"You wanna tell me about Stryker?" Jason finally asked.

Sonny looked up from the floor at his friend.  To him, this seemed like the moment of truth.  Could he forgive Jason enough to trust him with the business?  He returned his gaze to the floor and his attention to the glass in his hand.  He remained quiet, because he wasn't sure what he was supposed to say. 

"You didn't just leave her, you left me," Sonny finally said.  He turned his head to look at Jason.

Jason wasn't sure what to say.  When he spoke with Sonny about this before he left, he'd never considered what it was doing to him.  It disgusted him at how selfish he had been. 

"You were my best friend and I needed you.  Not just to help run the business either.  I needed you in my life."  All of his life he'd been abandoned by people.  Sonny had finally resorted to pushing them away before they could hurt him.  "What's worse, you knew what happened to my mother when Mike left, but you left Elizabeth anyway." 

Jason closed his eyes and sighed.  He'd never even considered the possibility.  "Sonny, no one got to her right?" 

"What do you mean?" 

"No one hurt her.  She was okay, right?"  Jason wasn't sure he could stand to hear the news.  If someone had hurt her—if someone had used her—he didn't know if he would ever forgive himself.

"No, Jason.  She stuck close by.  Besides, you really think I was gonna let something happen to her?"

"Thank you," Jason sighed.  It was more from relief than anything.  "Thank you.  I'm glad she let you take care of her."

Sonny's laugh surprised Jason.  He couldn't figure out what was so funny about the statement.

"Elizabeth doesn't let anyone take care of her, Jason." 

 "I knew he'd try to take care of you. Are you letting him?"
"Have I ever let anyone take care of me, Jason?"
Jason looked up to find her blue eyes searching in the darkness for his. "You let me take care of you for a little while. We took care of each other."
"Yeah," she agreed, "I guess we did. I seem to remember something about soup."

Jason looked around, expecting Elizabeth to be in the room with him.  Her voice was as clear as a bell in his head.  He could feel her surrounding him, but she wasn't there.  Jason closed his eyes and tried to pull more of the memory out.  He wasn't even sure where it came from, but it seemed important. Unfortunately, it was too late, the memory was gone. 

"She let me take care of her," Jason said finally.  "For a little while, at least." 

Sonny's smile was sad.  "Yeah, I guess she did." 

"Tell me about her," Jason asked.  "Tell me about Elizabeth and her daughter." 

"Are you sure?" Sonny questioned. 

"Sonny, you're my best friend.  I know I did some damage to our friendship when I left.  But because you're a man of honor, I knew you'd take care of Elizabeth.  Even if she didn't want you to." 

The dark haired man nodded slowly.  He got up to fix himself a glass of water before he began.  Once he was settled into a chair he told the story of the last two years. 
"Elizabeth was wrecked when you left.  For about a week, she wouldn't let anyone near her.  Wouldn't take phone calls, wouldn't let people in the house.  She shut down."  The memory came back to him like it was yesterday.

 "Elizabeth!" he yelled through the wooden door.  Johnny had told him that she wasn't answering the door.  "Elizabeth open this door!" 

No answer. 

Sonny knocked again.  He reached into his pocket and his fist closed around the key that Jason had given him when they'd bought the house.  "Elizabeth!  I have a key, I'm coming in!" 

Still no response. 

Sonny got tired of waiting and finally he slid the key into the lock.  It turned with ease and the door slipped open.  The entire house was dark.  He reached for the light switch he knew was in the foyer. 

"Elizabeth?" he called.  He didn't hear anything, so he made his way towards the living room.  Sonny could hardly believe this was the same house he'd visited so many times before.  The house Elizabeth had been so proud of.  Jason had bought it for her as a wedding gift.  The couch was overturned, along with a coffee table.  What looked to be a burnt out fire was left smoldering in the fire place.  But the room was empty. 

He left the living room for the kitchen.  Elizabeth's least favorite room of the house.  The room that Sonny had personally decorated.  But neither Elizabeth nor Jason knew how to cook, so the room served to house brownie mix boxes and trash from the take-out they both seemed to love.

