspected his injuries were minor. The widening pool of blood under his head signified a serious skull or brain injury to V and the angle of his neck could mean that it was broken. "Jason what were you thinking. You had a helmet. Why didn't you wear it?" V gently pushed back a sandy brown lock. His hair was getting a little longer then he had expected and she had overheard him talking about going to a barber soon. Would he ever get the opportunity to do something so mundane again?
She sighed and reached for the man's hand. It was the only part of him that looked basically uninjured. "Come on Jason you have to fight. So many people need you. I know why you came back, for Michael, For Lila, For Emily. They'll all miss you so much if you check out. That's not allowed Jason."
V had never expected this outcome when she had taken a job with Sonny Corinthos. After she and Simon had broken up, she had ended up at his casino. She was shocked to find he and Carly were in residence there. He had quietly offered support as she explained her situation then offered her a job. Sonny had always admired the plucky officer and never understood why she had aligned herself with Jasper Jacks. V hadn't even blinked at the thought of shadowing Jason Morgan. She had more challenging assignments in her time, she had informed him. The next day she had signed on to his payroll.
V was good at her job. Jason never knew that he was being tailed. She was his shadow, oft times a silent support speeding along a highway after his solitary form, for Jason had never stayed in one place too long. He was far too restless to make a new home for himself. V knew that he was always searching for what he had lost in Port Charles. In truth, he would never find it elsewhere.
V could never understand why Carly had left Jason for AJ. Sure, there was the danger factor to consider, but there was no comparison between the brothers. V had always thought of AJ as a toad, while Jason was a handsome blond prince. Why would a woman of intelligence though not always of common sense choose the toad? She shook her head, dismissing her thoughts. He needed her support now and here she was thinking back on their time together. Together? Not hardly, she had always been his follower.
"Come on Jason please fight." Her low voice urged as she rubbed his slack hand. "Help is on the way, just hang on to me, listen to me. We'll get you all better soon."
Jason was shocked to realize that he could experience pain. The whole time he was at the penthouse, the only pain he felt was his emotions, his heart breaking. But just after he closed the door on the penthouse after saying goodbye to his soulmate, he had felt pain. This pain was all encompassing, consuming him from within. It radiated outward in waves then came back to crush him under its blow. He didn't know when how or why he had returned to his body; all he knew was that he wanted to be back at the penthouse.
But he couldn't leave. Her voice kept encouraging him, keeping him anchored to the earth. Who was she? He knew he had heard her voice before but in his hazy state of pain, Jason had no idea if she was friend or foe. All he knew was that she was damning him to stay with her encouragement and in that moment he was torn between love and hate. Let me go, his mind screamed while his body remained paralyzed. He felt the comforting pressure of her hand and it repelled him. She wasn't Carly and he didn't want her!
V felt the slightest tremor rock his body and leaned closer. "Jason Morgan you hang on." She repeated. She had to help him find a reason to live! "Michael needs you. You have to see how much he's grown in the short time you've been away. I bet he still calls you daddy."
Damn her she was playing the Michael card. Even though he tried to fight her words, they had the desired effect, his body was calming a small bit and his breathing was a little easier.
V sensed that his fight was over. He didn't seem to want to leave any more. "Rest Jason you'll need it," She said as an ambulance pulled up.
~*~
Emily Quatermaine approached the door to Sonny's penthouse slowly. She had taken to visiting Michael once a week and she really enjoyed their time together, even though she wasn't very comfortable there sometimes. Though she and Carly were no longer enemies, they were far from friends and that made the visits very awkward. Still, Michael was her family too and Emily was taking the responsibility of helping to raise him to heart.
She looked down at the beanie baby she held in her hand. It could be said that bringing a child a toy on every visit led to the child expecting too much, but Emily disagreed. She wanted Michael to have the childhood she had missed out on: the childhood that even the natural Quartermaines had never had. He would break the mold and have a relatively normal life, even if these first two years were no indication of his life going according to plan.
She looked up and smiled when she saw Johnny was the guard on duty. Emily had always had a crush on the handsome bodyguard, but he was so remote. Emily knew that quality was why he was so good at his job, but it still made it hard to get to know him. "Hi Johnny" Emily smiled in greeting.
