Ch7
A king delights in a wise servant, But a shameful servant incurs his wrath (Prov.14:35 NIV)
Unable to focus anymore, Elizabeth had lumbered into a hazy and fitful sleep. Her mind would not rest, replaying the images and conversations of the night over and over again. She had almost been grateful for the interruption of the charity people coming to collect her items. After taking the last remaining items over to the house, she had yet again fallen into a deep slumber. This one let her rest, though. She dreamt again of Jason, but it was the one of the wind whipping through her hair as the bike speed over death-defying curves. The acceleration from the ride blurred into a fit of passion that carried her body along with her mind. She awoke to catch her breath. Her skin was damp, and her pulse furious. It had taken her some time to recover and think clearly. She pulled her fingers over her scalp and down into the tangles of her curls. In a deep sigh she made her way to the shower.
While dressing in the mid afternoon Rick called. Hearing the stress in her voice he asked her what was wrong. She had not known where to begin with the last night's events but somehow stumbled through it. He listened intensely then offered to drive her to the hospital to visit Jason. She felt his invitation genuine, but she wanted to face Jason alone. She was still unsure about what had happened when their eyes had met. She closed her eyes looking back into her memory. She found the image that very second. His blue irises were clear and calm. There was no evidence of the pain he was enduring. She could almost feel it. A simple belonging that was home to both of them, when they were open enough to allow it in. She could feel the brush of his finger tips along her cheek that stoked the embers gently glowing in her heart. Her pulse quickened as the little spark trickled back to life.
*
The Corinthos family had stayed together in the waiting room all night. Mike had finally been brought out of surgery, but the doctors offered no optimism for his case. He was in a drug induced coma and would probably not wake up for a few days. If he woke up at all. Jason had been moved to a room in ICU as well, sleeping off the anesthetic. Sonny had finally ushered the ladies home to rest. Both women had tried to refuse, but he made it clear that this was for the best. Nothing else was going to happen that night. He assured them that the hospital would call if there were any changes.
*
Everything was out of focus. The words that were trying to form sounded muffled, far away. Something gripped his hand; it was warm and tender. He tried to move, but it felt like rushing water against his body when he did. "Jason," the soft female voice, a fog in his ear. "Can you open your eyes?" He rolled his head toward the sound and tried to get the refracting light to center, forming the image of light hair, eyes, maybe blue, skin a bit tan and a slight smile. Finally, the synapses fired, and he made a connection.
"Monica," her smile grew as she nodded. "Where am I?"
"Hi, Jason." She leaned down and kissed him on the forehead. "You are in the hospital. But you are going to be alright. Elizabeth took really good care of you."
"Hospital?" He repeated, but then his brain made another connection. "Elizabeth?"
"Yes, she called me. Kept pressure on the wound until the paramedics arrived."
He tried to take a deep breath but there was searing pressure against his ribs. He closed his eyes and the memories of the events came back to him. It all ran through his mind's eye rapidly. Then it stopped when he saw her face. Those daunting blue eyes poised at his side. The velvet of her cheek under his fingers. He smiled as the image consumed him. A slight cough pushed through his lips and his whole torso echoed with grief from it. He closed his eyes tightly as he cursed at himself for bring the pain of his life on her yet again.
He again heard his mother's voice, "You are very lucky. The knife punctured one of your lungs, and it collapsed. Your liver was also damaged. But you are going to make it." She smiled at him and asked if he wanted anything. He had wanted to ask about Mike Corbin but dared not. It might reveal that he knew something. After some more pleasantries, she left him alone in the sterile room to rest.
An hour with his thoughts, and he had not come to much of a conclusion. Only that Sonny was going to be pissed at him for not telling him about the meeting. Jason knew his boss would have told him to do just what he had, and things would still have gone down the way they did. He was trying to convince himself that he had gone up to Elizabeth's studio because it was nearby. Reality was, that he could have pulled out his cell phone and called one of the guys for help. That would have been easier now that he thought about it. However, the truth, if he dared face it, was that his heart, not his head, had led him there.
*
The late afternoon air slapped chilly on her face. Exiting the book shop, she tried to think of what she was going to say to him when she arrived at the hospital. She kept trying to practice something in her mind as she made the cold walk there. 'Hi, how are you...Hi, I got you something.' Hell, it all sounds so contrite. The walk was short and the ride in the elevator had not brought on any inspiration either. Now that the doors opened she stepped out and froze in place. 'What if he already has someone in the room with him? What if it's Courtney?' She was brought back with the soft voice approaching her.
"Hi, Elizabeth."
"Dr. Quartermain."
"I guess you are here to see Jason?" the woman asked. "He has just woke up."
She only offered a slight nod. The doctor went on to explain the injures that Jason had sustained, and that thanks to her, he was gong to be alright. Finally she told her that she was welcome to go in and see him. Elizabeth thanked her and just before she left she stopped and asked about Mike Corbin. The doctor said his injures were very serious and they just did not know yet. She thanked her again and started down to the intensive care unit. When she reached the room, she leaned in a bit to listen. It was quiet. The door was half open, and she squeezed through without touching it. Jason's eyes were closed, and she thought he was sleeping. She frowned, thinking she could just leave the bag and go. She started to set it down on the hospital tray table by the bed when the plastic bag crinkled. She gritted her teach a bit and froze, her back to the sleeping man.
"Elizabeth?" the rough male voice spoke. She turned cautiously and was met with a shy smile. She offered a gentle one in return, but for some reason she felt very awkward now, just standing there. They were so close, but she felt so far away. He could sense the silence between them, knowing there was so much to say, with no idea where to begin.
"Hi," she finally made the next move. "I got you something." She held up the bag. His eyes questioned what it was with out saying a word. She could read his looks so well. Seeing how he was never one to mince words. She took the book from its wrapping. A genuine grin grew over his face when she handed it to him. "Have you ever been to China?" He shook his head 'no' as he casually flipped through the travel guide book.
"Thank you." his words smooth, and her heart jumped a bit.
"Your welcome." She just stood there and bit her lip, not sure what to do next.
Noticing her uncertainty, "Would you like to sit down?" he offered. She looked around and spotted the round stool on wheels and pulled it over, but not to close to the bed. "I guess I should also thank you for saving my life, again."
"You will have to thank the doctors for that. All I did was call Monica. I tried to tell her you would not want to come here, but she really did not give me a choice."
