Chapter 11: The Truth At Last

Only the people closest to him could hear him. "I can't do this."

"What?" Courtney asks more loudly.

"I'm sorry, Courtney, but I can't go through with this wedding. I can't marry you."

Emily smiles a little bit, and only hopes that he means that he loves Elizabeth. Courtney, appalled, continues, "Why? What's wrong? Jason, I thought you loved me. Do you?"

"I'm so sorry Courtney, I was trying to tell you before the wedding, but Sonny and Carly wouldn't let me in to see you. Last night, I found out that I'm not in love with you anymore. I'm in love with someone else."

"Who? Who else could you possibly...." Courtney stops. She realizes now why Elizabeth isn't there. Now she realizes why she changed her mind just last night. "Elizabeth."

Jason lowers his head. "I'm so sorry. I'd been thinking about her a lot the past week, then last night I realized my true feelings for her." Sonny and Carly are standing there in disbelief. Mike has a look on his face that says I knew he would break her heart. "I have to go, Courtney."

Courtney is crying, but nods. "Goodbye, Jason."

"Goodbye, Courtney." As he walks down the aisle towards the door, he rips his tie off, and then his jacket. He slings them over a pew in the back, then opens the doors to the vestibule and finds something that he didn't expect. It's Elizabeth, soaked to the bone, crying, and arguing with Max to let her in.

"Please, Max. I have to talk to Jason."

"Sorry, Miss Webber, but you aren't on the guest list. I am on strict orders...." Max trails off as he sees Jason in the doorway.

"It's okay, Max. I'll take it from here," Jason tells him calmly. Max walks out of the vestibule and leaves them alone. Jason shuts the doors behind him so they have privacy. "You made it."

"I had to tell you something." Elizabeth says sniffling.

"I have something I have to tell you too."

"Oh? What's that?"

"I didn't get married. I couldn't get married." He walks closer to her.

"Oh? Why is that?" she says while holding back tears of happiness.

"I don't love Courtney anymore." Elizabeth breathes deeply, and smiles. Jason continues, "Last night, you asked me what I felt when I kissed you."

"Yeah, and you very rudely didn't answer me."

"I apologize for that, but I am telling you now what I felt."

"And what was that?"

"More than I had wanted to, but now, I'm glad I did."

"Why are you so glad that you felt something and it ruined you wedding day?"

"Because I would rather be with the woman that I'm in love with, than opposed to a woman that I just love. Courtney became a sister to me rather than a lover. I'm in love with you, Elizabeth, and I couldn't let you go." He lowers his face to hers and kisses her. This one was passionate and meaningful. It was heartfelt and full of love.

She brings her right hand up to his face and caresses his skin. He cradles her head with his right, puts his other hand on the small of her back, pulling her toward him, and they stand there, in a passionate embrace. Neither one wanting to let go. She finally breaks away from him. "I'm sorry. I needed to breathe."

"Yeah. Breathing's good."

They pause for a minute and just look at each other. "Maybe we should leave. It might get awkward here," Elizabeth says.

"Yeah. Let me get my coat. I'll be right back." He kisses her forehead and goes into the sanctuary, unsure of what he would find. Courtney has left, as well as Mike and her mother. Carly, Sonny, Zander, and Emily are all standing at the front of the room, talking about what might have happened.

When they see Jason getting his coat and tie, Sonny runs over to him and then sees Elizabeth in the vestibule behind Jason. "Elizabeth? When did this happen?"

"Last night. I found out that there was something between us that hadn't died. It's still there, Sonny. That feeling that I had for her so long ago. It's still here."

"And you couldn't tell Courtney before now?"

"You and Carly were dead-set against me seeing Courtney before the wedding. No one knew that I wasn't going through with this, except Jake. I told Jake this morning."

"Not even Elizabeth?"

"No, I didn't tell her. She came to try and break up the wedding, and Max wouldn't let her in because she wasn't on the list. I saw her arguing with him when I walked out there. I'm leaving. With her. There's nothing you can do or say that can make me stay."

"Fine. As long as you're happy. I love my sister, but I want you to be with the one you love. Are you sure she loves you back?"

"Why else would she be here?"

"Good point." Sonny laughs with Jason at it and then says, "Now go."

"Thanks. Try to explain to Carly. She's probably not happy about this."

"She's okay, really. Not as devastated as I would have expected."

"That's good. Now, I've got to go."

"Okay, see you later."

Jason half jogs down the aisle towards Elizabeth and puts his coat around her wet shoulders. She thanks him and they leave the church.

-------------------------------------

Jason and Elizabeth took his motorcycle to her studio. They figured that would be the only place to be totally private. Courtney, of course, isn't moved out of the penthouse yet, so they couldn't go there. They walk in and are both soaked because of the rain. Elizabeth walks over to a dresser where she keeps spare clothes in case of paint getting on her outfit. She pulls out an oversized t-shirt of hers for Jason, and some jeans and t-shirt for herself.

"Sorry, but I don't think that I'd have any pants that would fit you."

"That's okay. I didn't expect you to."

"You know what? There's a guy that owns the studio across the hall, and I've gotten to know him. Maybe I could ask him..."

"It's okay. And what would you ask him anyway? Wouldn't it be kind of weird?"

"Yeah, I guess it would." They both laugh and she goes over to another part of the room to change so we won't see her. He takes the shirt that she gave him and sets it on the couch. He unbuttons his white shirt and undoes his cummerbund. Elizabeth changed quickly and walks out before he can put his other shirt on. She gasps, "I'm sorry. I thought you were done."

"Don't worry about it." He slips the shirt over his head and down over his torso.

Elizabeth couldn't help but be a little disappointed that he put his shirt on. She walks over to him and stands a few feet from him. He looks down upon her delicate face and features. "I can't believe that I could put up with you being with a guy like Ric. I can't believe that I moved on from you. I still don't understand why I did it," Jason says with a sigh. He moves closer to her and they hug for a moment.

"If being apart for a while brought us together, I'm glad it happened. As you know, we weren't the best at sharing our true feelings," Elizabeth tells Jason. They break from each other's arms. Elizabeth just stares into Jason's deep, blue eyes. There's warmth and love in them, that no one else sees. Everyone says that he's had no emotions since his accident. Everyone thought they were cold, and hateful, but she knew otherwise. There was no other person on this earth like Jason Morgan, and she considered herself lucky to know him.

"I know. Isn't it awful how two people can feel the same thing, but neither of them have the courage to say anything about it?" Jason asks playfully.

Elizabeth catches on to his joke and plays along with him. "It sure is." Now seriously, she continues, "Why didn't you ever tell me how you felt about me so long ago?"

"I didn't want to ruin our friendship. Plus, most of the time, you were with Lucky. I thought that you loved him, so I didn't figure it would do any good."

"It didn't occur to me that you could ever feel the same about me. I thought that you always loved me like you loved Emily. I didn't think that it would do any good to tell you how I felt either. I now wish that I did."

"Me too." He leans down and kisses her. This wasn't unexpected like the last one that they shared in this same spot. Elizabeth saw this one coming and was happy about it. They can now be together, and she hopes it lasts.

Things start to progress to the next level between them, but they both pull back. "Jason," Elizabeth starts.

"Is something wrong?" He's a little worried. The look on her face doesn't show that a comforting comment was coming.