Part Three
Gia reached into her purse and pulled out a newspaper. She was looking for a place to live. For now, she was staying in a room at the Port Charles Hotel but she hoped that it wouldn't be too permanent. She needed a place where she could settle in…and move on.
She crossed out a few places and sipped her drink. A shadow fell across her paper and she looked up. A lump formed in her throat when she saw it Jason. She supposed that they would have to talk sooner or later. She was afraid of what he might say. Did he regret what had happened the night before? Was he mad for her bold come on? She struggled to find the right words. "Hey."
"Hi." He pulled out a chair and sat down. "How are you doing?"
"Okay." She mumbled and then held up her hand where Nikolas' ring once rested. "I told him we knew about it. I also told him it was over."
"I told Elizabeth the same thing." Jason said wondering if Elizabeth was moving out as they spoke.
"I'm sorry." Gia told him.
"Why?" Jason asked.
"That's what people are supposed to say when another person is hurt." She shrugged, sipping her milkshake.
"You're hurt too." Jason pointed out.
"Yeah, but correct me if I am wrong…I saw this coming and you didn't." Gia began. "I knew Nikolas and I were having problems because of what happened between my brother and us. I didn't think he would go that far but I knew that something was bound to happen. I saw you and Elizabeth around town. I saw the way you looked at her. You didn't have a clue, did you?"
Jason nodded. He didn't really know Gia and she already had him pegged. He was in the dark about the possibility of Elizabeth having an affair. They rarely fought and she was always quick to make up. "You're right."
"I just wish that they both would have let us know about the affair sooner. Of course, we would have been mad that they were leaving us but in the end we would have been better off. I wouldn't have gone on thinking that Nikolas and I still had a chance even though we were drifting apart. And your feelings for Elizabeth wouldn't have gotten a chance to grow deeper." Gia sighed. "To think that they were sneaking around behind our backs for three months…"
"Three months?" Jason asked.
"She didn't tell you that they have been seeing each other for three months?" She asked. When he shook his head, Gia snorted a little. "Figures, this is Elizabeth Webber we are talking about. Saint Elizabeth…she can do no wrong. She probably tried to blame the affair on you…saying you didn't understand her like Nikolas did. Or something like that."
Jason kept quiet. That's exactly what Elizabeth said. That he didn't understand him…and he had been trying to figure out why.
Gia shook her head when she noticed his look. "She did tell you that! How could she tell you that? From what I have heard you were the perfect boyfriend."
"Where did you hear that?" Jason asked.
"Beauty salon...best gossip spot in town." Gia told him. "And she was the one who did you wrong. So don't get any ideas in your head about how this was your fault."
The two fell silent. Neither wanted to talk about what Nikolas and Elizabeth had done to them. There was still a major subject hanging in the air and neither wanted to touch it with a ten-foot pole.
Finally, Gia spoke up. "About last night…I'm sorry I barged into your place. I should have waited until I calmed down to tell you. I never think straight when I am angry. I say things I don't mean…" She took a deep breath. "I do things I shouldn't do."
"I think I owe you an apology too." Jason said. "I don't think I was thinking straight either."
"I guess we both were so hurt and angry." Gia paused for moment before wording her next thought. She wasn't sure how he would react to it. "But I don't regret what we did last night."
Jason's head shot up. He was worried that she would have regretted what had happened. He thought she would think that he was using her to get back at Elizabeth. "I don't either."
Gia smiled a little. "I also want you to know that I didn't use you to get back at Nikolas. I thought I was at first but in the end I realized that I needed someone to show me that I was still wanted."
"I could say the same thing." Jason told her.
Gia let her breath out. She had expected the conversation to be much worse. She had suspected regret, accusations and anger. Instead she got understanding and comfort from her conversation with him. "So, I guess we can part as friends?"
"Of course." Jason said.
"Great." Gia said, glancing down at her paper again.
"Are you looking for a new place to live?" Jason asked.