"Elizabeth, you did the right thing." He was about to say something else when she changed the subject on him.
"Did you know that Mike was shot?" He nodded in response but did not give any clues to how he knew. "He is not doing very well. They aren't real sure if he is going to make it." He only looked at her, and she could tell he was keeping his composure to cover up something. "Have you seen Sonny or anyone else?" She did not want to ask if he had seen Courtney yet.
He shook his head, "No."
"Oh, well, I guess I will tell you that Courtney told Sonny about Mike's debt and that he was meeting some guy last night and that you were going to try and help." She watched the distinct recognition come over his body. He took in a breath and dropped his head back onto the pillow. "Is it safe to assume that the two of you ending up here are a related incident?" She said it, knowing he would not answer her. "It doesn't matter. I'm glad you are going to be ok." She looked around the sterile room. There was an IV running into the back of his hand. Her eyes traced over some wires that ran from under the hospital gown to the heart monitor. She then noticed that he looked pale and tried. Getting up from the stool, "I should go." She felt even more alienated now than she had months ago when she walked out of his penthouse.
As she moved toward the door with her back to him he finally found some strength to say something. "Elizabeth." She turned a bit but only enough to glimpse his face. "Will you come back and see me?"
She shrugged her shoulders, "Ok, I guess." Then exited the anxious room.
He continued to stare at the door long after she had left. Maybe deep down he was hoping she would come back. He glanced around the drab room, but there did not seem to be any items she might have forgotten. He started to berate himself for his actions, or lack there of, during her visit. He had barely opened his mouth. 'What an idiot,' he chastised himself.
Elizabeth had made it as far as the waiting room when a pressing weight pushed her into a chair there. 'Why had she even bothered? He did not want her here. He did not want to see her. Hell, he could not even bring himself to talk to her.' The thoughts ran through her mind, a mantra of all the reasons her and Jason just did not work. Last night when she watched his blood spill onto her hands she had found strength. The courage to love him again born from the fear of losing him forever. She had thought for just that split second when he said her name that he wanted her too. Just now, seeing him, the reality of it was different. She sighed heavily, sinking back into the chair she had occupied for most of the pervious night.
Jason heard a little rap on the door. He tried to sit up a bit but his sore body would not allow it. The small framed woman made her way to the bed timidly.
"Oh God, why are you here?" He glared at the brunet.
"Goodie, it must be true. You are going to live." her sarcasm apparent. "I brought you something." She held out a small, green potted prickly plant.
"Brenda, what am I suppose to do with that?"
"I don't know. Water it." She made herself cozy by sitting on the edge of his bed. "Well I take that back. It is a cactus so like once a year. I think even you could manage that."
He rolled his eyes a bit and frowned at the annoyance. "Are you here for a reason or did you come to see if you could finish me off. You're not in my will, you know."
"Boy, we get a little testy when we get stabbed." She leaned down and fluffed at his pillow.
"Stop that." He batted her hand away.
"Just trying to be the good little wifey." He took a shallow breath and rubbed his face in frustration. "Well, you ending up in the hospital is a good thing."
"What! How in the hell is that? And I'm not staying.""
"Well, your little incident has given us a few days break from the trail. And you will stay at least until Valentine's Day?"
"Are you here for any real reason, or is it just to bug me?"
"The bugging thing." Brenda sighed and rolled her head a bit. "Come on, Jason. You have been sticking your neck out for me; can't I just try and be nice to you."
"No, it doesn't suit you."
She was just about to fire back when the approaching voices from the hall entered the room. Carly, Sonny and Michael came in smiling and laughing. Brenda took one look at the family and excused herself. Jason was happy to see them but frowned at Carly for bring the boy. She had defended herself by saying they had found out he was going to be alright and knew he would enjoy seeing him. After some five minutes, Carly left with Michael so Sonny and Jason could talk.
They both stared at the door making certain that it was closed before either one of them spoke. Jason knew what was coming and he was not exactly sure how he was going to handle it. Sonny's demeanor change the moment the door latched shut. He turned to stair down at he man lying injured in the bed. He decided to stay calm until he heard Jason's version of the events.
Jason studied his boss, and even if Elizabeth had not told him about Courtney's confession, he would have discerned that Sonny knew already just by the way he held his jaw clenched and tried to remain calm. He decided to start simply. "How is Mike doing?" Sonny obliged him by going over the problems caused by the two gun shot wounds. Sonny knew he was stalling somewhat but with Jason as a captive audience, he was going to have to spill eventually; so why not give him a chance to warm into it. Plus, knowing Jason, he felt responsible for the other man's condition.
Finally, Sonny revealed the details that his sister had given him before asking Jason what happen in the alley. Jason started to explain the events of the meeting Mike had with Tagliatti's men. He expressed how he thought it was going to be a routine 'Where's the money?' 'I'll get it,' a few punches, and it would be over. But when the man first shot Mike, Jason could not see the wound Mike had sustained.
"It was a warning." Sonny interpreted.
"Yes, I figured that out when I got close enough to see it." Jason was starting to defend himself. "Tagliatti is out for more than a gambling debt."
"Yeah, he saw Mike as a weakness to get to me. My guess is, when you showed up, the men thought if they could take you out it would leave me vulnerable."
"And the second shot to Mike was to be fatal." Jason finished his thought.
*
Elizabeth was trying to gather her thoughts when the blond caught a glimpse of her in the waiting area. Carly made purposeful strides to her target. "Well, well, if it isn't little miss Florence Nightingale." Elizabeth looked up to find the dark heartless eyes mocking her.
"What do you want, Carly?" her voice ragged and tried.
It did not appear that it mattered to her that she was making a spectacle of herself in front of her son. "The doctors can take care of Jason now, so you can just run along home." Elizabeth was grappling with her patience, which was almost gone by now. She rose up to face the woman who seemed to despise her for reasons Elizabeth never knew.
"Look, Carly, I did not go looking for Jason. He showed up at my door bleeding. I did what needed to be done, and I got him help. If you have a problem with that, maybe you should ask him why he came to me."
The woman was opening her mouth to speak when a soft touch brushed her arm. She turned slightly and peered into the warm eyes of her mother. Her demeanor quickly changed as she twisted her body to hug her. Elizabeth just stood there observing the two. Their conversation didn't seem to involve her, but when Elizabeth started to excuses herself, Bobbie stopped her and said she need to ask her something and would she wait? She stood trapped, listening to them as they discussed the two men in ICU.
