Elizabeth and Jason were blissfully happy over the next few weeks. Well, they were almost blissful. Elizabeth was getting frustrated because they still had seperate bedrooms. She had dropped hints, wore sexier clothes but Jason seemed perfectly happy to make-out for an hour and then go to sleep alone. Liz was ready to try something drastic. She just didn't know what. Liz was sitting on the couch trying to come p with an idea that wouldn't embarass her beyond belief. A knock sounded on the door and Carly walked in before Liz could say anything.

"Jase, I need...Oh," Carly said, seeing Elizabeth.

"Hi, Carly. He's not here," Liz said.

Carly turned to leave but noticed Liz looked really out of it. Deciding this would be her good deed of the week, Carly asked, "Are you okay?"

"I don't know," Liz said. Then, with a deep breath, said, "Carly, can I talk to you?"

"The life getting to you already, huh?" Carly said.

"No, it's not that," Liz said. "It's personal. Really personal."

"Okay, what is it?" Carly asked curiosity getting the better of her.

"How do I get Jason to sleep with me?" Liz blurted out.

Carly stared at her in shock. Finally she said, "You're serious. You mean you two haven't..."

"No," Liz said.

"Seduce him," Carly said with a grin.

"I can't," Liz said. "I don't know how. Carly, the sum total of my sexual experience is Lucky and a rapist."

"So," Carly said, "I'm the only person Jason's ever slept with."

"And that's supposed to make me feel better," Liz said exasperated.

"Okay," Carly said, "what have you tried?"

"Everything," Liz said. "I've dropped hints the size of anvils. I bought new clothes. But at the end of the evening, Jason goes to his rooma nd I go to mine."

"Yeah, Jason doesn't do very well with hints," Carly said. "He's better with orders."

"I can't order him to have sex with me," Liz stated.

"This situationis going to take some serious planning," Carly said. "Can I have a little time to think and get back to you?"

"Sure," Liz said and Carly left.

Jason came home later that day and he and Liz spent a normal evening together. A few hours after they went to bed, Liz woke from a nightmare. She was shaking as she walked to Jason's door.

Liz knocked gently and opened the door. "Jason," she called softly.

Jason sat up, gun in hand.

"It's me," Liz said.

"What's wrong?" Jason asked putting the gun back on the nightstand.

"I had a nightmare," Liz said still standing in the doorway.

"Come here," he said and Liz climbed onto the bed next to him. "You want to talk about it?"

"I don't really remember it," Liz said. "Just that I was terrified and alone. I don't want to be alone. Can I sleep here tonight?"

"Of course," Jason said. He groaned inwardly. He was having a hard enough time keeping his hands off of her. He wasn't sure he'd be able to with her right next to him all night.

Liz laid with her body facing Jason. Jason knew he wouldn't be getting any more sleep that night. Twenty minutes later, Liz was still awake and she knew Jason was as well.

"Jason," she said quietly.

"Yeah," he replied.

"Can we talk about something?" Liz asked, glad the room was pitch black because her face was flaming red.

"Sure. What is it?" Jason said.

"Why don't you want to sleep with me? I mean, you said you wanted me once but now," Liz trailed off.

Jason laughed softly. "Is that what you think? That I don't want you?" he asked. When Liz didn't say anything, he ran his hand down her back letting it come to rest on her hip.

"I was trying to give you time. To make sure you were ready," he said.

Liz stroked the side of his face and said, "Been ready for weeks, Jase."

Whe she slid her hand from his face gently down his chest, Jason's fingers flexed on her hip.

"Are you sure?" he asked. In answer, Liz leaned over and kissed him, gently at first, then harder.

Jason's fingers dug into her hip again, not violently but not gently either. Liz trailed her fingers back up Jason's chest. When Jason's lips found the side of her neck, Liz grabbed his bicep. Her fingers involuntarily flexed into his muscles. She arched her head back and moaned as he played the nerves there. He rolled her onto her back and began undoing the buttons on the shirt she was wearing. He slid the shirt off her and worked his way down her torso with his mouth. One of Liz's hands had found its way into Jason's hair. The other was learning all the muscles in his back and shoulders. She slid her hands to his hips and pulled off his boxers. Jason's hands slid up her thighs and he looked into her eyes as he slid into her. Liz's eyes fluttered shut as Jason rocked his hips. She reared up as she came, whispering his name. She reached up and dragged him down to kiss him deeply. When she dug her fingers into his arms again, Jason let go.

