Warning: For this to make sense you should read the Notes at the beginning of the Prologue
Standard Begging: Please let me know what you think.
Her Greatest Mistake
Chapter 2
~Penthouse~
Sonny hung up the phone, closing his eyes tightly; maybe if he could make it dark enough the words wouldn't be true. He had tried that so many times before, with Lily, Brenda, Juan, the baby, it never worked but he always tried it.
Elizabeth's voice and the memory of her half smile entered his brain.
~January 20, 2000~
Elizabeth walked into the penthouse carrying a pan, she paused and shot a half hopeful smile at Sonny, "Me again. Sorry?"
"For what?" Sonny asked confused.
She paused in surprise, pulling her long hair away from her face, "I'm sort of amazed you're still speaking to me. I wasn't sure you'd except these." She said holding out the pan.
He took the pan from her and studied it before looking back at her, "What's all this?"
She shrugged, "Just some brownies I made."
Sonny smiled then, and his whole expression changed with that smile, it showcased his dimples "Yeah?" he paused then "Why wouldn't I be speaking with you?"
Elizabeth bit her lip, the light in her eyes gone, "Because it's my fault Jason's gone," she said softly.
He put the pan on the desk and turned to face her putting his hands on his hips, "Where did you get the idea you ran Jason out of town?"
Her face reddened in embarrassment she began to talk faster then, "Oh-I-I---I didn't mean that the way it sounded. It's not like the world revolves around me. But I'm pretty sure that I was a factor, and that makes me feel awful." When she finished speaking she bowed her head.
From the slump of her shoulders he could tell she was miserable, his heart went out to her, "Well what did you do to make him leave?"
She was quiet for a minute before finally looking up at him a trace of tears in her eyes, "Basically I hung on too tight." She whispered.
Sonny slammed his hand on the desk, needing to feel the pain to block the memory of her voice. For once he had to be the strong one, he had to be the one to take care of Jason this time.
"Johnny." The name was snapped out. Sonny pinched his nose, centering himself before focusing on the man beside him. "I want you to get Francis, Pete and Cal over here now," he ordered, Johnny turned to move away, "Wait cl-clean up the blood outside and in the elevator, we don't want anyone getting curious."
Sonny turned back to the couch where he could see Carly whispering to Emily trying to soothe her. Carly met his eyes and began to rise. He stopped her with a shake of his head and picked up the phone. He flipped through his book, found the number and placed the call.
"Hola?"
"Enrique, it's Sonny."
"Mr. Corinthos, what can I do for you?" Enrique asked straightening in his chair.
"I need your plane, fueled and ready to fly immediately."
"Certainly my flyer is ready anytime."
"Not the flyer, the jet, I want it fueled and ready to fly to Port Charles immediately," Sonny said shortly.
"Mr. Corinthos, the jet it is already booked," Enrique began apologetically.
"Enrique," his voice was quiet and deadly, "get the jet ready, file a flight plan for Port Charles, you will leave as soon as your passenger arrives."
"Y-yes," Enrique whispered paling at the menace in Sonny's voice, his skin had chilled even though it was still over 90 degrees.
Sonny looked at his watch, "Jason Morgan should be there in a half an hour. You will leave as soon as he arrives. I don't care about the cost, just get him here."
"Yes sir."
He went on like Enrique hadn't even spoken, he knew it would be done, "If Jason is not there in a half-hour you call me right away. You call me when you're ready to leave to give me a time estimate. Do you understand me?"
"Yes sir." Enrique said meekly
"Good you have a half an hour," he hung up on Enrique's sputtering reply.
Johnny knocked on the door, "Dr. Wilson is here," he moved then showing in an older gentleman with white hair.
"Doctor, she's over there," he gestured to the couch.
Dr. Wilson went to Emily and checked her briefly, before looking up at Sonny, "Is there somewhere more private I can examine her?"
"Johnny, take her upstairs to the guest room." Sonny ordered and watched the guard pick her up carefully, but Emily still let out a scream of pain, and that caused his gut to clench. He nodded at Carly for her to follow them upstairs.
Sonny moved over to the bar, and poured a large portion of Scotch in a glass and drained it in one gulp. He poured another one and carried it to the window to look out into the night. He was so lost in his thoughts, that he didn't even notice Johnny when he came back through the room to stand outside the door.