"Are Sonny and Courtney here?" the nurse finally asked.
"Sonny is with Jason and Courtney is sitting in with Mike." There was something in the way Bobbie looked at her daughter. "Why?"
"I told you that they took one of Mike's kidneys, right." She waited for Carly's positive nod. "Well, the other one was badly damaged and is not going to function. The doctors have put Mike on the transplant list, if he makes it."
"Oh, is it that bad?"
"Yes, he will be able to survive with dialysis, but you don't want to do that forever if you have a choice."
"So, he needs the transplant."
"Yes, I would like for Sonny and Courtney to go to the hematology lab to give some DNA for testing. Being his children, one of them might be a match. Do you know if Mike has any siblings? They usually make the best matches."
"When do they need to go give the blood?"
"As soon as possible. It will take a few days for the DNA results and cross matching to come back."
"I'm going to go tell Sonny. Can you take Michael down to the cafeteria for an ice cream?" With a smile from her mother she left the child, not even acknowledge Elizabeth as she turned, moving back down the hall.
Elizabeth waited while the grandmother talked gently to the boy. Then she looked back at her, "Elizabeth, I wanted to ask you a question about Audrey's house. If you don't mind."
"Why would I mind?"
"I know it has not been very long and I heard you were planning to rent the house out."
"Yes, that's right. But I have not even gotten started on removing the contents."
"Good," Elizabeth made a face at her remark. "We have a new doctor moving here from England next month. He wants a place that is furnished. He is married and has a teen-age son."
"I don't know, next month is a little soon."
"Look, he will pay more for it being furnished. They are planning to be here for only two years and don't want the expense of moving their stuff overseas. All you have to do is clear out the closets and personal items."
"Well, I guess I could do that. I had planned to be in New York by March, anyway." She was thinking out loud, "That is, before gram..."
"Great, can he come see the place tomorrow?"
Elizabeth shrugged her shoulders, "Sure why not. Just ask him to call first to set up a time." They said good bye and parted ways. She was going to leave when she decided to just walk past Jason's room.
*
"So do you want to tell me why you did not inform me of this meeting?" A thin thread reining in the not yet broken stallion.
"Look, Sonny, I did what you would have told me to do any way." Jason watchful of the other man's posture.
"That is not the point. You should have told me what was happening with Mike as soon as you knew."
"Courtney asked me not to." Jason could see his boss steadying his breath to calm himself.
"Since when did you start taking orders from women? No, wait, I know when. When Elizabeth asked you to spare Zander." Now his control skidding.
"Sonny, that is not fair." Trying to halt Sonny's wrath.
"I'm not talking about fair. I'm talking about business."
"Since when are Mike and Courtney business?" Jason countered.
"When Tagliatti is involved, everything is business. Damn it, Jason! You know that." Sonny stopped a moment and studied him. There was something more, but he could not figure out what it was. At the moment red fog blocked any new information. "What else is going on that I don't know about?" Jason didn't answer. When he kept silent, it was hard to know if he was avoiding the question, denying it, or confirming the accusation. A skill The Enforcer used well with his enemies. "You know, twice now Elizabeth has said something about me not knowing what was going on, and that I should talk to you and Courtney. Somehow, I don't think she was talking about this thing with Mike." It seemed as a slight breeze was removing the haze.
Jason fidgeted uneasily in the bed. He had not planned on having this conversation with his best friend. Not when Sonny was already angry about Mike. Especially not now, that he was becoming unsure of his feelings for Courtney. He was trying his best to keep his face emotionless as his friend and boss studied him. Sonny waited. He figured Jason would tell him if he stood there long enough. Jason, searching for the right way to inform him of his involvement with his sister, was saved by his other best friend.
There was as a slight knock at the door. It opened slow and timidly. A blond head poked through the slight opening, "Is it safe to come in or are you two still talking..." she mouthed the word 'business' without a sound on her lips. Jason welcomed her interruption with a smile. The relief washed through him. He was not going to have to talk to Sonny about Courtney until he had time to think.
"Please, Carly, come on in." She had not made it to the bed before Courtney pushed the door open fully and rushed to his side. She had felt it best to go see her father first. Sonny had berated her half the night about their hiding the situation with Mike, and she was not ready to reveal their feelings to her brother yet. She needed to talk to Jason about how he wanted to handle it. In her mind she thought it would be best to keep it quiet for a while longer.
Courtney gabbed his hand without thinking. "I'm so sorry this happened. It is all my fault."
"Now how do you figure that?" Jason asked her half returning the squeeze to her hand. Before Sonny's watchful eye caught them.
The exasperated woman went on about how if she had not asked him to help or if he had gone to Sonny this would not have happen. Sonny gently pulled her hand from Jason's, taking it in his own. He explain that they don't know how things would have gone down and it might have turned out all the same any way.
After Sonny gained control over the situation, he started to process his sisters actions along with Jason's. He felt a pull between them. He was sure of it. Just when he was about to voice his suspicions, his wife figured out his next move and negated it.
"I just ran into my mother and she told me Mike will need a kidney transplant." She observed the instant change in the dynamics of the room. "They want you two to give some DNA for testing, to see if one of you could be a match."
Mike's children studied her a moment as the new information seeped in. "When should we do this?" her husband asked.
"She said the sooner the better. I think you two can go right down to the lab now and do it." She was watching Jason, as he was apparently aware that she was trying to get them out of his room. They talked for a short time about the situation before they left to go to the lab. Carly told them she would meet them. That she needed to talk to Jason for just a moment.
Certain the two were out of ear shot, Carly turned toward her long time friend. "What are you going to tell Sonny about you two?"
"Nothing," his word dry.
"What do you mean nothing? He is going to figure it out if he hasn't already.
The door to the room was slightly ajar. Elizabeth could hear Carly's distinctive voice spilling out into the hall. She grimaced. Turning to walk away, something she heard stopped her cold.
"Look, I don't know what I feel for Courtney anymore. I don't know what I have been feeling all along." The male voice traveled out into the hallway.
"This is about Elizabeth. Isn't it?"
"Carly, don't start." He warned her.
"So, why did you go to her place when you were hurt?"
"I don't really want to talk about this."
"Tuff, you are going to talk to me."
