Shot in an Alley: Breakfast Conversation

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Thank you, as always, to the reviewers!

--------- Corinthos Penthouse

Sonny and Elizabeth had gone through everything that Carly had told her and none of it was a major surprise. Alcazar had been his number one suspect all along but they needed to be sure.

The two had both been doing shifts of watching over a sleeping Jason. His fever was low and he was breathing easier but still, his friend looked weak as ever. His color was still almost white, which was painful to see considering how tanned Jason always was.

Now, in the early morning, they were both sitting down at the table eating their breakfast. Though Sonny had asked before, he needed the reassurance again, "How was Carly doing? I mean, you know she hates..."

Elizabeth cut him off though. "She was worried about all of you. She's trying not to think about it."

Sonny smiled. That was Carly; whenever she was worried she threw herself into taking care of someone else. Michael or Jason were usually her targets. "Good," He paused, "are you going over there today?"

Elizabeth nodded.

Before Sonny could speak a very sleepy looking Johnny came into the room. The guard was pulling on his jacket and his hair was in a bit of a mess. "Good morning." He directed to the two of them.

Elizabeth gave him a weak smile. She was dreading, he knew, having to go to Ric's again. Also she was even more worried for Jason than he was. If that was even possible - Jason was a brother, friend, confident and right hand all rolled into one. It seemed, that now, he was going to be okay.

Sonny then motioned to an empty chair, the one Michael usually occupied. "Take a seat, have some breakfast."

Johnny looked mildly surprised at the invitation. "Thanks." He said as he sat down and began to fill his plate.

To say that Sonny had gone overboard in cooking this morning was an understatement. There was no way that he and Elizabeth were going to be eating all that, and even with Johnny's help he was still going to be either throwing a lot away or stocking the fridge with leftovers. He had done all the cooking in an attempt to get his mind off of everything. Also he had actually hoped that Jason would wake up hungry, and this way Sonny would have anything he wanted for breakfast ready.

Johnny looked up from his plate, "Has Jason woken up yet?"

Elizabeth turned to the couch. "No, he's still asleep."

Johnny glanced over to where she was looking and there he saw the still sleeping Jason. "Any problems last night?"

Sonny shook his head. "No, he slept clear through."

Johnny took another bite of his food, "He looks dead to the world." Then he looked down, obviously not liking his word choice.

As if on cue the person in question made a moaning noise and moved around a bit. Elizabeth rushed over to the couch while Sonny and Johnny got up.

"Jason? Are you okay?" she asked in a concerned tone.

His friend's eyes opened and squinted against the light. "I'm fine."

Johnny smiled at the younger man and spoke, "Morning Jason. I have to go to work but call me if you need anything. I'll be right outside." and with that Johnny left the room to start his shift.

Sonny moved to the couch. "Good morning, Jason."

Jason looked at him. "Hi." he responded weakly.

Elizabeth sat next to him and helped him sit up. Once Jason got into a sitting position Elizabeth spoke. "Are you hungry?"

Jason quickly shook his head. "No."

Sonny laughed at this. "I made breakfast. It's not soup."

Jason actually let out a small smile, "Okay."

While Elizabeth went to the table to get him something to eat, Sonny sat down on the side of the couch. "This will be over soon Jason."

"What are you going to do?"

Sonny sighed, "I'm not entirely sure."

Elizabeth returned with a plate over flowing with food. Sonny watched, managing to stifle a laugh, as Jason's eyes widened with the knowledge that he was going to have to eat least half of what was there. "I'll be back soon."

With that Sonny left for a walk. Elizabeth then spoke to Jason. "You don't have to eat all of it. It's just that you haven't had much more than some soup in a few days."

Elizabeth fork full of eggs to Jason's mouth and he accepted. "How's Carly?"

As she brought some of Sonny's amazing hash browns to Jason's mouth she spoke, "She's more worried for you guys it seems but I can tell she wants to get out of there badly. She hates Ric."

Jason nodded through his chewing of more eggs; "I can't blame her for that. What about you?"

"I'm fine. I just want this all to be over with thou..."

Jason cut her off. "No. How do you feel about Ric?"

She looked up at him surprised, piece of bacon still in mid-air. "What?"

Jason leaned forward for the bacon then look at her concerned. "You loved him, you were married to him. You still are. I'm asking you how you feel about Ric now." Jason spoke quietly.

"I don't know." She whispered.

Jason looked at her with something in his eyes that she couldn't place. "Are you going to forgive him?"

Elizabeth looked shocked, "Never. It's just… I'll never be with him again, that's for sure. But part of me, well I just wondered why he would do this. Then the other part of me knows he couldn't have acted it all. He loves me, I know it. I didn't imagine it all."

Jason shook his head, "Do you still love him?"

--------- The Docks

Sonny rounded the corner to the docks and stopped in his tracks. There, not knowing he was only a few feet away was Faith talking to Ric.

"You did something to Morgan didn't you?" Faith accused Ric.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Ric coolly responded. Sonny clenched his fists at that. Ric was a goddamned liar – he'd shot Jason in cold blood and had walked away to let him die.

"Fine, don't tell me. I know what you're doing anyway and face it Ric. You need my help to take down Sonny." Faith started the words out louder than was wise but caught herself half way through and spoke more quietly.

"I've told you a hundred times before, Faith. I've made peace with my brother."

Sonny could barely control himself but then Faith spoke again. "To take down Sonny you need to get rid of Morgan. You already did that."

Ric was completely calm; "I haven't done anything to Jason. I don't plan on it either."

Faith shook her head. "Well then start planning. Sonny has it in for us, we need to get rid of him before he does us. If you haven't done anything to Jason yet then I will."

"Do what you want, Faith." Ric then walked away from the angry blonde. Seeing that the conversation was over Faith went in the opposite direction.

A few minutes later Sonny headed back to the penthouse. He may not know what to do with Ric but thanks to Faith's threat against Jason he knew how to get rid of Alcazar.

He smiled, but there wasn't any ounce of happy emotion in it. Faith didn't know it yet but soon she would get so sick of Ric's partnership with Alcazar that she'll want in with him herself. Unfortunately her shootout at a meeting with Alcazar will go so wrong that both she and Alcazar will die.

This took care of the both of them without Baldwin ever being able to pin it on himself or Jason. The best part was he would have no problem getting the guys to accept the plan. Faith wasn't much of a threat but she had made a major mistake in planning to hurt Jason. There was no way Sonny was going to let a threat to his friend, no matter how small, get away.