Chapter Thirteen: Bridging the Gap

Courtney watched Sonny thoughtfully as he pulled out some of his cooking books. She loved to cook and knew Sonny did too. "What are you getting those out for, Sonny?" She asked.

Sonny shrugged, "Maybe I just wanted to spend some time with my little sister going through my old cookbooks."

Courtney smiled at Sonny's sweetness, "I'd really like that Sonny, especially since you're my brother."

Sonny nodded and lay the cookbooks out on the coffee table. Taking a seat next to Courtney on the couch, he opened one. The looked through the book silently, not really talking about anything specific, just about how good this looked and how they could cook that sometime together. They just enjoyed the company of one another.

Finally breaking the casual conversation, Sonny asked something that was really bothering him, "You and Jason were really close, weren't you?"

Courtney nodded, "He and I probably know each other better than we know ourselves."

Sonny nodded, a little jealous. He wanted to be the confidant Courtney had, not Jason; however, there was nothing he could do about that. Developing a good relationship with his sister was very important to him.

"I was wondering, Sonny, if I could. um. stay with Jason. I don't want to crowd you, and I know that you'll just worry too much about me when I'm here. And if you want me to stay here-," Courtney's rambles were cut off by Sonny.

Sonny shook his head, smiling, "Courtney, I don't mind if you stay with Jason. It doesn't matter to me one way or the other."

Courtney grinned and placed a hand on Sonny's cheek, "Thanks. You're the best big brother a sister that barely knew him could ever have."

Sonny chuckled at her remark, "So, about that linguine in clam sauce."

Jason's penthouse:

"I really appreciate you letting me stay here, Jason," Courtney told him as she set down a box of her stuff.

"It's no problem," Jason said as he scratched behind Rosie's ears.

"And you're sure it's okay for Rosie and I to stay here?" Courtney asked with a gleam of laughter in her eyes.

Jason looked up her and nodded sincerely, "For as long you'd like." Which meant that he wanted her to stay with him forever, but he couldn't quite say that.

Courtney smiled and looked at her boxes of stuff. She groaned because she didn't want to unpack yet. Eyeing the pool tab, she looked at Jason playfully with her eyebrows raised, "Up for a game of pool, or are you afraid I'll beat you?"

Jason eyed her and taking her challenge nodded his head, "You're on. Rack 'em."

He watched as she racked up the balls and called break. Aiming the cue stick up perfectly at the triangle of balls, he pulled back. SMACK! The cue ball hit the other balls hard and all havoc broke loose on the table. A solid dropped into the far right corner pocket and Jason smirked at Courtney, "Solid."

Courtney rolled her eyes and snapped, "Are you gonna talk all day, Morgan, or are you gonna play?"

Jason laughed. He almost forgot how competitive Courtney was. Jason continued to sink his shots, little by little clearing the table. He called the English he put on them and the pocket he was shooting at just to annoy Courtney.

Courtney stood waiting for him to miss a shot. She was ready for him to; she had been practicing her game at Jake's when her and AJ would have fights. All the pool sharks down knew her there because she had taken their money. She was known as "The Cat" because she was sneaky and sly.

Finally, Jason missed a shot. He looked up at Courtney and said, "Your shot."

Courtney raised an eyebrow and mockingly rolled her shoulders, "Watch the master work." She smirked at Jason's surprised face and aimed up her first shot.

Shot by shot, she sunk the stripes. Smiling at Jason when she came down to the eight ball, "You think you're lucky, Morgan?"

Jason shrugged, "I don't believe in luck." He didn't want to admit it, but this cocky Courtney was turning him on.

Courtney raised her eyebrows at his answer and stated simply, "Then you better pray I miss this shot." She turned back to the table and aimed her shot. Pulling back on her stick, she struck the cue ball just hard enough and with enough English to sink the shot.

Jason watched with baited breath as the ball slowly rolled and struck the eight ball. Seconds seemed like hours as the eight ball finally dropped into the side pocket. He hung his head in shame and rubbed the back of his neck.

"YES!" Courtney exclaimed, losing her cool. "I just beat Jason Morgan!" She danced around saying in a singsong voice.

Jason nodded, "Yes, you did. Good game." It sucks to lose, he thought.

Hoisting herself onto the felt of the pool table, Courtney taunted Jason playfully, "Morgan, you're losing your edge!"