"I'm not sure what I was thinking. I just know..." he stopped himself. The words that almost slipped out made him catch his breath. "I just wanted to..." still searching for a way to explain his actions. Finally he turned his gaze out the window, but his mind focused on another moment. The moment he opened his eyes and looked into that pair of blue ones that he longed for. Laying in her lap, he did not feel the burning sensation that was depleting his body of strength. It had felt to him, that he was coming home.
"You wanted to, what?" She had waited for him to finished, but she watched him get lost on the way. "See her again?" He turned to look at her. "Did you think you were going to die?"
Carly watched his mind process the question. "I don't know...maybe."
"You thought you were going to die, and you went to see Elizabeth." She was not liking where this was going. "Jason, you need to get over this. You are with Courtney. If you think it is going to be bad when Sonny finds out." She paused, "What do you think he will do if you go back to Elizabeth. He will think you only used his sister?" Jason mulled over the thought. He knew she was right, and he had no idea how to handle it.
"What do you think I should do?" He could not believe he had just solicited her for advice.
"I think you need to forget about little Miss. Muffet and tell Sonny you and Courtney are together." He frowned at her. He was getting a clear picture of what he wanted, and it did not seem to include Sonny's sister.
Elizabeth felt frozen in the corridor until she saw the grandmother with the red-headed boy in tow. It was enough to get her moving. She stopped for a moment in front of the window that peered into Mike Corbin's room. She felt sorry for the man lying there, wires and tubes everywhere. She felt for his family too. Even if Courtney was his daughter, she certainly did not want her to lose the father she had only known for such a short time.
*
Elizabeth was pulling on her gloves before venturing out into the frigid evening air. Caught off guard by a man's voice mellow in her ear, she turned to find Rick's friendly smile mere inches away. She offered a week one in return along with a casual, "What are you doing here?" He made no pretense that he had come looking to take her to dinner. She realized she had not eaten all day. So they made their way to a small, out of the way bistro. She did not offer up much in the way of conversation, but he enjoyed just sharing the time together. During dinner she told him about Bobbie finding someone to rent the house, to which he eagerly offered to handle the lease arrangements for her.
When he took her back to her grandmother's house she invited him in more to be polite than anything. She was beat. He saw the wear of the last twenty four hours draining her body. When the phone rang and distracted her for a few minutes, he excused himself to the restroom, or so she thought. She had finished the call and looked around the living room a mite concerned on where he had disappeared to. In the exhausted state, she had not noticed the sound of running water.
Finally he appeared. His hands slightly damp when he touched her cheek. Instinctively she leaned into the touch. Her eyes dropping a bit. "You are so exhausted, Elizabeth." She tried to smile, but a yawn came out instead. "I'm going to go. Now, I have run you a nice hot bubble bath up stairs. I want you to go get in it and try to relax." When her eyes seemed to question him, "It will also help you to sleep."
"You didn't have to do that." her words a protest, while her body was already relaxing into the idea.
"Yes, I did. Someone needs to take care of you for a change." With that he leaned down and kissed her cheek. He slowly brushed his hand through her tussled brown waves. "Call me tomorrow when that guy comes to see the house, and I will be here if you want." He waited for her nod which led to them exchanging goodnights.
*
Jason had finally gotten the room back to himself. He had not had a chance yet to speak with Courtney alone and Sonny seemed to be keeping close tabs on her saying he was concerned for her because she was so upset about Mike. He hated to admit it but he could feel the weakness the wounds were causing on his body.
He had just shut his eyes and was allowing sleep to over take him when the door flew open and the large dark detective confidently strolled in. "Well, well looks like someone finally put you in the hospital for a change." Jason opened his eyes and offered the intruder only his vacant stare. "Would you like to inform the police who your attracter might be?" The lieutenant waited out Jason's silence but got no response. "Not that I really expected you too, but I thought you might, seeing how we are pretty sure that you are the one who called 911." Jason's brow furrowed as he made eye contact with the man. "There was a lot of blood in that alley and I'm certain that some of it is going to match yours. Now what I don't get is, IF, you were there and called 911 for help. Seeing how you were also injured, why did you leave the crime scene?" Jason was not really listening to Taggert but he was trying to remember if he had placed the phone call. There had been a pause in the room, "unless you are responsible for shooting Mike Corbin?" Jason was getting tiered of the man and Taggert was a bit frustrated with Jason's signature silence. "You know for someone on trail for murder you sure are getting yourself in more trouble here. As I'm sure you know they pulled two bullets out of Mike. What I find interesting is that the one from his leg came from a thirty- eight. Now the one from his abdomen, that just might kill him, came from a nine millimeter."
That was it. The man lying in the hospital bed was ready to get ride of the annoying bug. "I know you hate me. But nether Brenda or I killed Alcazar. So, Lt. Taggert, while I get this little hiatus here why don't you get out there and find who really did?"
"Are you going to tell me what happen last night?"
"No," with that Jason closed his eyes finished with him and the Detective took the hint and left the room with a louder than necessary bang of the door.
Jason opened his eyes and stared out the darkening window. He was struggling with the information that Taggert had just left him to ponder. If he had called 911, why would he not just stay there with him and wait. Based on what Taggert had just told him he felt it a pretty good guess that Taggliatti's men pick up his weapon and use it to fire the final shot. He reached for the phone that was beside the bed and dialed the penthouse. When his boss answered the phone Jason did a quick run through of what Taggert had revealed to him. The only new information to Sonny was the 911 call.
After replacing the receiver Jason fought his mind, willing it to remember. Just what had happen between the time he opened his eyes, lying in the shadowed alley and reopening his eyes to find blue diamonds that belonged to Elizabeth peering down at him. He vaguely remembered checking Mike for signs of life. Oddly his mind focused on the hazy stench from the surroundings, that brought a familiar buzz of flies to mind. Shaking the thought, his memory jumped to the earthy fragrance an autumn leaf pile near a freshly painted house that seamed to reveal itself along the heavy entry to the studio. His brain jump ahead again as the earth and substance smell gave way to a breeze that floated along blossoms. It was this that had opened his eyes to find her gently cradling him. He lingered in the recollection. Trying to take a deep breath, the inhale seared his lungs transporting him back to the present. Why couldn't he remember some things, but others seemed so distinctive and even real in this moment? He shook his head in defeat as he aloud the night's slumber to take him at its will.