~Studio~
"Hey Elizabeth, you want to get the door, my hands are full," Lucky called through the closed door, knocking at the base of it with this foot, his hands were full of smelly bags of ribs.
"Lizbeth," he called again before bending over to set the food down on the floor. When he rose, the smeared stain on the door caught his eyes. That hadn't been there earlier, he thought studying the stain and straightening slowly. It was probably just paint, not blood. A shiver went through him when he thought that. He brought his hand to it uneasily, and touched it with this finger, he brought his find closer to his face to study it, finally he touched the tip of his tongue to it. The salty, coppery, metallic taste of blood was easily recognizable.
"Elizabeth," he murmured digging in his jeans for his keys to open the door.
Lucky pushed the door open and moved slightly into the doorway, the studio was dark, something inside of him was screaming at him that he didn't want to turn on the light, that he needed to run away now, and never look back. His hand went to the light switch on the wall, and he took a deep breath before turning it on. The blackness in the room vanished, his eyes widened taking in the devastation of the room.
He brought his hand up to his mouth, feeling his stomach begin to churn when he saw the blood. He couldn't see anyone in the studio, his eyes were drawn to the closed closet door. He began moving to the door without even being aware of it, stepping heedlessly in the blood or paint that was on the floor. He stopped at the door, everything inside of him that was still good, told him not to open the door. He put his hand on the doorknob, and then slowly opened the door.
Lucky staggered back in surprise and slammed the door closed, a keening wail beginning to come from him. His eyes focused on his hands that were holding the door closed, he saw that his knuckles were bruised and bloody. Belatedly he remembered the strange looks he had gotten in Eli's. He looked down then to study his clothes.
He gasped when he saw blood splatters on his jeans. The front of his white shirt was covered with a long red stain that he knew was blood. "What have I done?" he choked out his face red, he felt the walls closing in.
Terrified he turned and ran from the room, pulling at the door behind him. "Get away," he gasped pausing briefly in the hallway. All thoughts of Elizabeth were vanquished when he ran from the building. The overpowering need to flee was upper most in his mind. He paused in front of the building, before finally turning left towards the docks. The darkness quickly swallowed him up, the keening noise he was still making the only evidence that he was there and then it too was gone.
~Penthouse~
"Sonny," Carly said softly slipping her arms around his waist, jolting him from his thoughts.
"How is she?"
"The Doctor's still with her," Carly was worried about him, he was so still. She knew he got that way when he was brooding, when the darkness was beginning to come over him. "Are you okay?"
Sonny rested his head against the pane of glass that was still cool thanks to the air conditioning, "I let him down again," he whispered into the night.
~April 20, 2001~
"I'll take care of it Sonny," Jason said his hands still shaking slightly handing off the now diffused bomb, to a waiting Johnny.
Sonny was pacing the room, he barely heard Jason's words. A BOMB, Sorel sent a bomb to his house where his family lived. He shook his head, images of Lily entered his head, "I love you," Lily said turning to smile at him, walking away with the keys in her hand. Her pink dress was blowing in the wind while she headed for the car. He turned back to Luke and Mike for another congratulations, only to turn back and feel the explosion. The noise of it remained in his ears for months. He still dreamed of it, and always woke up smelling the burning metal that had become her tomb. He pulled himself back slightly when he felt Jason's hand on his arm.
"Sonny," Jason said quietly.
Sonny finally looked at his friend, his eyes a little unfocused and wild, God he hated bombs. "You need to end this Jason. You need to end it for me." He ordered the temper livid in his eyes.
Jason took a deep breath and nodded, "I'll handle it, I'll leave tonight."
Sonny gripped Jason's arm in relief. Gratitude entering his system, he could always count on Jason to handle things.
"I need you to do something for me," Jason's voice interrupted Sonny's thoughts.
"Anything." Sonny said quickly anxious for Jason to start.
"There's something wrong with Lucky Spencer," Jason began.
Sonny interrupted, "Again with Lucky, Jason you need to focus here."
"Sonny, something is wrong with him, he has attacked me more than once. Elizabeth and Emily are alone with him to much and he's not right." Jason pressed.
