Part Ten

            Gia was stunned into silence.  Finally she spoke.  "You want me to move in with you?"

            Jason nodded.  "I have a room that is empty except for a bed, a bedside table and a dresser.  It's nicer than a PC Hotel room and it's easy on the pocket since it's free."

            "You want me to move in with you?" Gia repeated.  Of course it wasn't like they would be a couple moving in with each other.  They were friends and he was offering to help her.  Why shouldn't she accept?

            Jason must have realized what she was thinking.  "I just want to help my friend."

            She nodded.  "Of course.  I don't see what would be wrong with…but I have to warn you.  I might be a terrible roommate.  I play my music too loud and take too long in the shower…"

            "Gia, it's okay.  I don't mind." Jason told her.  "It's not like it will be forever."

            "Yeah, just until I find an apartment I like." Gia reasoned.  She knew she was talking herself into this.  She didn't care.  She wanted to live with Jason.  She wanted to be around him more.  "Sure, sounds like a good idea."

            "I'll send Johnny with you." Jason said, as he motioned for the guard to come over with the kids.  "I have to take the kids home.  Leticia should be there right now making supper.  Can I tell her to set an extra place?"

            Gia nodded.  She watched as Jason explained to Johnny what was going on.  She gathered up the toys and then handed the bag to Jason.  He smiled. 

            "See you in awhile."

            "Yeah, I guess so." Gia said walking away with Johnny.  She hadn't expected that to happen.  Did she just make a huge mistake?

            "Well, Johnny…I guess you are moving my stuff again." She said as they were riding the elevator up to her room.  "I think it will be the last time for a little while."

            "I don't mind." He reminded her. 

            She smiled.  "You married, Johnny?"

            He shook his head.

            "That's too bad, because you are going to make some girl really happy with your attitude." She said, fitting her key into the door.  "I am just going to call the front desk.  They should have some boxes we can use."

            "I'll go down and get them." Johnny volunteered.

            "Okay." Gia watched him leave before she began to empty the drawers onto the bed.  She disappeared into the bathroom to gather up her cosmetics when she heard the door open again.  Wow, Johnny's fast too, she thought.  "Just sit them by the bed."  She came out with her cosmetics bag.  When she saw who was standing there, she dropped the bag.

            "AJ, I didn't invite you in." She told him.

            "I invited myself." He said.  He waved his finger at her.  "You really shouldn't leave your door open.  You never know who might walk in."

            She could tell he had been drinking more.  "Yeah, like the town drunk."  As soon as she had said the words she regretted them.  His face clouded over.  He started to shake a little.

            "I am the town drunk because people like you made me this way." He said.  He picked up the lamp by the bed and heaved it across the room. 

            Gia stepped back into the bathroom and locked the door just as the lamp shattered against the wooden frame.  She let out a scream. 

            She heard another crash and then the sound of the hotel door being shut. 

            "Ms. Campbell." 

            She opened the door.  She felt relief flood through her.  "Johnny!  Thank God!"

            "I should have gotten you to lock the door when I left." He said as he surveyed the broken lamp.

            "It's not your fault, Johnny.  He was just in the park.  We didn't know that he would head back here." Gia stepped over the broken glass.  "I tell front desk when I turn in my key."  She grabbed the boxes, her desire to get out of the hotel overcoming her.  She hastily through things into boxes and then placed them on the cart that Johnny had gotten.  When she pushed it out in the hallway, she was surprised to see AJ laid out in front of his door.  She glanced back at Johnny.

            "It was time for his nap." Johnny shrugged.

            "Muscles and a sense of humor…two other good qualities." She said to mask her fear.  AJ might have been out cold but that didn't stop her from wondering what he would have done if Johnny hadn't showed up.

            She turned her key in explaining what had happened in her room.  "No I don't want to press charges." She said when she was asked.  "You don't have to call the police.  Just give him the lamp bill and maybe you should cut him off from the bar.  I feel sorry for him…being drunk all the time."  By the time she had gotten done with the woman at the front desk Johnny had gotten her things in the car Jason had sent over. 

            As he opened the door, Gia thought she could definitely get used to that kind of treatment.

            ****

            Sonny sounded worried. 

            "Look, you just got there." Jason explained as he cradled the phone under his chin.  He was giving Adella her bottle while Michael putting away his toys.  "I handled AJ.  He won't be coming around Michael in the park anymore."

            "I just wish he would give up."

            "I know you do." Jason said.  "Don't worry about it, Sonny." He decided to switch the subject.  "How's your nephew?"

            "Cute…he looks like his mother." Sonny said.  "Carly won't put him down.  I think she wants another newborn."

            Jason laughed.  "Enjoy your time." He hung up the phone and put Adella into her chair.  The door opened and he looked up.  Johnny was standing there.

            "Gia is putting her stuff into the spare room." He explained.  He was about to leave but then he turned back.  "Gia asked me not to tell you this, but I thought I should…" He then proceeded to tell Jason about AJ in her room.

            Jason ran his hands through his hair.  He looked back at the kids and then at Johnny.  "Watch them for a moment, will you?"  He walked past the guard and into his penthouse.  He went right up the stairs and into the room.  Gia was placing a few of her clothes into the drawers.  "Are you alright?"

