Courtney jingled her keys in her hands, slowly exiting the rental car, with the definitive grace of an angel. She adjusted the loose t-shirt she wore glancing upwards at the barbwire that lined the high steel fence. Her mind kept flashing back to the news, memories mixed in with the oh so vivid vision.
"Hi I'm Courtney and I'll be your savior today, no hi I'm gonna help you get out of here no... Hi just wanted to say your eyes are blue not brown... I don't know you but I can account for your time that night" Taking a deep breath, she steadied her shaky hands adjusting the visitors pass now clipped to her navy blue shirt. It was definitely not something she did everyday, visiting inmates at the local jail. The further in she got the more she wanted to turn back, pretend like the vision had been nothing more then a vivid nightmare. The guard sat her in a chair, directly in front of a pane of glass. Courtney wanted to leave her pulse quickening; she was almost completely out of the chair, when he was shoved roughly into an identical seat on the other side. The scene was enough to force her back into the chair she vacated. For a moment, all she could do was gawk awkwardly at him, taking, in the unshaven face rough with day old stubble. His eyes were the most captivating, crystal blue, Courtney thought that the ocean if she were to ever see it would be every similar in color. Jason didn't move just stared back emotionless, until finally Courtney reached for the phone.
"I know you didn't kill that girl" It all rushed from her mouth, not practiced or even registering in her mind.
"I know you didn't shoot that women" She finished slower this time watching him take in the words with a slow methodical glance.
"I don't need another attorney" Jason regretted being abrupt, but when the woman showed no signs of leaving, he shut his mouth and continued to listen.
"I'm not a lawyer, I'm a waitress from Nevada, I know what happened the night she died, and I know you had nothing to do with it"
"How?"
"Because your eyes are blue his weren't" She dipped her head slightly content on avoiding eye contact for a while.
"How do you know this?"
"I saw it, in a vision" Courtney waited for the laughter to begin but nothing came, forcing her to look at him again. He did not even crack an amused smile just continued to stare, slightly more in awe then before.
"Do you know who did this?" Jason scooted closer to the glass whispering while his eyes remained trained on the armed men standing diligently by the door.
"No, but I know it wasn't you, I want to help you"
He looked at her more in awe then ever.
"Look up Sonny Corinthos he will help you, he's a good friend" Courtney nodded smiling for the first time as she realized he had just surrendered.
"Okay, I'll be back tomorrow" Courtney couldn't help the excitement that entered her voice, finally being able to help filled her with renewed drive.
She was already half way to the door when the loud rap of knuckles on glass caused her to turn back around.
"What's your name?" Jason mouthed standing at his full height.
She couldn't help but smile "Courtney" she mouthed back earning the smallest of smiles in return.
Carly watched the sky grow moodier, the quiet rumbling of thunder starting up. Not moving an inch from the balcony, she watched the lightening crash down, rain starting to spit from the sky.
"Mrs. Corinthos, there's a Courtney Matthews to see you" She glanced up at Marco; nodding slightly with the same uninterested facade she did everything else.
Courtney glanced around the penthouse, taking in every rich brown and red; all until a woman cleared her voice loudly, looking on with one hand on her hip.
"Who are you?"
"Courtney..."
"I know that part"
"I'm here to help Jason" Carly perked a little at her best-friends name despite her best judgment a smile claimed her once cross features.
"How?"
"Umm... it's a long story but I'm gonna help him get out of jail"
"Are you a lawyer, cause he already has 2"
"No, do I look like a lawyer to you?"
Carly took a moment to look over the woman standing before her clad in a simple pair of jeans and a loose t-shirt, her long blonde hair flowing freely past her shoulders.
"No, I guess not"
"Do you have a place to stay?"
"There's a hotel somewhere right?"
"No, you can stay across the hall at Jason's penthouse, not like anyone's using it right" She fell silent for a moment deep in thought before the perkiness returned.
"I'm sure he would want you too" She finished resolutely. Then her face seemed to light up, golden tan set alight by something that caused Courtney to back up a little, head turning to see that the door was indeed still behind her.
"Are you single?"
"Umm... no offence but we just met I mean I don't even know your name"
"It's Carly, so do you have that special someone waiting for you back in..."
"Nevada" Courtney aided, seeing Carly nod distractedly "So what's his name?"