She nodded. "Wyndermere might be too small for the three of us." She said referring to her, Nikolas and Elizabeth. She had assumed that Elizabeth would soon become a permanent resident there.
"Do you need some help?"
She smiled at him. "No thanks, I'll be fine." He stood up. "I guess I'll see you around."
"Yeah." Jason said. He knew that neither knew what else to say. They barely knew each other and that been shoved into a situation that they would have to learn to handle. "If you need anything, just ask. I'll be happy to help."
"Thanks." Gia said. She watched him walk back to his bike and crawl on. He gave her once last glance and then the back roared to life and sped away. She had a feeling that things would be awkward between them for a while. It would be hard to stand next to him without remembering how he had kissed her. She hoped that she would get over it sooner rather than later. Maybe she and Jason could even be friends.
Going back to her paper, she crossed off another place. Sighing in frustration, she pushed the paper away. "I don't want a roach infested place but I don't want something too expensive either."
Standing up, she tossed both the paper and the empty cup into the garbage can. Where could she go? Suddenly, an idea popped into her head. She needed to find Bobbie. She might be able to get a room at the Brownstone. She liked that idea, even though it meant having her brother as a neighbor. It would give them a chance to mend their relationship…she might as well fix that once since she had lost the other major relationship in her life.
****
When Jason came back to the penthouse, he heard Elizabeth moving around inside. He could tell she was packing and he really didn't want to talk to her again. Instead, he went over and knocked on Sonny and Carly's door.
"Just a minute!" Carly's voice cried from within the penthouse. Seconds later the door flew open and Carly stood there with a huge smile. "Hey Jase, I was beginning to think that I would never see you again." She wasn't fond of Elizabeth…and that was putting it mildly. She avoided the brunette by not stopping by Jason's, instead letting him come to her.
"Sorry it took me so long to get over here." He said giving her a huge hug. He had been so wrapped up in Elizabeth that he didn't realize how much he missed their talks. He sure could use a listening ear right now. He followed her into the penthouse and sat next to her on the couch. "How are you? More importantly, how are you and Sonny?"
"You know me and Sonny…fight like cats and dogs but making up is more than half the fun. I never knew I could love someone like I love Sonny." Carly said. She sighed, and looked over at him. "How are you?" She studied him closely. "Jase, what's wrong?"
For some reason, Jason wanted to laugh. Carly knew him best of all. How did he get so lucky as to have a best friend like her? "You're right as usual. Something is wrong…Elizabeth and I are through."
Carly wanted to jump for joy but she knew that Jason was hurting so she held it in. Jason didn't want to hear 'I told you'. He wanted to someone to listen. "You know how I feel about her. But despite that, I never wanted to see you hurt. What happened Jason?"
"She's sleeping with Nikolas Cassadine."
"SHE'S WHAT?" Carly shot up like a bullet. She was headed towards the door to confront the no good cheater when Jason caught her arm. "What? Do you want to stand here and keep my mouth shut?" When he nodded, she sighed and sank back onto the couch. "Fine…but that doesn't change the fact that I really want to give her a piece of my mind. Do you know how many times she stood in this very penthouse and told me that she would never hurt you?" Carly groaned and then focused her energy back on Jason. He was the one who really got hurt by this situation. "Sleeping with Nikolas Cassadine…I'm so sorry, Jason. Did she come out and tell you this?"
"No." Jason leaned back against the couch and continued. "They were found out by Gia."
"Gia…that's right. She is, or I guess I can say was, engaged to Nikolas. How horrible for you both." Carly shook her head. "How long?"
"Three months…we were barely together when she started to see him. What gets me is that she continued to let our relationship build. She moved in with me…" He trailed off and took a deep breath. "She shared my bed…and the whole time she was with Nikolas as well. She let my feelings for her grow knowing that in the end she was just going to leave me for him. Why did she do that, Carly?"