Sonny turned away, angry with Jason he studied the aftermath of the birthday party in the penthouse. Lately all Jason seemed to think about was Lucky that was because of Elizabeth, but still enough was enough. He only half-heard Jason's words, his eyes had fallen on one of Michael's toys and anger coursed through him again.
"I always watch out for Emily, and I'll keep an eye on Elizabeth too, although I doubt anything will happen, that kid is crazy about her. You just have to let her go, she obviously made her choice," Sonny interrupted Jason, ignoring Jason's expression of surprise at Sonny's words, "I need you to focus on Sorel now, not Lucky Spencer, he's the threat here."
Sonny watched Jason close his eyes and shut off his expression. Jason rubbed a hand over his face when he finally opened his eyes, he looked at Sonny his eyes cold, the emotion of the last few minutes gone. "I said I would do it," he said curtly heading for the door.
Sonny felt a pang of regret, knowing he had hurt Jason. He followed his friend to the door, "I'm sorry Jason I promise you I will keep an eye on both of them."
Jason paused at the door but didn't look back, "Just keep them safe, I need her safe."
"I will, I promise," Sonny said watching his friend leave, his mind had already moved on to what he was going to tell Carly.
"I promise," Sonny said mockingly, pulling away from Carly. "We all know what a promise from Sonny Corinthos means, especially a promise to Jason," he said bitterly downing his drink.
"Sonny," Carly followed him.
"It means don't worry Jason, I'll take care of it, just like I always do. I'll fuck it up, just like I always do, I'll let you down just like I always do," Sonny cried throwing his glass into the empty fireplace, "I'll let her die, I'll mess it up and take her from you just like I took everything else from you."
"Sonny you didn't know," she tried to hold onto him.
"That's just it Carly," he took her arms to hold her away from him, "I did know, Jason told me, but I didn't want to hear it."
The tears slid down her face when she saw the loathing on his face, loathing that she knew was directed at himself. "Sonny it's not your fault, don't take this on yourself."
"Don't you see," he yelled, before taking a breath, "I have to do this now, because it's not about me, this time. I need to get this all out before he gets here. Because this time it is about Jason and what he needs, not me! So I am going to do this now and then bury it, because when Jason gets here I am finally going to put him first. He's been my best friend for five years now, don't you think it's time, I thought about him?"
"Mr. Corinthos?" Dr. Wilson's voice came from the stairs, interrupting the tense scene.
Sonny whirled on the doctor, "How is she?"
"Well she will be okay, without x-rays I can only guess, but I would say she has at least one broken rib, and probably a bruised one. She is not coughing up blood, so the chance of internal injuries or a puncture are slight." He said moving over to the table to dig in his bag.
"What about her head? There was so much blood." Carly asked.
"Head injuries always look like that, even the minor ones. I stitched up her forehead, 6 stitches along the hairline, it won't be real noticeable. She has a mild concussion, so I don't want to give her any strong pain medication yet. I'll leave these with you for tomorrow," he said pulling a bottle of pills from his bag.
"Is she in much pain," Sonny asked quietly.
"She should be, she's in shock, and that is protecting her from the pain. Unfortunately the shock will wear off soon, and then she will feel it. She has bruises and cuts over a lot of her back and arms, nothing life threatening but it will be quite painful for her for a few weeks." He said quickly picking up his bag to head to the door.
"Sonny," Johnny tapped on the door and opened it.
Sonny held up his hand, "Anything else?"
"I want you to keep waking her up through the night, and keep her warm. If anything happens call me right away." He began before pausing and turning back to Sonny, "A word of advice however, if you need to explain away her injuries, don't use a car accident, there are grip marks on her arms, that were definitely left by someone's hands. All in all she is a very lucky girl."
Sonny flinched at the doctor's words.
By the door, he stopped again, "Was there anyone else you wanted me to see?"
"Why?"
"Well from the placement of some of the blood on her clothes, it couldn't have come from her head wounds," Dr. Wilson shrugged, "maybe its from her attacker, but it seemed to me, most of her injuries were defensive in nature, not from attacking someone." He shook his head, "Well goodnight Mr. Corinthos."
Johnny stepped aside to let the doctor out, but stayed in the doorway, watching Sonny.