A king delights in a wise servant, But a shameful servant incurs his wrath (Prov.14:35 NIV)
Unable to focus anymore, Elizabeth had lumbered into a hazy and fitful sleep. Her mind would not rest, replaying the images and conversations of the night over and over again. She had almost been grateful for the interruption of the charity people coming to collect her items. After taking the last remaining items over to the house, she had yet again fallen into a deep slumber. This one let her rest, though. She dreamt again of Jason, but it was the one of the wind whipping through her hair as the bike speed over death-defying curves. The acceleration from the ride blurred into a fit of passion that carried her body along with her mind. She awoke to catch her breath. Her skin was damp, and her pulse furious. It had taken her some time to recover and think clearly. She pulled her fingers over her scalp and down into the tangles of her curls. In a deep sigh she made her way to the shower.
While dressing in the mid afternoon Rick called. Hearing the stress in her voice he asked her what was wrong. She had not known where to begin with the last night's events but somehow stumbled through it. He listened intensely then offered to drive her to the hospital to visit Jason. She felt his invitation genuine, but she wanted to face Jason alone. She was still unsure about what had happened when their eyes had met. She closed her eyes looking back into her memory. She found the image that very second. His blue irises were clear and calm. There was no evidence of the pain he was enduring. She could almost feel it. A simple belonging that was home to both of them, when they were open enough to allow it in. She could feel the brush of his finger tips along her cheek that stoked the embers gently glowing in her heart. Her pulse quickened as the little spark trickled back to life.
*
The Corinthos family had stayed together in the waiting room all night. Mike had finally been brought out of surgery, but the doctors offered no optimism for his case. He was in a drug induced coma and would probably not wake up for a few days. If he woke up at all. Jason had been moved to a room in ICU as well, sleeping off the anesthetic. Sonny had finally ushered the ladies home to rest. Both women had tried to refuse, but he made it clear that this was for the best. Nothing else was going to happen that night. He assured them that the hospital would call if there were any changes.
*
Everything was out of focus. The words that were trying to form sounded muffled, far away. Something gripped his hand; it was warm and tender. He tried to move, but it felt like rushing water against his body when he did. "Jason," the soft female voice, a fog in his ear. "Can you open your eyes?" He rolled his head toward the sound and tried to get the refracting light to center, forming the image of light hair, eyes, maybe blue, skin a bit tan and a slight smile. Finally, the synapses fired, and he made a connection.
"Monica," her smile grew as she nodded. "Where am I?"
"Hi, Jason." She leaned down and kissed him on the forehead. "You are in the hospital. But you are going to be alright. Elizabeth took really good care of you."
"Hospital?" He repeated, but then his brain made another connection. "Elizabeth?"
"Yes, she called me. Kept pressure on the wound until the paramedics arrived."
He tried to take a deep breath but there was searing pressure against his ribs. He closed his eyes and the memories of the events came back to him. It all ran through his mind's eye rapidly. Then it stopped when he saw her face. Those daunting blue eyes poised at his side. The velvet of her cheek under his fingers. He smiled as the image consumed him. A slight cough pushed through his lips and his whole torso echoed with grief from it. He closed his eyes tightly as he cursed at himself for bring the pain of his life on her yet again.
He again heard his mother's voice, "You are very lucky. The knife punctured one of your lungs, and it collapsed. Your liver was also damaged. But you are going to make it." She smiled at him and asked if he wanted anything. He had wanted to ask about Mike Corbin but dared not. It might reveal that he knew something. After some more pleasantries, she left him alone in the sterile room to rest.
An hour with his thoughts, and he had not come to much of a conclusion. Only that Sonny was going to be pissed at him for not telling him about the meeting. Jason knew his boss would have told him to do just what he had, and things would still have gone down the way they did. He was trying to convince himself that he had gone up to Elizabeth's studio because it was nearby. Reality was, that he could have pulled out his cell phone and called one of the guys for help. That would have been easier now that he thought about it. However, the truth, if he dared face it, was that his heart, not his head, had led him there.
*
The late afternoon air slapped chilly on her face. Exiting the book shop, she tried to think of what she was going to say to him when she arrived at the hospital. She kept trying to practice something in her mind as she made the cold walk there. 'Hi, how are you...Hi, I got you something.' Hell, it all sounds so contrite. The walk was short and the ride in the elevator had not brought on any inspiration either. Now that the doors opened she stepped out and froze in place. 'What if he already has someone in the room with him? What if it's Courtney?' She was brought back with the soft voice approaching her.
"Hi, Elizabeth."
"Dr. Quartermain."
"I guess you are here to see Jason?" the woman asked. "He has just woke up."
She only offered a slight nod. The doctor went on to explain the injures that Jason had sustained, and that thanks to her, he was gong to be alright. Finally she told her that she was welcome to go in and see him. Elizabeth thanked her and just before she left she stopped and asked about Mike Corbin. The doctor said his injures were very serious and they just did not know yet. She thanked her again and started down to the intensive care unit. When she reached the room, she leaned in a bit to listen. It was quiet. The door was half open, and she squeezed through without touching it. Jason's eyes were closed, and she thought he was sleeping. She frowned, thinking she could just leave the bag and go. She started to set it down on the hospital tray table by the bed when the plastic bag crinkled. She gritted her teach a bit and froze, her back to the sleeping man.
"Elizabeth?" the rough male voice spoke. She turned cautiously and was met with a shy smile. She offered a gentle one in return, but for some reason she felt very awkward now, just standing there. They were so close, but she felt so far away. He could sense the silence between them, knowing there was so much to say, with no idea where to begin.
"Hi," she finally made the next move. "I got you something." She held up the bag. His eyes questioned what it was with out saying a word. She could read his looks so well. Seeing how he was never one to mince words. She took the book from its wrapping. A genuine grin grew over his face when she handed it to him. "Have you ever been to China?" He shook his head 'no' as he casually flipped through the travel guide book.
"Thank you." his words smooth, and her heart jumped a bit.
"Your welcome." She just stood there and bit her lip, not sure what to do next.
Noticing her uncertainty, "Would you like to sit down?" he offered. She looked around and spotted the round stool on wheels and pulled it over, but not to close to the bed. "I guess I should also thank you for saving my life, again."
"You will have to thank the doctors for that. All I did was call Monica. I tried to tell her you would not want to come here, but she really did not give me a choice."