"Elizabeth?" he questioned.  She was sitting at the table, staring at the wood grain.  The room was completely dark, the shades drawn.  "Elizabeth?" he said softly.  Sonny approached her slowly and placed an arm on his shoulder.

He wasn't surprised when she jerked away from him.

"After that, she seemed to lighten up a little.  Became very optimistic."  Sonny stopped to look at Jason.  "She convinced herself that you were coming back to her." 

"After about a month, she came to me wanting to leave town.  I didn't understand until later why, but I agreed.  We found a house in Buffalo.  She moved out there.  Took her guard, Andrew, with her." 

"How long has she been back in Port Charles?" Jason asked. 

"Not even a week.  The situation with Stryker got out of control and it wasn't safe for her to not be here." 

Jason nodded.  "Yeah, I understand that." 

"The only time she returned in the last two years was because of Audrey's death." 

Jason scrubbed a hand over his face.  He knew that couldn't have been easy on her.  "How did she die?" 

"Cancer."  Sonny remembered the way that Mrs. Hardy's body had just quit working one day.  He'd been the one to deliver the news to Elizabeth and she hadn't taken it well.  "Elizabeth left Buffalo and took care of the stuff.  Audrey was the only real family she had left.  The Webbers didn't bother to show up.  Sent her a really nice fruitcake though." 

"Elizabeth had to do this alone?  Where were you?"  Jason asked.  He'd had no idea how alone she'd been. 

"She wouldn't let me help.  I think it was more of Audrey not liking you and me that much.  Even if she didn't have a reason.  Elizabeth felt that it would be disrespectful to her grandmother if I helped with the funeral.  It was important to her.  She took some of the money that you left her and secured the mortgage on Audrey's house.  I thought that meant she was moving back here, but she never did.  I'm not even sure if Elizabeth has been in the house.  I paid men to go in and cover the furniture and walls, but other than that.  She was in a lot of pain for a long time." 

"'Was in a lot of pain'?" he asked.  "What changed?" 

"She had Isabelle," he said honestly.  "That little girl healed something inside of her.  Something that broke the day you left.  It was almost like Elizabeth's life had meaning and purpose again." 

Jason nodded.  He knew how that was.  Elizabeth had once asked him if he knew what nothing felt like.  He'd told her it was where he lived.  They'd rescued each other from a life of nothingness, and he turned around and gave it back to her.  "Damn it," he swore.  "I'm such a son of a bitch." 

Sonny leaned forward and clapped a hand on his friends' shoulder.  "You're right.  You are." 

Jason couldn't help but laugh a little.  "You weren't supposed to agree with me, Sonny." 

"I just call it like I see it, Jason." 

"Yeah, I know," he agreed. 

Both men retreated back into their thoughts.  Jason was once again calling himself names.  But also, he was trying to twist the idea of Elizabeth having a child in his mind.  She'd gotten pregnant and given birth.  Isabelle Hardy.  Jason could almost picture her in his head.  She was probably born with the same mass of chestnut hair that Abby was.  A small nose.  Thin lips.  The only thing he couldn't picture were here eyes.  Elizabeth had told him the child had her father's eyes.  But, he wasn't in the picture.  Isabelle didn't know him.  What had the man done to hurt Elizabeth so badly that she kicked him out of her life? 

"Do you want to know about Stryker?" Sonny asked.  He'd been debating about if and how much he should tell Jason.  But since it was obvious that Stryker was going to use Elizabeth, and possibly Isabelle, to come after Jason, he knew his friend needed to be prepared. 

"Yeah, I do." 

Sonny nodded.  "You know that from the moment I brought you into this organization, you were the only person who, in my mind, was capable enough to run it.  I made you my lieutenant and I showed you how to run the business." 

"I remember.  You gave me honor." 

"No, Jason.  You had honor.  You are the most honorable man I've ever met.  Even after this situation with Elizabeth, I can still say that." 

"What are you saying Sonny?" 