A few minutes later, Jason rolled off of Liz but pulled her in to his side wrapping his arms around her. Liz laid her head on Jason's shoulder and sighed contentedly. A feeling washed over Jason and he wasn't entirely sure what it was. He thought about it and realized it was true happiness. He hadn't felt it since Michael had been taken from him. Jason closed his eyes and the next thing he knew it was eight in the morning. Liz was lying half on top of him.

"Liz," Jason said softly. "Liz, what time do you have to be at work?"

"MMM, 9," Liz mumbled.

"It's eight," he said.

"What?" she asked.

"It's eight o'clock," Jason said.

That woke Liz up. She scrambled off his bed and into the shower. Jason got up and pulled boxers on. He went downstairs and asked Max to drive Liz to Kelly's.

At 8:40, Liz came flying down the stairs. She gave Jason a hard kiss and blew out the door. She ran across the hall, knocked, and opened it. Max followed her.

"Mission accomplished," Liz said to Carly, who was sitting on the couch. "Thanks, Carly! Gotta go, gonna be late for work."

Liz closed the door and turned around, running into Max.

"I'm driving you to work," Max said. Liz nodded and Max asked, "Is everything okay?"

"Great," Liz sighed. "Everything is great."

Max looked at her but didn't ask her anything else. They drove to Kelly's in silence. Liz hopped out of the car as soon as Max pulled up to Kelly's. She didn't even notice Sarah and Lucky walking up. Liz was tying her apron on behind the counter when Sarah and Lucky came in and sat down.

"So now he's got his goons chauffeuring you around town. Does that make you feel important?" Sarah asked nastily.

Liz smiled at her sweetly and poured coffee for the couple. She made her rounds of the tables and then came back to the counter.

"I see," Sarah said. "You're too good to talk to you sister now."

"Sarah," Lucky pleaded.

"No, it's okay, Lucky," Liz said with a smile. "You didn't want to talk, Sarah. You wanted to accuse and basically be a bitch."

"Wha..."Sarah said astonished.

"I'm not finished," Liz continued still smiling. "I've never needed a man to make me feel important. That's your MO. As for Max, I overslept and he offered to drop me off so I wouldn't have to run. Now, I'm done defending my life to you. If you're here to eat, then order. If not, stop taking up seats."

Sarah glared at her. 'Since when did Lizzie have that kind of backbone?' Sarah thought.

"We're here to eat," Lucky said.

Liz took their orders and gave them to the cook. Then she busied herself with the rest of the diner's customers. About forty-five minutes later, Sarah and Lucky were finishing up their meal and Liz was back at the counter.Jason walked in and went straight to the counter. Liz leaned over and kissed him.

"Hey," she said with a smile and poured him a cup of coffee.

"Hey," he replied. "I found something this morning that I got for you while I was gone."

"What?" Liz asked excitedly.

Jason pulled the postcard out of his jacket and handed it to her.

"Florence," Liz breathed. "It looks so beautiful. I wish I could see it in person."

"Say when and we'll go," Jason said.

"If I said now?" Liz asked.

"I'd call the pilot," Jason said.

"Just like that," Liz said.

"Yeah," Jason said. "Just like that."

Liz leaned over and kissed him again. "You're amazing," she said. "I love you."

"I love you, too," Jason said, only slightly embarrased as she kissed him again. "But if we aren't going to Florence, I should go to work."

Liz laughed as Jason left. Sarah and Lucky just stared at her.

"What?" Liz asked.

"Nothing," Lucky said quickly, putting money on the counter for their bill. He grabbed Sarah's hand and pulled her upstairs.

"What the hell are you doing?" Sarah demanded, whirling on Lucky when they got to his room.

"What?" Lucky asked.

"Twice," Sarah said. "Twice you stopped me from speaking."

"It's Liz's life," Lucky said. "She would just get mad at us again if we try to interfere."

"I don't care!" Sarah yelled. "I will say what I think to Lizzie. She can't go to Italy with him."

"She can do anything she wants," Lucky said patiently. "You can't stop her."

"Why are you defending her?" Sarah asked.

"I'm not. I just know she won't listen to us," Lucky said.

"You are. You're defending her," Sarah said. "You don't want to make her mad because you want her back."

"What are you talking about?" Lucky said incredulously.

"You want her back," Sarah said. "Now that another guy is enjoying your toy, you want it back."

"Liz isn't a toy," Lucky said.

"But you don't deny that you want her back," Sarah said.

"Sarah," Lucky said.

"No," Sarah said. "I get the picture."

