Shot in an Alley: Announce and Plan

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Thanks to all of the reviewers!

-- Outside the Quartermaines

Jason and Elizabeth stood on the front step for what felt like an eternity. Jason almost wished he wasn't quite as healed as he was. He was still sore and couldn't move too fast but he was able to move around. It was nice to be off the couch, but not if this is what he was doing with his freedom.

Elizabeth was worried as to how they would take it. It wasn't that she thought that they didn't like her. It was more that they wanted a small, quiet wedding but something told her the whole Quartermaine bunch was going to end up joining them.

Finally they got up the nerve to ring the door bell. Jason, she knew, was dreading having to do this. He would have liked to tell Emily and Lila then let those two inform the family but he just couldn't do that to Monica. Or even Alan at this point. All he could do now was hope that the old man wasn't home.

No one came to the door for a minute but finally Dillon's face appeared. "Jason. Elizabeth. Hi. Are you really sure you want to be here? The whole family is in the den." He asked them in a hushed whisper.

Elizabeth nodded to him. "Unfortunatly we need to tell them something."

Dillon gave them a sympathetic look and opened the door all the way to let them in. The three made their way to the den. Edward's voice was booming even behind the closed doors.

"I will not allow this to go on in my own home!"

"It's my house!" Came Monica's bored voice.

"I gave it to you!" followed Alan.

As if the whole town didn't already know that. Both Elizabeth and Jason rolled their eyes. They opened the door and walked inside. Dillon was right behind them.

"Well, what in the devil to you want?" Edward questioned Jason.

"He is welcome here whenever he wants Edward." Monica informed him.

"Why don't we let Jason talk." Ned said, forever a mediator in the family.

"So he can make an announcment that will break all our hearts again? Most likely going to jail for some illegal activity Corinthos put him up to..." Edward went on.

"Father, leave Jason alone." Alan warned.

Before they knew it the family went into a whole new fight. Emily came over to them dragging AJ behind her. "Jason! Elizabeth, what are you guys doing here?"

Dillon spoke up, "They said they had something to tell the family."

Emily looked at her brother. "Did you!?"

AJ looked confused but said nothing.

Elizabeth displayed her hand for the three to see. "He did."

Emily hugged them both, careful of Jason though. "I am so happy for you guys!"

Dillon smiled at them too. "Congratulations." He said.

AJ nodded, "I'm happy for you two."

Jason looked at him, "Thanks." He said as he stuck out his hand for his brother to shake. Too much had happened between them for the two to ever be friends, and they both knew it, but at rare times they could be civil. AJ took his hand and shook it.

Elizabeth looked around at the war going on beside them. "How are we going to tell them?"

Emily saw the problem. "Okay, we yell 'Jason and Elizabeth are getting married!' at the count of three." At Elizabeth's look, she added, "I know it's cliche, but they don't really give us much of a choice, do they?"

Jason looked amused by his sister's idea but said nothing. AJ and Dillon looked like Christmas had come early at the prospect of getting to drop this on them.

Emily counted down. "One, two, three!"

"JASON AND ELIZABETH ARE GETTING MARRIED!" the five yelled, Dillon and AJ the loudest, naturally.

The Quartermaines stopped yelling and turned to stare at them. Edward was blinking in confusion.

"What?"

-- Corinthos Penthouse - Later

"You should have seen their faces." Elizabeth said with a giggle.

Even Jason had to admit how funny they had all looked. Sonny shook his head in silent laughs while Carly let out a roar of laughter.

"I would have paid to go with you guys." She told them when she could speak again.

"I would have paid for you to tell them instead of me." Jason told her, only half joking.

"So what needs to happen next?" Sonny asked.

"Oh, plan the wedding, get the dress, get bridesmaids and groomsmen. Getting a place would be good. A date, guestlist. Food. Music. Cake. Tell the rest of Port Charles. Should be a piece of cake." Carly said.

Elizabeth paled at the mere thought of it, now that Carly had broken it down like that. She wanted a small wedding with family and friends, but now more than ever, just running off together sounded even better. Jason noticed her nerves and squeezed her hand.

"I'll help if you want." Carly offered a bit quietly.

Elizabeth's color came back and she smiled. "I would love that. I already asked Emily to be my maid of honor but would you be a bridesmaid?"

Carly looked touched. "I would be honored."