"Elizabeth, you did the right thing." He was about to say something else when she changed the subject on him.
"Did you know that Mike was shot?" He nodded in response but did not give any clues to how he knew. "He is not doing very well. They aren't real sure if he is going to make it." He only looked at her, and she could tell he was keeping his composure to cover up something. "Have you seen Sonny or anyone else?" She did not want to ask if he had seen Courtney yet.
He shook his head, "No."
"Oh, well, I guess I will tell you that Courtney told Sonny about Mike's debt and that he was meeting some guy last night and that you were going to try and help." She watched the distinct recognition come over his body. He took in a breath and dropped his head back onto the pillow. "Is it safe to assume that the two of you ending up here are a related incident?" She said it, knowing he would not answer her. "It doesn't matter. I'm glad you are going to be ok." She looked around the sterile room. There was an IV running into the back of his hand. Her eyes traced over some wires that ran from under the hospital gown to the heart monitor. She then noticed that he looked pale and tried. Getting up from the stool, "I should go." She felt even more alienated now than she had months ago when she walked out of his penthouse.
As she moved toward the door with her back to him he finally found some strength to say something. "Elizabeth." She turned a bit but only enough to glimpse his face. "Will you come back and see me?"
She shrugged her shoulders, "Ok, I guess." Then exited the anxious room.
He continued to stare at the door long after she had left. Maybe deep down he was hoping she would come back. He glanced around the drab room, but there did not seem to be any items she might have forgotten. He started to berate himself for his actions, or lack there of, during her visit. He had barely opened his mouth. 'What an idiot,' he chastised himself.
Elizabeth had made it as far as the waiting room when a pressing weight pushed her into a chair there. 'Why had she even bothered? He did not want her here. He did not want to see her. Hell, he could not even bring himself to talk to her.' The thoughts ran through her mind, a mantra of all the reasons her and Jason just did not work. Last night when she watched his blood spill onto her hands she had found strength. The courage to love him again born from the fear of losing him forever. She had thought for just that split second when he said her name that he wanted her too. Just now, seeing him, the reality of it was different. She sighed heavily, sinking back into the chair she had occupied for most of the pervious night.
Jason heard a little rap on the door. He tried to sit up a bit but his sore body would not allow it. The small framed woman made her way to the bed timidly.
"Oh God, why are you here?" He glared at the brunet.
"Goodie, it must be true. You are going to live." her sarcasm apparent. "I brought you something." She held out a small, green potted prickly plant.
"Brenda, what am I suppose to do with that?"
"I don't know. Water it." She made herself cozy by sitting on the edge of his bed. "Well I take that back. It is a cactus so like once a year. I think even you could manage that."
He rolled his eyes a bit and frowned at the annoyance. "Are you here for a reason or did you come to see if you could finish me off. You're not in my will, you know."
"Boy, we get a little testy when we get stabbed." She leaned down and fluffed at his pillow.
"Stop that." He batted her hand away.
"Just trying to be the good little wifey." He took a shallow breath and rubbed his face in frustration. "Well, you ending up in the hospital is a good thing."
"What! How in the hell is that? And I'm not staying.""
"Well, your little incident has given us a few days break from the trail. And you will stay at least until Valentine's Day?"
"Are you here for any real reason, or is it just to bug me?"
"The bugging thing." Brenda sighed and rolled her head a bit. "Come on, Jason. You have been sticking your neck out for me; can't I just try and be nice to you."
"No, it doesn't suit you."
She was just about to fire back when the approaching voices from the hall entered the room. Carly, Sonny and Michael came in smiling and laughing. Brenda took one look at the family and excused herself. Jason was happy to see them but frowned at Carly for bring the boy. She had defended herself by saying they had found out he was going to be alright and knew he would enjoy seeing him. After some five minutes, Carly left with Michael so Sonny and Jason could talk.
They both stared at the door making certain that it was closed before either one of them spoke. Jason knew what was coming and he was not exactly sure how he was going to handle it. Sonny's demeanor change the moment the door latched shut. He turned to stair down at he man lying injured in the bed. He decided to stay calm until he heard Jason's version of the events.
Jason studied his boss, and even if Elizabeth had not told him about Courtney's confession, he would have discerned that Sonny knew already just by the way he held his jaw clenched and tried to remain calm. He decided to start simply. "How is Mike doing?" Sonny obliged him by going over the problems caused by the two gun shot wounds. Sonny knew he was stalling somewhat but with Jason as a captive audience, he was going to have to spill eventually; so why not give him a chance to warm into it. Plus, knowing Jason, he felt responsible for the other man's condition.
Finally, Sonny revealed the details that his sister had given him before asking Jason what happen in the alley. Jason started to explain the events of the meeting Mike had with Tagliatti's men. He expressed how he thought it was going to be a routine 'Where's the money?' 'I'll get it,' a few punches, and it would be over. But when the man first shot Mike, Jason could not see the wound Mike had sustained.
"It was a warning." Sonny interpreted.
"Yes, I figured that out when I got close enough to see it." Jason was starting to defend himself. "Tagliatti is out for more than a gambling debt."
"Yeah, he saw Mike as a weakness to get to me. My guess is, when you showed up, the men thought if they could take you out it would leave me vulnerable."
"And the second shot to Mike was to be fatal." Jason finished his thought.
*
Elizabeth was trying to gather her thoughts when the blond caught a glimpse of her in the waiting area. Carly made purposeful strides to her target. "Well, well, if it isn't little miss Florence Nightingale." Elizabeth looked up to find the dark heartless eyes mocking her.
"What do you want, Carly?" her voice ragged and tried.
It did not appear that it mattered to her that she was making a spectacle of herself in front of her son. "The doctors can take care of Jason now, so you can just run along home." Elizabeth was grappling with her patience, which was almost gone by now. She rose up to face the woman who seemed to despise her for reasons Elizabeth never knew.
"Look, Carly, I did not go looking for Jason. He showed up at my door bleeding. I did what needed to be done, and I got him help. If you have a problem with that, maybe you should ask him why he came to me."
The woman was opening her mouth to speak when a soft touch brushed her arm. She turned slightly and peered into the warm eyes of her mother. Her demeanor quickly changed as she twisted her body to hug her. Elizabeth just stood there observing the two. Their conversation didn't seem to involve her, but when Elizabeth started to excuses herself, Bobbie stopped her and said she need to ask her something and would she wait? She stood trapped, listening to them as they discussed the two men in ICU.