Sonny's mind was caught by what the Doctor had said about the blood, he was afraid he knew whose blood it was. He closed his eyes again to keep her image at bay; the desk on the phone began to ring. He stared at it blindly before moving to pick it up, "Corinthos."
"Mr. Morgan is here, we will leave in ten minutes," Enrique said in a rush.
Sonny sighed in relief, closing his hand in a fist, "How is he?"
"He-he looks unwell," Enrique said, studying the man in the hangar that was untrue. Jason looked like he was already dead but somehow was still moving. Unconsciously he made the sign of the cross, and studied the man. This was not the same man he had flown into Panama 2 weeks before.
Sonny sucked in a breath, "When will you arrive?"
"Five hours if the tail wind holds."
"Make it hold." Sonny ordered and hung up the phone. He looked at his watch, it was 10:30 now, Jason should be here by 4:00 a.m. at the latest. He had to get busy.
"Carly would you sit with her?" Sonny asked quietly not meeting her eyes.
She pulled his face up so she could look at him, she could see the pain and despair in his eyes and it broke her heart, "Sonny it's not your fault."
"Carly please, not now," he said pulling away from her.
"Sonny," she tried again, but he turned his back on her, finally she turned and headed for the stairs. "It's not your fault." She repeated moving upstairs and out of the room.
Sonny closed his eyes, yes it was, "I promise." His own words rang in his ears.
"Johnny," he said not turning around. He heard him and the others move into the room, yet he kept his back to them. "Cal I want you to find Lucky Spencer and sit on him."
He turned around then, his face set in harsh lines, "Pete you're on the door, no one gets in here tonight. No one." Both men nodded and he waved them away.
"Francis, did Johnny fill you in?" Sonny asked unnecessarily he couldn't help but see the anger in the other man's eyes. "Good you two are with me, we need….we need to check on a friend." He stalked to the door.
~Studio~
Sonny's steps slowed when he drew near the studio. He didn't know how he was going to get through this. He sucked in a breath, he would, because he had to. He had to know everything so he could help Jason. Jason was the important one here. He took a deep breath and then turned the final corridor leading towards her studio. He felt Johnny and Francis close behind him.
The smell from the food bags propped against the wall next to the door caught his attention first. He glanced down at the greasy bags, then slowly moved up to the smeared bloody handprint. The door was slightly ajar, but he made no move to open it. The memories had hit again.
"That's what life's about. People come, people go. Sometimes it's hard. You just got to roll with it." Sonny said to Elizabeth leaning against the desk.
"Especially when the ones who leave you are the ones you need the most," Elizabeth said quietly moving next to him, he could see the wistful expression on her face.
"You know, I'm just a phone call away, if you ever need anything." He was determined to watch out for her no matter what.
"Back off." Sonny ordered the memory, staring again at the studio door.
"Boss are you okay?" Johnny asked he knew how Sonny got when he couldn't handle guilt.
"Let's do this." Sonny said finally pushing the door open.
The lights were still on, he could see the destruction and violence plainly illustrated by the florescent lighting of the studio. He heard a sharp breath behind him.
"Francis are you sure you can do this?" He asked turning to face the big man behind him. He finally remembered that Elizabeth had been under his watch for several months last year.
Francis studied the carnage, his eyes going darker when the memory of her slammed into him.
"Call me Elizabeth," she pleaded filling his cup with coffee.
"Sure thing Ms. Webber." This had become a running battle between them, and he wasn't going to break first.
"Men." Elizabeth smiled and stalked into the kitchen at Kelly's.
He blinked the memory away, "Yes," he answered shortly, clenching his fists.
"Okay," Sonny nodded and moved into the room, his eyes scanning the debris, praying he wouldn't see her body.
Johnny and Francis split up each taking one side of the small studio. They could tell already that she wasn't in there. The only place that she could be was in the closet. Both men edged their way to the closed door, carefully stepping around or over the destruction as to not disturb any evidence.
Sonny moved carefully around the clutter towards the door. He could already see the bloody imprint of hands on the door. He took a deep breath to try to prepare himself, he prayed in that instant with everything in him that she would not be in there. He opened his eyes and nodded at Johnny who opened the door with a handkerchief.
"Jesus," the word slipped out when the smell hit him first.
~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~
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