Jason laughed at her comment, "Where'd you learn how to play like that?"

Courtney shrugged, "Well, when AJ and I would fight, I would go to Jake's to let some steam off. I would go to one of the tables and just start shooting around. The guys there played me, took my money, and that's when I decided that I was going to get better. Sometimes, I'd get Luke to take me there and teach me the English's and bank shots. I was a fast learner and soon I was ready to reface those guys. I wiped the floor with their faces."

Jason nodded, "So, you and Luke are pretty close?"

Courtney nodded, "Yeah, he's like a second father to me. You know, when I get down in the dumps, I'll go to him just to talk because he's a really good listener, kind of like you. Except for the whole father part."

Jason smiled at her remark. Looking down at his hands, he said, "I've really missed talking to you."

Courtney was taken aback by that statement. She looked at him and genuinely stated, "Same here. I've missed you a lot Jason."

There was an awkward silence as neither dared to say anything. They just stood there, staring at anything, but each other.

Suddenly, jumping off the ledge of the pool table, Courtney rubbed her hands together, "So, how about chicken pot pie for dinner?" She walked into the kitchen.

Jason stared after her. God, she was amazing. The next couple weeks were going to be hard trying to live with her.

~*~

Weeks passed and Courtney got used to living at the penthouse with Jason. She really enjoyed spending time with him. Each day, it seemed they got closer, if it was even possible.

Sonny and her met on Tuesdays and enjoyed cooking a meal for the family. She was really starting to find happiness in her life again. Her and Sonny were closer than they had ever been before and they had just found out that Carly was pregnant.

Jason was having a rough time keeping his feelings for Courtney under wraps. He wanted to tell her that he loved her and wanted her back, but he didn't know what she would say.

Courtney had finally gotten the divorce from AJ and was happier than ever. AJ was sour that he had let slip his little plan and now thought that nothing could ever bring Michael back to him. Elizabeth and AJ were pursuing their relationship, but that didn't faze Courtney.

Walking into the penthouse, Courtney set down the food shopping bags she was carrying on Jason's desk. Smiling at Jason as he walked out of the kitchen, she said playfully, "I'm home, honey."

Jason chuckled, "Good, I'm hungry."

Courtney rolled her eyes, "Haha."

Jason watched her busy herself in the kitchen putting bags away. How could he ever think that he could live without her? Jason knew what he had to do, and he would tell her the truth.

Walking back into the kitchen, Jason stood behind Courtney and placed a hand on her shoulder. She turned around and asked silently with her eyes what was wrong.

Taking her hand, he led her to the kitchen table and sat her down across from him in a chair. Starting off slowly, he said, "Courtney, some things are meant to be more than others."

Courtney was confused by this statement, "What? Jason, what are you talking about?" She felt her heart beating a thousand miles an hour. She still loved this man wholly with everything of her being.

Jason smiled and stated softly, "Like me and you. We're forever, Courtney."

Courtney's breath caught in her throat. Did he just say what she thought he had just said? No, he couldn't have. She must be dreaming. Courtney, wake up, she thought.

Jason saw her surprised expression and continued, "I know it sounds stupid that I just realized this now, but Courtney you have to understand. When I broke up with you, I was afraid because I loved you so much and I didn't know what to do with that love. So I ran; I ran away from it. Sonny had just offered me a job and I took it. I decided I would start my life over because our love scared me. I understand if you don't want to come back to me, but just hear me out.

There has not been one day that's gone by that I haven't thought of you. Wondering where you are, who you were with, and what you were doing. I wondered if you had started school in Connecticut, or if you had a family of your own. The point is Courtney, I never stopped loving you. That kind of love, it doesn't go away. It something that lasts; something that's meant to be. forever. I love you so much, Courtney, that it hurts."

Courtney didn't know when she had started crying, but she sure knew now that she was. Wiping away the tears, she smiled and brought a hand to Jason's cheek asking quietly, "Do you really mean that?"

Jason nodded, wearing his heart on his sleeve, "With all my heart."

Courtney managed a smile, "Oh God, Jason, I love you too."

Jason grinned happily and brought his lips to hers in a passionate kiss; A kiss that was filled unspoken promises and happiness; A kiss that held nothing but love and hope for the future; A kiss that would start it all.