Sonny and Jason exchanged a secret smile before Jason spoke. "Sonny, um, would you be my best man?"

Sonny smiled at Jason. "Of course man."

Carly brought up another issue. "What about you Muffin? Is your family coming to this?"

Elizabeth thought it over a second. "No."

Jason turned to look at her. "Are you sure?"

Elizabeth nodded confidently. "They wouldn't come even if I asked. Sarah maybe. But after all the times they didn't come in the past I don't want my parents there. I don't need them. I have a real family now. The only one I want there is my Grandmother."

-- Audrey's House

Maybe even more than the whole list of other things she had to do, this was what Elizabeth was dreading. She didn't bring Jason, even though he offered to come. She needed to do this alone. She knocked on the door even though her grandmother had long ago given her a key.

The door opened and Audrey Hardy smiled at her granddaughter. "Elizabeth. Come in dear."

"Thanks Gram." she told her with a smile. She loved her Grandmother but she needed her to know that she was going to do this no matter what.

"I have something to tell you." Elizabeth started.

Audrey frowned, worried, "Is this about Ric being found dead? I was about to call and see how you were but the number is no longer in use for the house."

Elizabeth shook her head, "No Gram, it's not about Ric. In fact, I never want to hear that name again."

Audrey looked confused. "Why?"

Elizabeth took a deep breath. "Ric wasn't who I thought he was. He's done some horrible things. But that's not why I'm here."

Audrey sat down and motioned for Elizabeth to join her. "I won't ask. I can tell you wouldn't tell me even if I did. If you aren't here for Ric then what is it?"

"I'm getting married." Elizabeth said, displaying her ring.

Audrey stared at the sparkling ring for a second. Her eyes drifted back up to Elizabeth. "So soon?"

"Really, it's not soon at all." Elizabeth explained, "The man I married wasn't real. He was a front a terrible person put up to fool me. I'm not sorry about what happened to Ric, even though that sounds terrible." She took a deep breath, "If I'm honest with myself, then I know I've loved my fiancee much longer."

"And who is this lucky man?" Audrey said, not critical but not quite pleased either.

This was the hard part. She knew how her grandmother felt about Jason. "What is the one thing you've wanted for me?"

Audrey looked confused but still answered. "Happiness."

"I have it with him."

"Then hold on to it and don't listen to anyone else." Audrey advised. She wanted her granddaughter to have everything.

"Jason Morgan." Elizabeth told her. She wasn't ashamed or scared. She was happy. More than anything, she wanted the only blood family she had that had stood by her to see that, to accept it.

Audrey opened her mouth, probably to tell her everything she'd heard before. Jason Morgan is a dangerous man, he's got no feeling, he's a mobster...

"When is the wedding going to be?"

Elizabeth smiled, Audrey understood. That was all she needed.

-- One Week Later, Wyndhams

"Carly. I've tried on twenty dresses. I can't find the one. This is hopeless." Elizabeth said. Emily and Carly already had their bridesmaid dresses, but the most important article of clothing at a wedding - the dress - was still missing. Elizabeth wanted to rip every dress in the store to pieces out of sheer frustration.

Sighing, Carly sat down next to her while Emily continued looking through the racks of wedding dresses. "We'll find your dress Elizabeth. And if we can't then I'll have Sonny hire a dress maker for you. Either way, you're getting a wedding dress."

"I've got it!" Emily cried before Elizabeth could respond.

"You've said that five times already Em."

"But I know for sure now. This is the one. This is your dress!" Emily said as she turned around to reveal the source of her joy.

Elizabeth had to admit, the dress was gorgeous. It had a lace up bodice, corset like. Little beads embroidered it. She skirt of the gown was plain white fabric. It was the type of dress you had to wear hoops or ruffles under because the skirt was wide. There were matching gloves of the same material that you wore in place of sleeves. It was more than she ever thought she could pull off, but somehow, it was everything she'd ever wanted in a wedding dress.

"Try it on." Carly urged once she had gotten over how perfect the dress was.

"This is the last one." Elizabeth warned.

"Of course it is. Why would we keep looking after we've found you're dress?" Emily joked.

Elizabeth went to the dressing room and changed into the gown. It fit her perfectly. She walked out and ignored the gasps of her two friends as she made her way to the mirror.

And she let out a gasp of her own when she saw her reflection.

"Okay. This is the dress." She agreed.