"Hello Ms. Quartermaine." Johnny greeted the young woman. She intrigued him greatly and he wondered why she still tried with Carly around.
"How are you? Can you tell them I'm here?" she asked as she watched him.
"Of course." Johnny had to smile. She actually seemed interested in his life and that was a rarity. "I'm fine." He adds, a smile still upon his lips. As he knocked then opened the door, he held her gaze. "Mr. Corinthos? Emily Quartermaine here to see Michael." He should have waited before admitting her in, but Sonny had never objected to her presence before, so why now?
"Hi Sonny, Carly." Emily said automatically, before focusing on their faces. The penthouse was deathly quiet and both of them looked as if they had seen a ghost. "What happened?" Emily asked as her heart started racing. In an instant she knew that her life would be forever changed by this news.
Chapter 2
Johnny didn't know why but he didn't close the door after Emily stepped through. There was something on his boss' face that he had never seen before and that something tore at his heart and soul. Whatever had happened, it was major. He stepped up, lightly putting his hand on Emily Quartermaine's back. While he knew he hadn't the right to do that, he knew the young woman needed his support on some deep elemental level.
Emily flinched at first when the hand touched her bare back, but as her skin warmed it, she leaned lightly against Johnny's hand. Her back was tingling where he touched it, the feelings radiating outward in slow waves. She almost sighed, but her main focus was on Sonny and Carly. "Ok guys what's going on?" Emily winced at the little girl tone in her voice.
Sonny watched Emily as silent tears ran down his face. The hard work had only just begun. He looked to Carly, hoping that she might break the news to her former sister in law even as he feared the blunt way she might tell Emily. But Carly was unable to speak and Sonny knew that with just a quick look.
"Emily please come in. Johnny shut the door." Sonny said as he dismissed the guard. Instead, Johnny stepped inside closing the door behind him. Sonny gave him a look before shaking his head. Johnny could do what he damn well wanted. If he wanted to support Emily, so be it. "I hope Francis is outside." Sonny said pointedly.
"He is boss. I just got off work." Johnny replied as he met Sonny's eyes. He slipped an arm snugly around Emily's waist and guided her closer even though he knew what the news was. Something had happened to Jason. It couldn't be Michael and that was the only other person who could upset these two so much.
"All right." Sonny murmured as he leaned ever so slightly against Carly. He needed her strength, even though she had very little to offer. "Emily." He sighed, running his hands through his hair.
Emily's tension mounted as she studied Sonny. "What is it? Tell me what's going on." She tried to pull away, but Johnny's arm was wrapped securely around her waist. The fine hair on his arms abraded her sensitive stomach as she tried to move closer. "Whatever it is TELL ME!"
"It's Jason." The mournful tone couldn't be coming from Carly could it? Emily whirled to look at her. Jason, she mouthed. Terror had stolen her words as she looked form the blond to the brunette.
"He had an accident honey." Sonny moved closer, intending to comfort her.
"No no it's not true!" This couldn't be happening! She turned to burrow into the warmth that was holding her, uncaring of its owner's identity. As she felt Sonny's hand in her hair, huge howls of rage exploded, tearing the air to shreds around them.
"Emily it's not as bad as you think." Sonny was quick to assure. He moved closer, intending to hold the girl as well, but the look of possession in Johnny's eyes brought him up short. "He was on his bike and it was hit. They're taking him to GH."
"Can I see it….his…." She couldn't say the word for a few moments. "Body."
Sonny gasped at her misunderstanding of the situation. "EM he isn't…no it's not like thst. He's badly hurt but he's alive. You'll see, he'll be okay."
"Oh God I hope so. I needed him and you two chased him out of town. If he dies, I blame you!" She looked up at Johnny. "Can you drive me there? I can't be here right now." Her plea cut to Johnny's heart and he nodded rapidly.
"Boss, I'm sorry." Johnny said as he rushed the distraught young woman out. As soon as the door was closed, he gathered her in his secure embrace. "I ['m not leaving you. Together we'll give him a reason to fight."