"I don't have a boyfriend"
"You know you would be perfect for Jason, I know he's a little rough around the edges but he's a real gentleman once you get to know him" She flashed an impossibly innocent smile, fingering a loose thread on her long blouse.
Courtney didn't know what to say, had this women she just met really tried to set her up with a man on trial for murder? Instead of responding she managed a timid smile, giggling girlishly in hopes the subject would change.
"I can see you guys getting married all in my head, you'd make the cutest couple and your kids..."
"When is your husband going to be home" Courtney changed the subject abruptly enough to earn a raised eyebrow from the woman in front of her. The momentary gleam in Carly's gaze dimmed dramatically the somber expression returning without a moments notice.
"Sonny doesn't come home a lot anymore it's difficult for him to be here" Carly had taken to the edge of the crimson carpet, her eyes blatantly avoiding anything else in the room.
"I'm sorry"
"Don't worry about it Sonny knows Jason will be okay and now that you're here I think so too, come one I'll show you across the hall"
Courtney followed Carly to the penthouse no more then ten feet from her own, once Courtney stepped inside she instantly could tell the difference. Nothing was rich in color, no fancy fabrics or knick-knacks, just a couch, a desk and a pool table. Raising an eyebrow Courtney turned to Carly " Did he get arrested right after moving in?" The sentence caused laughter to emanate from Carly, something that caught even her off guard.
"No Jason's lived her for a couple of months, I keep trying to get him to decorate it just isn't his thing" Courtney nodded wanting to press for more details about the mystery man that was Jason Morgan, but she knew Carly's answers would be short and painful for her to tell.
That didn't stop the curiosity from flaring up within the blonde, her hands grasping a silver picture frame from on top of the desk. Jason was holding a raven-haired boy, who appeared no older then four, Jason was smiling a smile that made Courtney's heart flutter. The man behind the glass pane looked worn and resolute, but in this picture, he looked alive, it was enough to make tears sting in the corner of her eyes.
"That's Jason with my son Michael, it was taken a few years ago" Something in Carly's voice drew Courtney into the memory, the nostalgia of it stealing any more words from them.
Carly nodded smiling the same sad smile that had claimed her features long ago, turning to leave she stopped.
"Help him and I swear we'll give you anything you want"
"I just want an innocent man to come home to his family" Courtney observed Carly who chose not to turn around the distinct sound of a muffled sob tumbling past her lips.
Then she was gone leaving Courtney in the poorly lit penthouse, nothing to do but trudge up the steps and inspect the top floor. Feeling her way through the dark, she finally found the master bedroom, which as everything else in the house had nothing more then necessary.
"Guess this'll have to do" Courtney muttered looking at the freshly made bed with a saddened gaze. It was enough to make even her shed a tear, nothing more then a stranger mourning some innocent mans' incarceration. Brushing the trail from her flushed cheeks Courtney glanced around the empty room once more seeing a picture frame on the nightstand turned down. It was the woman from her vision, smiling into the camera with the same youth and vitality as Jason had shown in the picture with Michael. Running a hand along the glass, Courtney yelped in pain a shard of the protective layer, slicing into her skin.
"Jason, please don't do this don't leave me" "You slept with him," "Hi I'm Elizabeth may I take your order" "Why?"Courtney shut her eyes tightly trying to control the rush of moments seeping at an alarmingly fast rate into her skull. It was like being on a roller coaster, the sudden drops causing her stomach to flip almost painfully. There was nothing after that. the images replaying mercilessly, all without any real importance, just little reminders that a woman had really been murdered. A young innocent woman, who had lived a life, loved someone, loved Jason. That is what sunk in the deepest, the malice in his voice, the way his eyes turned cold, hatred. When she left the penthouse that night Jason had hated her, hated her enough to murder her? Courtney shook the thoughts from her mind, like cobwebs they fell away. Courtney couldn't doubt herself anymore, promising to save Jason had given Carly a little hope and taking that away would crush any chance the family had at staying together. With an exhausted sigh Courtney sunk into the queen bed not even bothering to strip away the layers of clothing, it had been a long day and longer ones lay ahead.
Thanks so much for all the wonderful feedback, for some reason writing chapters for this story seem a lot quicker, probably cause I haven't hit any roadblocks yet… Anyway enjoy and Please review.