Sarah stormed out of his room and down to Kelly's. She went to the counter and glared at Liz.

"You won this round," Sarah said. "Don't think it will happen againg." She stomped out of Kelly's.

Lucky came down the stairs and looked at Liz.

"She's gone," Liz said.

"Did she say anything?" Lucky asked.

"Just something about me winning," Liz said. Lucky sighed and went back upstairs.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A few days later, Liz was painting and she couldn't stop smiling. She had moved into Jason's room and she was happier than she had been since the night she had spent with Lucky in the church. Nikolas had mentioned that Lucky and Sarah were no longer seeing each other. Elizabeth was truly sorry about that because she wanted Lucky to be happy.

Elizabeth smiled to herself again, unable to think anything but happy thoughts for long. She and Carly even seemed to have a truce since Liz had asked for Carly's help. Liz's life was as close to perfect as she thought it would ever get. She and Jason were even having dinner with Sonny and Carly that night.

Johnny knocked on the door and then opened it.

"Elizabeth, Lucky Spencer is here to see you," Johnny said. At Liz's nod, he stepped aside and let Lucky in.

"Hey," Lucky said.

Liz looked at him and said, "You shouldn't come here, Lucky."

Lucky looked hurt so Liz said, "Look, we're friends but you have to know Jason doesn't want you here."

"And what Jasone says, goes," Lucky said.

"It's his apartment, Lucky," Liz said.

Lucky nodded and said, "So I guess you heard about me and Sarah."

Liz nodded.

"Look, I don't know what's going on with her but I think she's going to do something stupid, maybe directed at you," Lucky said.

"Thanks for the heads-up," Liz said.

Jason walked in the door then. He strode past Lucky and kissed Liz.

"What time are we supposed to be across the hall for dinner?" he asked.

"About an hour," Liz said.

Jason nodded and went into the kitchen.

"I guess I better go," Lucky said heading for the door. "Just be careful."

Liz nodded and Lucky left.

"He still worried that I'm going to get you hurt?" Jason asked walking back in with a beer.

"No, he thinks Sarah might be planning something," Liz said.

"I thought he and your sister were together," Jason said.

"They broke up," Liz said.

Silence was Jason's response.

"I'm sorry he was here," Liz said. "I told him not to come here."

Jason sighed and said, "You can have anyone you want here. Well, except the obvious. I just don't like the way he looks at you."

"How is is you think he looks at me?" Liz asked.

"Like he realizes what he gave up and he wants it back," Jason said. "But it doesn't matter. He did give you up and now you're mine. I have no intention of giving you up or giving you a reason to want to go."

Liz walked over and sat on Jason's lap.

"And I have no intention of going anywhere," Liz said. "You are stuck with me."

Jason smiled and kissed her.

Half an hour later the couple walked across the hall with a pie that Liz had brought home from Kelly's. Max let them in just as Carly came out of the kitchen.

"Carly, were you just in the kitchen?" Jason asked handing her the pie.

"Yes," Carly said.

"Then I'm just going to order from No Name now," Jason said and Carly hit him on the arm.

"She was just trying to steal some before dinner," Sonny said coming out of the kitchen. "I cooked everything."

"Good," Jason said laughing. "Where's Michael?"

"He's at my mom's," Carly said. "She hasn't seen him in awhile so I let him spend the night."

The two couples ate, talked, and laughed for a couple of hours. At eleven, in deference to Carly's pregnancy, Jason and Liz went home.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A few days later, Liz was late coming home from Kelly's because another waitress' car broke down. When Liz got to the penthouse, she could hear Jason upstairs so she went into the kitchen for a drink.

Jason came down the stairs with no shirt on because he thought he had heard someone. When he didn't see anyone, he turned to go back upstairs. A knock on the door stopped him.

Liz started toward the living room to answer the door but heard Jason open it.

"What do you want?" Jason asked and Liz decided it would be best to stay in the kitchen.

"Do you have a minute?" Liz heard her sister's voice ask. Once again Liz started for the living room but decided to let Jason handle it.

"What do you want?" Jason repeated.

"You know Lizzie is only with you to get back at us," Sarah said as she strode into the room past Jason.

"Us?" Jason asked.

"Me, my parents, Grams, Lucky," Sarah said. "She's just here to make everyone worry and pay attention to her."

"And you want them to pay attention to you," Jason said.

"No, I wanted to warn you. I can't stand the way she's using you," Sarah cooed. In the kitchen, Liz was getting angrier and angrier. She cracked the door open so she could see what was happening.