~*~
V Ardanowski paced a small patch of asphalt as the paramedics worked on Jason. It was bad; she knew it before they had come and as they worked on him, it became more apparent that Jason was in mortal danger. The patch of blood around his head was growing by the moment. She watched as they bandaged him, noting with shock that she was terribly close to tears.
"Jason please fight." She begged quietly. She had come to care so much about him. She should have stopped him from making this ride. Jason was far too emotionally involved with Carly to be careful or objective. She had known something horrible would happen to him all along. Carly was this man's Achilles heel and today it seemed that his love for her had failed him.
As the paramedics worked on Jason, V's practicality came back to her. She had to let the Quartermaines know what had happened. Carly and Sonny might be too deeply into their own shock to respond. She dialed a familiar cell phone number. Ned would know what to do. He always handled his family better than anyone else. As she waited for the phone to ring, she sighed.
One ring…two…three where was he? V sighed dramatically as she recalled his last hurried email to her. He was going on tour he said, and apparently had his cell phone off. "Great." V muttered. "What do I do now?"
Jason could hear every word she said. While his feelings were dulled, he had the sensation of the paramedics surrounding him. He knew she had to be trying to contact Carly and Sonny, as well as the Quartermaines. He found himself grappling with one question: Why her?
Jason had never really known V Ardanowski when she was in Port Charles, however he could name the exact moment that she became his shadow. She didn't think he had recognized her in that dark club in Tijuana but he had. How could he not? V had been luminous even in her disguise of a baseball cap and work clothes. She had been pretending to be a painter, Jason recalled, complete with a speck of paint dotting her nose. He had watched her with amusement; she had been so recognizable.
V had followed him ever since. Jason had been comforted by the fact that she was there, even though he never let on that he knew of her presence. She was so different from Carly, but she interested him as much as the blond had in their early days. If he had to die, having V there was so much better than dying alone, even if she did drive him crazy.
~*~
As the door clicked shut with finality, Sonny turned to Carly. She was crying again, in pain and loss. 'Come on Carly. She didn't mean what she said." Sonny spoke quietly.
"Yes she did." Carly replied. "And you know what? She's right. Jason wouldn't have left if we hadn't been in bed together. It's all our fault." A thin wail started from somewhere deep in her soul and she bit a knuckle until it bled.
Sonny pulled her close. He wanted to race out of the penthouse but they had to give Emily and Johnny some time to get downstairs. Neither of them could take another confrontation with the angry teen. "That's not true Carly. Things happened, Jason drifted apart from both of us. It was before we slept together. Who knows why these things happened." The sentences tumbled out, almost tripping over one another. He had this need and urge to make her better even though he didn't know how.
"AJ started it." The bitterness in Carly's voice made Sonny take a deep breath inward. "Things were never really okay after that. Him and your FBI ho."
"Can we not discuss them?" Sonny asked as he winced. She was right to an extent. Things had started going crazy when Hannah had come on the scene. He had broken his partnership with Luke off; things had never been quite the same with Jason…. She was right.
"OK." Carly agreed tearfully. "But what do we do. Can we go down there? I have to see him Sonny, please. I have to know how bad it is."
"You didn't think we were goin' there?" Sonny asked. When Carly shook her head, he wondered how much Emily'' visit had effected her. "Let's give Em and Johnny some time o get out of here. Then we'll go Carly, and I promise you we'll help him fight."
~*~
Lila Quartermaine looked out at her roses, breathing in their scent deeply. This place had been her peace in a family rife with upheaval. She had taken to coming out in the early falls days and breathing in the scent of peace. Roses had always represented peace and tranquillity to the octogenarian.
Lila had a special reason for being among her roses today. She had a terrible feeling about her family. Something awful was about to occur and she just didn't know what or to whom. She had always been blessed with the second sense where her family was concerned. Unfortunately, with age, her powers were fading. Was it Emily this time? Or AJ? Perhaps little Michael was in some trouble?
Lila closed her eyes as the soothing rays of the sun kissed her face. Perhaps with a nap she would find peace. But peace was not to come. As her all knowing eyes fluttered shut, Lila saw a horrifying image in detail. "Oh no Jason." She whispered in a pained tone. "Please don't leave us."