"Are Sonny and Courtney here?" the nurse finally asked.
"Sonny is with Jason and Courtney is sitting in with Mike." There was something in the way Bobbie looked at her daughter. "Why?"
"I told you that they took one of Mike's kidneys, right." She waited for Carly's positive nod. "Well, the other one was badly damaged and is not going to function. The doctors have put Mike on the transplant list, if he makes it."
"Oh, is it that bad?"
"Yes, he will be able to survive with dialysis, but you don't want to do that forever if you have a choice."
"So, he needs the transplant."
"Yes, I would like for Sonny and Courtney to go to the hematology lab to give some DNA for testing. Being his children, one of them might be a match. Do you know if Mike has any siblings? They usually make the best matches."
"When do they need to go give the blood?"
"As soon as possible. It will take a few days for the DNA results and cross matching to come back."
"I'm going to go tell Sonny. Can you take Michael down to the cafeteria for an ice cream?" With a smile from her mother she left the child, not even acknowledge Elizabeth as she turned, moving back down the hall.
Elizabeth waited while the grandmother talked gently to the boy. Then she looked back at her, "Elizabeth, I wanted to ask you a question about Audrey's house. If you don't mind."
"Why would I mind?"
"I know it has not been very long and I heard you were planning to rent the house out."
"Yes, that's right. But I have not even gotten started on removing the contents."
"Good," Elizabeth made a face at her remark. "We have a new doctor moving here from England next month. He wants a place that is furnished. He is married and has a teen-age son."
"I don't know, next month is a little soon."
"Look, he will pay more for it being furnished. They are planning to be here for only two years and don't want the expense of moving their stuff overseas. All you have to do is clear out the closets and personal items."
"Well, I guess I could do that. I had planned to be in New York by March, anyway." She was thinking out loud, "That is, before gram..."
"Great, can he come see the place tomorrow?"
Elizabeth shrugged her shoulders, "Sure why not. Just ask him to call first to set up a time." They said good bye and parted ways. She was going to leave when she decided to just walk past Jason's room.
*
"So do you want to tell me why you did not inform me of this meeting?" A thin thread reining in the not yet broken stallion.
"Look, Sonny, I did what you would have told me to do any way." Jason watchful of the other man's posture.
"That is not the point. You should have told me what was happening with Mike as soon as you knew."
"Courtney asked me not to." Jason could see his boss steadying his breath to calm himself.
"Since when did you start taking orders from women? No, wait, I know when. When Elizabeth asked you to spare Zander." Now his control skidding.
"Sonny, that is not fair." Trying to halt Sonny's wrath.
"I'm not talking about fair. I'm talking about business."
"Since when are Mike and Courtney business?" Jason countered.
"When Tagliatti is involved, everything is business. Damn it, Jason! You know that." Sonny stopped a moment and studied him. There was something more, but he could not figure out what it was. At the moment red fog blocked any new information. "What else is going on that I don't know about?" Jason didn't answer. When he kept silent, it was hard to know if he was avoiding the question, denying it, or confirming the accusation. A skill The Enforcer used well with his enemies. "You know, twice now Elizabeth has said something about me not knowing what was going on, and that I should talk to you and Courtney. Somehow, I don't think she was talking about this thing with Mike." It seemed as a slight breeze was removing the haze.
Jason fidgeted uneasily in the bed. He had not planned on having this conversation with his best friend. Not when Sonny was already angry about Mike. Especially not now, that he was becoming unsure of his feelings for Courtney. He was trying his best to keep his face emotionless as his friend and boss studied him. Sonny waited. He figured Jason would tell him if he stood there long enough. Jason, searching for the right way to inform him of his involvement with his sister, was saved by his other best friend.
There was as a slight knock at the door. It opened slow and timidly. A blond head poked through the slight opening, "Is it safe to come in or are you two still talking..." she mouthed the word 'business' without a sound on her lips. Jason welcomed her interruption with a smile. The relief washed through him. He was not going to have to talk to Sonny about Courtney until he had time to think.
"Please, Carly, come on in." She had not made it to the bed before Courtney pushed the door open fully and rushed to his side. She had felt it best to go see her father first. Sonny had berated her half the night about their hiding the situation with Mike, and she was not ready to reveal their feelings to her brother yet. She needed to talk to Jason about how he wanted to handle it. In her mind she thought it would be best to keep it quiet for a while longer.
Courtney gabbed his hand without thinking. "I'm so sorry this happened. It is all my fault."
"Now how do you figure that?" Jason asked her half returning the squeeze to her hand. Before Sonny's watchful eye caught them.
The exasperated woman went on about how if she had not asked him to help or if he had gone to Sonny this would not have happen. Sonny gently pulled her hand from Jason's, taking it in his own. He explain that they don't know how things would have gone down and it might have turned out all the same any way.
After Sonny gained control over the situation, he started to process his sisters actions along with Jason's. He felt a pull between them. He was sure of it. Just when he was about to voice his suspicions, his wife figured out his next move and negated it.
"I just ran into my mother and she told me Mike will need a kidney transplant." She observed the instant change in the dynamics of the room. "They want you two to give some DNA for testing, to see if one of you could be a match."
Mike's children studied her a moment as the new information seeped in. "When should we do this?" her husband asked.
"She said the sooner the better. I think you two can go right down to the lab now and do it." She was watching Jason, as he was apparently aware that she was trying to get them out of his room. They talked for a short time about the situation before they left to go to the lab. Carly told them she would meet them. That she needed to talk to Jason for just a moment.
Certain the two were out of ear shot, Carly turned toward her long time friend. "What are you going to tell Sonny about you two?"
"Nothing," his word dry.
"What do you mean nothing? He is going to figure it out if he hasn't already.
The door to the room was slightly ajar. Elizabeth could hear Carly's distinctive voice spilling out into the hall. She grimaced. Turning to walk away, something she heard stopped her cold.
"Look, I don't know what I feel for Courtney anymore. I don't know what I have been feeling all along." The male voice traveled out into the hallway.
"This is about Elizabeth. Isn't it?"
"Carly, don't start." He warned her.
"So, why did you go to her place when you were hurt?"
"I don't really want to talk about this."
"Tuff, you are going to talk to me."