"Here's the deal.  I'm being completely honest when I say this and I know you'll be honest with your answer too."  Sonny clasp his hands together and watched Jason.  One arm was slung over the back of the couch, his left leg crossed over the right.  Sonny also noticed how he still wore the platinum wedding band.  "I don't think you deserve Elizabeth.  Perhaps I have some insight into how she feels about you, but that doesn't change my mind.  I'm not sure if you will ever deserve Elizabeth.  But, I'd like you to stay on in the business." 

"Which business?" Jason asked.

"Both," he answered.  "The coffee warehouse has been doing great and we haven't had any trouble until recently on the other front.  What do you say, Jason?  Partners?"  Sonny extended his hand to the younger man. 

Jason shook it without hesitation.  "Partners." 

"Okay then," Sonny stood and went to his desk.  He pulled the folder Johnny had brought him earlier and handed it to Jason.  "Ronan Stryker is a lowlife thug.  He reportedly did some running for a west coast outfit, but somehow he ended up in Chicago." 

"Working for Scarcella?" Jason questioned.  He'd run into one of Scarcella's men while he was traveling.  He had to say that the old mob boss still had edge, but he also liked to trust men who couldn't hold their liquor.

"Yeah, he worked for Scarcella for awhile.  He was a third or fourth lieutenant.  Not a real priority in the organization.  Got caught in a pretty heavy drug bust less than a year ago.  The FBI offered him a deal.  If he turned evidence on the old man, they'd let him walk." 

"I read about that in the paper," Jason remembered.  "Wait-are you telling me that Stryker turned on Scarcella?  And he's still alive?" 

"No, no.  He did turn, but instead of handing over the old man, he turned over the two men who were directly above him and a lot of lackeys." 

"The Feds let him walk?"  Something didn't seem right to Jason.  The FBI rarely made a deal, unless they were guaranteed to get the man in charge. 

Sonny heard the skepticism in Jason's voice.  He had it too.  There was something wrong.  "I know, it seems odd to me too.  I keep waiting for the other shoe to fall.  Not to mention, I'm sure Scarcella knows that Stryker is in Port Charles.  Why not just take him out for turning on him?" 

"What kind of business is Stryker in?" 

"He runs a restaurant and has been fairly successful so far.  It's obvious to me that it's a front.  But, leave it to Port Charles' finest to investigate our perfectly legit coffee warehouse, but never touch Stryker." 

"Taggert still around?"  Jason questioned. 

Sonny rolled his eyes.  "Not just Taggert," he corrected.  "Commissioner Taggert." 

Jason cocked an eyebrow.  "What happened to Mac?" 

"Mac quit awhile back.  He took Felicia and their daughters back to Texas.  It suited him better.  Last I heard, they're living there with Robert and Anna Scorpio." 

Now he was really confused.  What was it about people not staying dead in Port Charles?  "Aren't the Scorpio's dead?  I mean, Robin was pretty heartbroken about growing up without knowing them." 

"Anna showed up a few years ago and asked Mac to help her find Robert.  He resigned as commissioner because he had to find out if his brother was alive.  Apparently they had gotten off the boat and Anna remembered that.  But after that, everything was a blank." 

"And Robin?" Jason asked.  "How's she taking the news of her parent's resurrection?"

"Robin went and married herself a prince," Sonny told him.  He laughed at the look of confusion on his face.  "Nikolas Cassadine.  Last I heard, she's healthy and happy.  The HIV hasn't progressed any further, so it seems that the treatments are working." 

"I'm glad for her."  Jason remembered the last time he'd seen Robin on their bridge.  A few years later, he'd taken Elizabeth there.  He thought it'd hurt, but he soon found out he never hurt when Elizabeth was there.  "It's good that she's happy." 

"She is," he reassured him. 

"Anything else I need to know?  I plan on visiting the Quartermaines in the next few days, any major news that I need to know about?" 

