Shot in an Alley: Admitting to Love

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I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed the last chapter. I'm so glad you liked it!

--------- Corinthos Penthouse

Elizabeth leaned into Jason. He was still sleeping. After she kissed his heated forehead she whispered a goodbye into his ear. "I'm sorry Jason. I'll be back soon, don't worry. I love you."

The "I love you"s were getting more and more frequent even though he was never awake when she said them, nor would he ever be. It never felt odd or strange saying it. It felt right. She loved him but the question on her mind was if he had ever loved her. Cared about sure, but loved? Had Jason ever loved her?

She got up to go to the door. She had to meet Ric at the house and get a bag for her Gram's house, or at least, that was what she had told him. In truth it was to get a bag so she could spend even more time with Jason. Before her hand reached the door knob a voice stopped her.

"I heard what you said."

Elizabeth turned around. That was the first thing Sonny had said since Jason had nearly died last night. "I know."

"You never stopped loving him did you? Even after I faked my death, after Ric and Courtney?"

"No." She replied honestly. She didn't care if Sonny knew. He wouldn't tell Jason, not while Jason was engaged to his sister.

Sonny paused for a second, considering that, "Why didn't you tell him that?"

Sonny didn't need to tell her who "him" was. It was Jason. "I don't know."

"Are you going to tell him?"

Elizabeth didn't need to think about that one, she had already made up her mind. She wouldn't tell him, "No. He's happy with her, I'm not going to mess that up."

--------- Lansing Home

Elizabeth opened the door to the home she once shared with her husband. She would never step foot in it when this was all done with.

Ric was sitting on the couch reading a legal document. He looked up when Elizabeth entered. "Hi honey."

Elizabeth moved to the couch to talk to Ric. She nearly took a bracing breath, but knew that would be natural. Never before had she had to rely on her feeble acting skill so heavily. She gave him a hug and frowned behind his back. "Hey, Ric. I can only stay a few minutes."

Ric looked at her with that pathetic look on his face and Elizabeth was nearly startled to realize that was how wonderful he thought she was. He would actually believe that she has no other motives than helping her Gram. "I understand. How is she doing?"

As much as she wanted to, she couldn't say terrible or that she'd had another relapse. It just wouldn't be probable so instead Elizabeth gave him a smile. "Better. She managed to keep down the soup I gave her this morning. She should be able to let me go by the end of the week!"

Ric's face lit up at that. "Good, I'm glad." with that he gave her a full on kiss. He was pulling her closer to him with each second. Oh god…

Then a noise she had never been happier to hear in her life rang through the room: the phone.

Ric groaned and got up to answer it. "Hello?"

Elizabeth watched as Ric talked on the phone. His expression made her think he wasn't very happy at the moment. The call ended and Ric turned to Elizabeth with an apologetic look on his face. "I'm sorry. That case I'm working on, the one I was away for last night, is moving a bit faster than I thought. I need to go now."

Elizabeth tried to muster up her best disappointed face, "This just isn't out week." she joked.

Ric grabbed his briefcase and gave her a quick kiss before he left. "Bye love."

"Finally!" Elizabeth took out her remote control and clicked the button. The door slid open to reveal a disgusted looking Carly.

"If you need to go and run to the bathroom to wash your face then don't mind me. I understand." She offered.

Elizabeth grabbed a tissue to wipe at her face. "Thanks, but I need to get back to Jason."

Carly's face changed from disgusted to concerned in an instant. "Is he okay?"

Elizabeth didn't want to worry her too much. "He had a rough night. He needs me so I want to get back to him."

Carly watched Elizabeth go to the bedroom to pack a bag. She couldn't shake what she had seen in Elizabeth's eyes out of her head.

It was love.

--------- Corinthos Penthouse

Jason groaned as he came back into the world. "Elizabeth."

Sonny leaned over to his friend. "Jase, its me Sonny." Sonny was relieved that Jason had woken up.

He watched Jason open his eyes and look around. Confusion came over his face. "How did I get here?"

"You don't remember?" Sonny asked. It didn't surprise him. Jason had been awake in the penthouse for all of a half an hour before he had gotten sick again.

"No, not really." Jason admitted, still sounding tired.

Sonny sighed, "Well, after Elizabeth brought me to her studio we decided to bring you here. I guess it was too much moving around for you because you got sick again. We almost lost you last night." he finished with a whisper.

Jason saw how sad and guilty Sonny's eyes got. "It's not your fault."

He brushed that aside, "Yeah, it is. So how do you feel?" Sonny asked, quickly changing the subject. He didn't want to fight with Jason when the younger man was still so ill.

Jason knew what Sonny was doing but answered the question anyway. "Not so good." He replied honestly. He knew that saying he was fine wouldn't work, he assumed he looked anything but fine.

Sonny nodded. "If I sent Johnny out for some soup would you eat it?"

Jason considered this. He wasn't in a hurry to eat but he knew it would make Sonny worry less about him if he was at least eating food. "I guess."

Sonny got up and opened the door. Johnny had been there all night and had to be tired. It was going to be a fight to get him to go home. "Jason just woke up."

Johnny smiled. "Good, how does he feel?"

Sonny face fell a bit. "Not too great, it's his way of saying that he's in a lot of pain but he agreed to have some soup."

Johnny gave Sonny a nod to say he understood. "I'll go to Kelly's."

Then Sonny brought up the harder issue. After last night he knew that Johnny wouldn't leave the door without a fight. "When you get back Francis will be here to relieve you."

The guard shook his head, "I'd rather stay."

Sonny let out a breath. "Were going to need you soon John, you can't help anyone if you're half exhausted."

"I'll be fine, boss."

Sonny was willing to cave a bit; Johnny had after all saved Jason's life last night. "I'll tell you what. You can stay in the maid's room and sleep. That way, if Jason needs you, you'll still be here and all we'll have to do is wake you up."

Johnny looked surprised that Sonny had offered. "Alright. I'll be back with the soup soon." And with that Johnny left the hallway.

Sonny closed the door and turned back to Jason. He was horrified to see his friend trying to push himself to a sitting position. "Jason! What are you doing?" Sonny said as he moved to Jason and caught him before he collapsed back down in defeat.

Jason was panting slightly. "I wanted to sit up." He said as if it were the simplest thing in the world.

Sonny moved his friend to the sitting position he wanted to be in. "Better?"

He watched as Jason looked down at his bandage. "Yeah, thanks. Where's Elizabeth?"

Not at all surprised that Jason had asked, Sonny informed him, "She is at Lansing's, getting a bag for her Gram's house, or at least that's what Ric thinks."

Jason looked up at him, stricken. "You let her go alone?"

Sonny realized he had said the wrong thing, Jason looked upset and there was no way that being upset was a good way for him to be right now. "It's okay man, I have a guard following her."

Jason still didn't look any bit calmer. "Sonny, she shouldn't go anywhere near him."

Sonny knew why he was upset. "You love her, don't you?"

The younger man looked shocked at the sudden change of subject, especially what subject Sonny had decided to change to. "What?"

"You heard me. Its okay, I already know." Sonny reassured him.

Jason looked down again. "I think I do." He admitted. He rarely showed his feelings to anyone, but right now he could care less, he didn't have the energy to.

Sonny smiled. Now if only they could tell each other that.