"Warn me?" Jason asked.

"Yes, she'll leave you just like Lucky," Sarah said.

"That's a convenient version of history," Jason said.

"I'm not saying I'm blameless but Lizzie walked out on Lucky," Sarah backpedaled. "She wouldn't forgive him."

"For sleeping with you," Jason said.

"For anything," Sarah said.

"She seemed to have forgiven him when he was here the other day," Jason said.

"That's my point," Sarah said. "She's about to leave you for him, to get more attention."

"Elizabeth is free to leave anytime she wants," Jason said. "She isn't a prisoner. She's here because she wants to be."

"And if she left it wouldn't hurt you," Sarah said.

"All I want is for Elizabeth to be happy," Jason said making Liz smile. "If being with Lucky makes her happier than being with me, then that's all that matters."

"What about your happiness?" Sarah said reaching out and caressing Jason's bare chest.

"Be very careful," Jason said. "You don't know what's on the other side of the line you're about to cross."

"I can handle it," Sarah purred, trailing her fingers up and down his bicep.

Jason grabbed her wrist and shoved her onto the couch. He put a hand on the back of the couch on either side of her head, trapping her. Jason leaned in very close.

"No, you can't," Jason said letting his eyes go as cold as ice. "This may have worked on Lucky but just the sight of you makes my skin crawl. Nobody uses me to hurt the people I love, least of all a pathetic brat like you."

"But I..."Sarah tried to say.

"No," Jason said. "Listen to me very carefully. I will not allow you to hurt Elizabeth again, ever."

Sarah pushed Jason away and stood up furious.

"What is it about Lizzie that makes the men in this town so devoted to her?" Sarah asked. "I'm attractive, smart, and I know how to have fun but Lucky, you, and even Sonny Corinthos jump every time Lizzie opens her mouth. Why? Damn it, tell me why!"

"I can't speak for Lucky, or even for Sonny," Jason said. "But I love her which is something I was told was not possible."

"But why do you love her?" Sarah asked. "She's not that attractive or smart. She's boring."

"Elizabeth is amazing. She accepts me as I am; she always has. She knows me better than anyone and she's still here. She's loyal, which is something you would know nothing about," Jason said. "Elizabeth is also very smart and far more attractive than you."

The look on Sarah's face had Liz stifling a laugh. Liz decided it was time to end this. She walked out of the kitchen. Liz walked over to stand beside Jason. She ran her hand over his back in a gesture that was familiar and intimate.

"Lizzie, you've been here the whole time?" Sarah said in disbelief. "Why didn't you help me when he accosted me?"

"Stuff it, Sarah. I saw the whole thing," Liz said. "Trust me, if he'd really wanted to hurt you, he would have. You deserved worse than he gave you."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Sarah said innocently.

"Whatever," Liz said. "You know, for years I was jealous of you. You got the grades, the looks, the boys, and the approval. But now I get it. You're a cruel, vindictive whore selling herself to everyone for approval, never happy to just be. Well, I'm done, Sarah. No more competition. I'm happy being me. I have a job I like, I have my art, I have great friends, and I have someone who loves me completely and unconditionally. So I'm done with you. Now get out of our house and don't ever come back."

"Our?" Sarah said spitefully. "It's not yours, Lizzie. It's his. You live in a mobster's apartment and you call me a whore. Look in the mirror!"

Jason stepped toward Sarah and Liz could see the violence in his eyes. She put a gentle hand on his arm.

"No, Jason. She's not worth it," Liz said. "Sarah, leave now and if you ever come at us again, I won't stop him."

"But I'm your sister," Sarah protested in shock at the threat of violence.

"And AJ is Jason's brother," Liz said. "Care to ask AJ if that would make a difference."

Sarah left not knowing how to reply. Liz had won and they both knew it. Jason turned to Liz.

"I would have killed her for that," he said. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" Liz asked incredulously.

"I never wanted you to see me like that," he said.

"Everyone is capable of violence, Jason," Liz said. "The important thing is that you stopped when I asked you to."

Jason looked at her and took a deep breath.

"So you want to get married?" he asked.

Liz's mouth fell open in shock. She finally asked, "Are you serious?"

"Elizabeth Weber," Jason said. "Will you be my wife?"

"Oh my God, YES," she yelled throwing her arms around him.

"We'll go to jewelers tomorrow," Jason said kissing her. "Being an artist, I thought you might want to design your own ring."

Liz looked up at him, her eyes shining. She couldn't remember ever being happier or having someone understand her so well and love her so much.