Sonny nodded his head.  Unfortunately, he was going to have to give Jason the bad news.  "Edward passed away a few months back.  Massive heart attack in the middle of an ELQ board meeting.  Emily is away at college.  Studying to be a lawyer.  AJ is running ELQ now and he's doing a decent job of it.  He's only offered to buy my stock out once.  He's also gotten into real estate.  Built some nice apartments over in the commercial district.  Ned disappeared not long after you did.  A few months later, the Q's got a wedding announcement.  He and Lois got back together." 

"And Lila?"  Jason asked. 

Sonny sighed.  "Lila died right after Edward did.  I think she was just waiting for him to go."  He heard Jason's sharp intake of breath and felt sorry for him.  He touched his shoulder.  "I'm sorry.  If it helps, she didn't suffer.  She went in her sleep." 

"You know, Lila told us after the wedding that she would never live on this Earth without Edward.  She told me she thought I felt that way about Elizabeth.  She was right.  I guess it's only right that she went after Edward." 

"It's still hard, Jason."  Sonny paused before he continued.  "She was a great woman and it was a tragedy.  But she's truly in a better place-with Edward.  Where she always wanted to be."

"I know, you're right."  Jason stood and grabbed his jacket. 

"Where you going?" Sonny asked.

"I need to get out of here for awhile."  Jason scrubbed a hand over his face.  "There's this place that Elizabeth and I used to go.  It was our place.  I think I'm gonna head out there." 

"Yeah, yeah.  That old bridge off highway nine.  Elizabeth told me about it.  Can I ask why you're heading out there?" 

Jason wondered how Sonny knew so much about the bridge.  That was their place.  He took her there when they first returned to Port Charles and, whenever something went wrong, they always seemed to return to the bridge.  "I need to see if I still feel her there." 

Sonny wasn't sure what Jason meant.  Elizabeth had once tried to explain to him the importance of that old bridge, but he'd never fully understood.  Instead of speaking, Sonny crossed to the desk and unlocked the top drawer.  He pulled out a wooden box and opened it to reveal a pair of keys.  He picked them up and tossed them to Jason.  "The bike's where you left it." 

"Downstairs storage?" 

Sonny nodded his head.  "Yeah.  No one's touched it.  You might wanna check it out first."  He watched as Jason went to the door and pulled it open.  "Hey, Jason." 

Jason stopped but didn't turn around.  "Yeah?" 

"I'm gonna need a way to get in touch with you.  A cell phone number or something.  In case something happens." 

He finally turned around then.  "That's just it, Sonny.  My cell phone number never changed.  And I had all of my calls forwarded to the phone I was using." 

"What are you saying?"  Sonny hadn't expected this.  He'd never called the old number because he was sure it'd be the first Jason would change. 

"I'm saying that my number is still 610-530-4532."  Jason reached into his pocket and pulled out a sleek, silver phone.  "Same number I had before I left Port Charles." 

"You've had the same number all this time?" 

Jason nodded.  "Yeah.  But you never tried to call.  Didn't even attempt to get in touch with me." 

"I thought that'd be the first thing you would change." 

"I knew that if you needed me, you'd call.  Or if Elizabeth needed me.  But the phone never rang." 

"What would we say Jason?  Neither one of us knew what to say to you." 

Jason shook his head in disagreement.  "You knew exactly what to say.  Say you needed me to come home.  She could have told me she wanted me to come back." 

"You wouldn't have come."  Sonny began to straighten the papers on his desk, unbelieving of what Jason was saying. 

"That's where you're wrong, Sonny.  I would have come.  I would have come home for Elizabeth in a second."  Jason stuffed the cell phone back in his pocket and turned to leave again.  "You just never called." 

Jason had the door open before Sonny spoke again.  "Tell me, why did you come back?" 

He stilled at the door and let the question sink in.  Jason felt Sonny's eyes on his back and shrugged.  "I told you already.  I came home for Elizabeth." 

"That's the only reason?" Sonny pressed. 

"What more reason do I need Sonny?"  Jason turned slightly and Sonny could see his face as he continued to speak.  "Elizabeth is the only reason I need.  I came home so I can make my marriage work.  No matter what anyone believes, I do love Elizabeth.  She's the reason I'm here."