Shot in an Alley: Return from the Island
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It's the moment you've all been dreading! Courtney is coming home!
Thank you to the reviewers!
--------- Corinthos Penthouse
Carly sat on the couch with Jason while Sonny told them the news. "Michael, Courtney and Mike are coming home."
Carly beamed, relieved beyond words that her baby would be home with her again. She had so much to tell him, not least of which would be how incredibly proud she was of him. She wouldn't let her smile dim, not even when she thought about how much he would need time with her and the stability that he so rarely got to get over what he'd seen happen and the aftermath of that. Carly would make sure her boy got it though, for as long as their unpredictable life would allow.
Beside her, even Jason looked slightly happy for the first few seconds. He loved Michael. Then the other part of Sonny's sentence came to him. Courtney was coming home. He didn't know what to tell her - how to tell her… The only thing he knew for certain was that he had to tell Courtney that he wasn't in love her.
Elizabeth came down the stairs and saw Sonny and Carly's smiles. "What is it?"
Carly's smile really should have given it away, "Michael, Courtney and Mike are coming home!"
Elizabeth put on a smile. Mike had always been nice to her and Michael was a cute little boy but Courtney was too much for her to handle. If Courtney came back she would take care of Jason; t was what people in love did for each other.
This was what she wanted for him, someone to love him.
Then why did she feel like breaking down and crying?
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Carly watched Jason closely. He didn't seem too happy about Courtney coming home; instead he was doing a lot of looking at an equally sad looking Elizabeth. So that was it. She had seen it in Elizabeth's eyes when she had come to pack herself a bag. She saw it when she told her what had happened to Jason.
And now she could see it in Jason's eyes as he looked at Elizabeth. She knew her friend loved Elizabeth.
Carly was having her own internal debate. She wanted Jason to be happy. She knew Courtney could accept him and more importantly, what he did.
Before it was clear that Elizabeth couldn't, but now it seemed she could too and as much as it killed Carly to admit it Elizabeth wasn't as bad as she had thought originally.
Carly pulled at Sonny's coat. Instead of answering his questioning look she motioned with her head to go to the kitchen. He silently followed her.
Once inside Sonny spoke, "Is everything okay?"
Carly nodded, "Except for Jason it won't be,"
Sonny bowed his head - he had known this was coming. "Elizabeth is..."
Carly cut him off. "In love with Jason. And he loves her back."
Carly ignored Sonny's amazed expression. "I know that look Sonny, I get that look from you. And that's how they look at each other. He never looked at Courtney like that. So what are we going to do?"
Sonny looked at her. "What do you mean?"
"How do we get Elizabeth and Jason together?"
--------- Sonny's Limo
Courtney sat in between her father and nephew. Sonny had told her everything over the phone. Right now, the car couldn't go fast enough.
She needed to get to Jason. He may have had Sonny to help him but Elizabeth was also there. That couldn't have been helping him get well. She may have saved his life but she was still Elizabeth. Courtney couldn't wait to get her away from her Jason.
--------- Corinthos Penthouse
Elizabeth turned to Jason. "So you must be happy, you know with Courtney coming home."
She tried to sound cheerful and had even forced a big smile onto her face for him but in truth her heart was breaking. She hadn't realized how hard it was going to be, for now she was living in the penthouse. She would see them together all the time.
Jason looked at her sadly - was it pity or was he regretting that she wouldn't be with him now? "I guess." He said simply.
Elizabeth didn't dare to hope after that sentence. "And now she can help you recover. I'm sure that's what you wanted all along." She kept her words light, even though her heart was feeling exactly the opposite.
Jason shook his head. "I didn't want Courtney to save me."
Elizabeth turned away from him and went to the bar to get a bottle of water. "Of course. Why would anyone want their loved one to see them hurt?"
"That's not why."
Elizabeth continued to keep her back to him, "Then why not?"
Jason spoke softly this time. "Because I wanted you to save me."
Elizabeth slowly turned around at that. Her heart was going a million miles per hour. "Really?"
Jason gave her a gentle smile, "Yeah, really."
Elizabeth felt herself get lost in his blue eyes. All the reasons she had for not telling him, to let him be with Courtney melted away. Before she could catch herself she told him the truth. "I wanted to… I, I love you."
Jason smiled at her. He was amazed to hear her say it. He could swear that he had never felt better in his life. He opened his mouth to speak.
The door to the penthouse whipped open and someone came rushing to him. "Jason!" Courtney's voice yelled through the room. Before he could say what he wanted to Elizabeth or make up an excuse to keep Courtney from flinging herself onto his still healing wound, she did. Courtney's lips crashed against his and her body pressed painfully against his stomach. Over her shoulder he could see a crushed looking Elizabeth.