"I'm not sure what I was thinking. I just know..." he stopped himself. The words that almost slipped out made him catch his breath. "I just wanted to..." still searching for a way to explain his actions. Finally he turned his gaze out the window, but his mind focused on another moment. The moment he opened his eyes and looked into that pair of blue ones that he longed for. Laying in her lap, he did not feel the burning sensation that was depleting his body of strength. It had felt to him, that he was coming home.
"You wanted to, what?" She had waited for him to finished, but she watched him get lost on the way. "See her again?" He turned to look at her. "Did you think you were going to die?"
Carly watched his mind process the question. "I don't know...maybe."
"You thought you were going to die, and you went to see Elizabeth." She was not liking where this was going. "Jason, you need to get over this. You are with Courtney. If you think it is going to be bad when Sonny finds out." She paused, "What do you think he will do if you go back to Elizabeth. He will think you only used his sister?" Jason mulled over the thought. He knew she was right, and he had no idea how to handle it.
"What do you think I should do?" He could not believe he had just solicited her for advice.
"I think you need to forget about little Miss. Muffet and tell Sonny you and Courtney are together." He frowned at her. He was getting a clear picture of what he wanted, and it did not seem to include Sonny's sister.
Elizabeth felt frozen in the corridor until she saw the grandmother with the red-headed boy in tow. It was enough to get her moving. She stopped for a moment in front of the window that peered into Mike Corbin's room. She felt sorry for the man lying there, wires and tubes everywhere. She felt for his family too. Even if Courtney was his daughter, she certainly did not want her to lose the father she had only known for such a short time.
*
Elizabeth was pulling on her gloves before venturing out into the frigid evening air. Caught off guard by a man's voice mellow in her ear, she turned to find Rick's friendly smile mere inches away. She offered a week one in return along with a casual, "What are you doing here?" He made no pretense that he had come looking to take her to dinner. She realized she had not eaten all day. So they made their way to a small, out of the way bistro. She did not offer up much in the way of conversation, but he enjoyed just sharing the time together. During dinner she told him about Bobbie finding someone to rent the house, to which he eagerly offered to handle the lease arrangements for her.
When he took her back to her grandmother's house she invited him in more to be polite than anything. She was beat. He saw the wear of the last twenty four hours draining her body. When the phone rang and distracted her for a few minutes, he excused himself to the restroom, or so she thought. She had finished the call and looked around the living room a mite concerned on where he had disappeared to. In the exhausted state, she had not noticed the sound of running water.
Finally he appeared. His hands slightly damp when he touched her cheek. Instinctively she leaned into the touch. Her eyes dropping a bit. "You are so exhausted, Elizabeth." She tried to smile, but a yawn came out instead. "I'm going to go. Now, I have run you a nice hot bubble bath up stairs. I want you to go get in it and try to relax." When her eyes seemed to question him, "It will also help you to sleep."
"You didn't have to do that." her words a protest, while her body was already relaxing into the idea.
"Yes, I did. Someone needs to take care of you for a change." With that he leaned down and kissed her cheek. He slowly brushed his hand through her tussled brown waves. "Call me tomorrow when that guy comes to see the house, and I will be here if you want." He waited for her nod which led to them exchanging goodnights.
*
Jason had finally gotten the room back to himself. He had not had a chance yet to speak with Courtney alone and Sonny seemed to be keeping close tabs on her saying he was concerned for her because she was so upset about Mike. He hated to admit it but he could feel the weakness the wounds were causing on his body.
He had just shut his eyes and was allowing sleep to over take him when the door flew open and the large dark detective confidently strolled in. "Well, well looks like someone finally put you in the hospital for a change." Jason opened his eyes and offered the intruder only his vacant stare. "Would you like to inform the police who your attracter might be?" The lieutenant waited out Jason's silence but got no response. "Not that I really expected you too, but I thought you might, seeing how we are pretty sure that you are the one who called 911." Jason's brow furrowed as he made eye contact with the man. "There was a lot of blood in that alley and I'm certain that some of it is going to match yours. Now what I don't get is, IF, you were there and called 911 for help. Seeing how you were also injured, why did you leave the crime scene?" Jason was not really listening to Taggert but he was trying to remember if he had placed the phone call. There had been a pause in the room, "unless you are responsible for shooting Mike Corbin?" Jason was getting tiered of the man and Taggert was a bit frustrated with Jason's signature silence. "You know for someone on trail for murder you sure are getting yourself in more trouble here. As I'm sure you know they pulled two bullets out of Mike. What I find interesting is that the one from his leg came from a thirty- eight. Now the one from his abdomen, that just might kill him, came from a nine millimeter."
That was it. The man lying in the hospital bed was ready to get ride of the annoying bug. "I know you hate me. But nether Brenda or I killed Alcazar. So, Lt. Taggert, while I get this little hiatus here why don't you get out there and find who really did?"
"Are you going to tell me what happen last night?"
"No," with that Jason closed his eyes finished with him and the Detective took the hint and left the room with a louder than necessary bang of the door.
Jason opened his eyes and stared out the darkening window. He was struggling with the information that Taggert had just left him to ponder. If he had called 911, why would he not just stay there with him and wait. Based on what Taggert had just told him he felt it a pretty good guess that Taggliatti's men pick up his weapon and use it to fire the final shot. He reached for the phone that was beside the bed and dialed the penthouse. When his boss answered the phone Jason did a quick run through of what Taggert had revealed to him. The only new information to Sonny was the 911 call.
After replacing the receiver Jason fought his mind, willing it to remember. Just what had happen between the time he opened his eyes, lying in the shadowed alley and reopening his eyes to find blue diamonds that belonged to Elizabeth peering down at him. He vaguely remembered checking Mike for signs of life. Oddly his mind focused on the hazy stench from the surroundings, that brought a familiar buzz of flies to mind. Shaking the thought, his memory jumped to the earthy fragrance an autumn leaf pile near a freshly painted house that seamed to reveal itself along the heavy entry to the studio. His brain jump ahead again as the earth and substance smell gave way to a breeze that floated along blossoms. It was this that had opened his eyes to find her gently cradling him. He lingered in the recollection. Trying to take a deep breath, the inhale seared his lungs transporting him back to the present. Why couldn't he remember some things, but others seemed so distinctive and even real in this moment? He shook his head in defeat as he aloud the night's slumber to take him at its will.