            "Johnny told you." Gia sounded annoyed.  "I guess loyalty isn't one of his better qualities." Then she thought for a moment.  "Or maybe it is." She then looked up at Jason who was still waiting for an answer.  "Jason, I didn't want him to tell you because I knew it would upset you."

            "Gia, he threw a lamp at your head." Jason said.

            "But he missed." Gia said, bouncing around a little.  "I'm alright!  Let's just not think about it.  I'm not in the hotel anymore.  Out of sight, out of mind.  I'm hungry."  She walked past him.  "Let's just eat."

            Jason sighed in frustration.  It was obvious that she didn't want to talk about it.  He was beginning to see that she was very stubborn.  He caught up to her as they crossed the hallway to the Corinthos' penthouse.  Johnny had left the door open while he watched the children.

            Gia gave him a glare.  She had asked him not to say anything.

            "Sonny and I sign his paychecks, Gia." Jason said noticing the look she was giving the bodyguard.  "He is paid to tell me things like that.  He did the right thing."

            "I have a family to feed." Johnny gave her a charming smile.

            "I thought you said you weren't married." Gia reminded him.

            "I will have a family to feed some day." He corrected taking his place at the door.

            Michael came running downstairs.  "Gia! Are you coming for supper?"

            She nodded.  "If I have room after the candy."

            "I have room.  I'm a growing boy." He said taking his place at the table.  "Gia, will you sit next to me?"

            She complied and watched as Jason disappeared in the kitchen.  "It smells really good."

            "Leticia and Uncle Sonny are the best cooks." Michael bragged.

            "What about you Mommy?" Gia asked.

            Michael shook his head.  "It's not good." That's all he would say. 

            Jason returned with two plates of steaming food.  He sat one down in front of Michael and Gia.  She grinned.

            "What?" Jason asked.

            "I love this stuff." She said putting her fork into the lasagna. 

            "I'm glad." Jason grinned as he went to get his plate.

            ****

            Gia yawned.  It had been a long day and she was getting really tired.  She was ready to crawl into a totally different bed again.  If she could only stay in one place for more than a night she thought she would shake her drowsiness.  Jason seemed willing to let her stay.  He was reading the children a book on the couch.  She was sitting on a chair watching them through half closed eyes.  Jason looked up at her. 

            "I think it's time we all went to bed."  He said, noting that both the children were in the same state as Gia. 

            "I'll put Adella to bed." Gia volunteered.  The baby was sitting on Jason's lap.

            "That would be a big help." Jason said passing Adella to Gia.  He helped Michael up.  "Ready guy?"

            He nodded.  "Goodnight Gia.  Will I see you tomorrow?"

            "Actually you will.  I'm your neighbor now.  You can come see me whenever you want." Gia said as she headed towards the stairs.  "All you have to do is knock."  She found Adella's nursery and placed the baby in the crib.  Adella looked up at her, with brown sleepy eyes.  Gia reached forward and touched the chubby cheek.  She switched on one of the musical toys designed to put the baby to sleep.  "Oh I know this song." Gia said as the music softly filled the air.  She closed her eyes and began to gently sing to the child.  When she finished, the baby was asleep.  She smiled and turned back around.

            "Jason!" She cried out.  Then she covered her mouth and looked back at Adella.  The baby was still sound asleep.  She turned back.  "You scared me!" Her voice was barely above a whisper.

            "I didn't know you could sing." Jason said. 

            "Not many do." She confessed.  "I don't do it often.  I don't want to scare people."

            "Adella seemed to like it." Jason said.  "And so did I."

            Gia looked up him and smiled.  He was so handsome, the light from the hallway barely touching his features.  She knew that she wanted to kiss him so badly.  She wanted to know what his lips would feel like…what they would taste like.  But she knew she shouldn't.  She had just broken up with Nikolas.  She knew that she was just reacting to her loss.  She couldn't do that to Jason.  "I should…I should go to bed." She said breaking the trance. 

            "I am going to sleep over here." Jason explained.

            "I know." Gia said, leaving the room.  He was right behind her.  Gia knew that if she didn't get out of there soon, she was going to kiss him. 

            "If you need anything just come over.  Francis should be at the door now.  He'll let you in." Jason told her as they both came down the stairs.

            "I know." Gia repeated as she hurried her step.  "Goodnight Jason." She said her hand falling on the doorknob.

            "Goodnight."

            She was about to leave when she felt she should say something else.  "Thanks Jason…for supper, for letting me stay in your spare room…for everything."

            Jason just nodded.

            Gia dashed out of the penthouse, quickly introduced herself to Francis and then ran all the way to her room.  It wasn't until she had the door closed that she calmed down.  She leaned against the door and groaned.  What was going on?  She wanted so badly to kiss Jason.  She was glad that she stopped herself but at the same time she felt disappointed in herself.  He looked so beautiful standing there next to her.  She remembered him sitting with the kids at supper, laughing at their actions.  He looked beautiful then too.  In fact, he looked beautiful all the time.

            Gia slapped her forehead.  "Stop it, Gia!  You know that this is happening because you are spending too much time with him." She was beginning to reason with herself.  "You just aren't used to not having man.  It'll pass." She crawled into bed moments later knowing that her dreams tonight would be full of a handsome man in a leather jacket.