"I wish I could tell you, Jason. I could tell you that she is just nothing but a stupid twit who only cares for herself. I could say that she thinks that she is never wrong…but I think my opinion is a little biased. I think the only one who could tell you why she did it is Elizabeth herself." Carly said.
"You're right." Jason said. "I don't want to know the answer right now. All I want to do is give her time to move out of my penthouse."
Carly put her hand on Jason's arm. She wanted him to know that she would be there for him. Personal feelings for Elizabeth aside, Jason was Carly's best friend and she would listen to anything he had to say. "How's Gia?"
Jason was momentarily confused. Did Carly know about the night with Gia? How did she found out so fast? "Gia…"
"Well, if she was the one who found out Nikolas and Elizabeth, she must have told you. How is she holding up?" Carly asked.
"Fine, I guess. She and Nikolas broke it off." Jason said. He remembered the tired look on Gia's face and the pain in her eyes when they had talked that morning. "She told me she'd pull through."
"Of course she will. She's tough and determined like me." Carly pointed out.
"I didn't think you and Gia got along." Jason told her.
"I think I'm past my anger at her." Carly said. "What happened between us was so trivial. I think she and I are a lot a like, and maybe that's why we clashed. Same goes for good old Uncle Luke."
Jason laughed remembering one of Luke and Carly's many spats. The two were making an effort to try and get along. Both of them loved Bobbie too much to hurt her anymore. "I think there is something else I should tell you…something that happened last night. I really don't know what to think of it…other than we were two people hurting and wanting to help one another get passed the pain…"
Carly gave him a confused look. "What is it?"
"Gia and I slept together." Jason noticed the shock on her face. "She came over and told me about Nikolas and Elizabeth. She was hurt by it and so was I. One things lead to another and we slept together. I talked to her this morning and we both decided to part as friends. Carly, I feel like I took advantage of a bad situation."
"Jase, you just said that you and her talked it out and parted as friends. Don't worry about it." She said as she took in the fact that Jason and Gia slept together. She was about to say more when the door opened.
Elizabeth stood in the doorway. She tried to hold her head high but the sight of Carly and Jason both staring at her made her uncomfortable. She stuttered over a few words before she found her voice. "I think I got it all, Jason. If you find anything let me know. I'll send you my new address when I figure out what it is." She said.
Jason was surprised she hadn't mentioned Wyndermere. Like Gia, he thought that Nikolas and Elizabeth would be happy that they could freely be together.
Elizabeth wanted to say more. She wanted to apologize again for putting Jason through this but instead she backed away. Carly was glaring at her…if looks could kill, she would be a dead woman. She knew she would have to deal with Jason's friend sooner or later.
****
Gia sighed in relief when she caught sight of the red headed nurse. She had been trying to locate Bobbie most of the afternoon. Finally, she had found the older woman at the nurse's station. She appeared to be on break so Gia decided to approach her. She wanted to do this in person.
"Hello Bobbie." Gia said as she walked closer. She knew that two didn't know each other that well but she also knew that Bobbie was kind and wouldn't mind the interruption in her break.
"Hi Gia." Bobbie smiled. All she knew about Gia was that she made Nikolas happy and that was all that mattered. "How are you?"
"Okay." Gia said, thinking that okay would be the new word of the day for her. "I came to talk about a getting a room at the Brownstone."
Bobbie frowned. She knew that Gia lived on Spoon Island with Nikolas. "Did something happen between you and Nikolas?"
Gia nodded. It made no sense for her to keep a secret. Soon everyone would know thanks to people like her hairdresser and Amy Vining. "He cheated on me." She said simply. "I just need a place that I can call my own. I can make the rent Bobbie…"
"Say no more, the room is yours." Bobbie smiled. She felt bad for Gia. Why would Nikolas do this to her? It didn't seem like him. "I get off work in a few hours. Why don't you come over tonight and I'll give you the key? You're lucky, this was my last empty room."
Gia was about to say a thank you but she was cut off by another voice.
"Bobbie…I need to ask you something…"
Gia looked up. Elizabeth Webber was standing there.