Elizabeth exited the Port Charles Hotel with Justus. She had spent the last
ninety minutes talking to Brian and Mac, answering their questions, and
signing a written statement. At Harborview Towers, Jason was waiting next
to Elizabeth's car. She put her daughter in her car seat and followed
Jason's motorcycle to a beautiful townhouse on the edge of town.
The two unpacked Elizabeth's car in silence and settled into the house. Jason even went and got groceries. Elizabeth fed Adella and Jason read the paper. Not long after the feeding Adella began to fuss. Jason reached into the crib and picked her up. Holding her against his chest, Jason rocked her slightly and she immediately calmed down and went to sleep. Elizabeth watched this with a sad smile.
"She's definitely her mother's daughter," Elizabeth said.
"What do you mean?" Jason asked.
"Your presence has a calming effect on both of us," she said.
Jason just looked at her and didn't say anything.
Over the next few days, the two settled into a familiar routine. They spoke little but they were, as always, comfortable with the silence between them.
The night before the trial, Elizabeth awoke to strange noises. She walked cautiously down the hall and stopped at Jason's door. She slowly pushed the door open. Even in the dark, she could see Jason thrashing around and mumbling incoherently. Without thinking, Elizabeth rushed to the bed.
"Jason, Jason!" Elizabeth said.
Jason sat straight up, looking for a threat.
"Elizabeth?" he said.
"Yeah, Jase. I'm here," Elizabeth said, sitting down and instinctively wrapping her arms around him.
Jason hesitated a second before returning the embrace. He buried his face in her neck and allowed the tears to fall.
Elizabeth held Jason and stroked his hair. She knew Jason well enough to know that he had been holding this all in since Courtney died, being strong for everyone around him and not allowing himself to grieve.
The emotional purge didn't last long and Jason eased back slightly. Elizabeth reached up and wiped the remaining moisture from his cheeks.
"Thank you," Jason said quietly.
"I've cried all over you enough times. You were due a turn," she said. "You know, that probably should have happened weeks ago."
"I know," Jason said. "Carly kept telling me I need to let it out but..."
"I know," Elizabeth said, softly. "You realize it never really gets better. You just learn to live with it."
"Voice of experience?" Jason said.
"Yeah," Elizabeth said. She tried to lighten the mood. "You know for a guy who doesn't dream, you sure make a lot of noise when you sleep."
"I didn't wake Adella, did I?" Jason asked concerned.
"Are you kidding? That girl could sleep through a tornado," Elizabeth said with a laugh.
They sat in silence for a few minutes.
"There are moments when I forget she's gone," Jason said quietly. "It's in those moments that I know I'm always going to love her."
"That's because love, if it's real, is forever. The person being gone doesn't change a thing," Elizabeth said.
"I shouldn't be telling you this," Jason said.
"Yes, you should," Elizabeth said. "You need to talk about this, about her. I'm glad you know you can talk to me. I know I reacted badly when you two got together but, I swear to you, Jason, all I really wanted was for you to be happy. And eventually I saw that she made you happy."
"I never meant to hurt you," Jason said.
"I know. I forgave everything in the past a long time ago," Elizabeth said. "My reaction to you and Courtney was because I realized it was my fault for walking away. It was just easier to be mad at you than myself."
Jason smiled and Elizabeth knew he understood. She stood up and turned toward the door. Before she walked out, she turned back to him.
"You need to get some sleep for tomorrow," Elizabeth said. "Justus asked me not to come to the trial until I'm scheduled to testify. I wanted to be there for you."
"I know," Jason said. "Justus talked to me about it. He said something about it looking bad."
"Okay, get some rest," she said and walked out.
The two unpacked Elizabeth's car in silence and settled into the house. Jason even went and got groceries. Elizabeth fed Adella and Jason read the paper. Not long after the feeding Adella began to fuss. Jason reached into the crib and picked her up. Holding her against his chest, Jason rocked her slightly and she immediately calmed down and went to sleep. Elizabeth watched this with a sad smile.
"She's definitely her mother's daughter," Elizabeth said.
"What do you mean?" Jason asked.
"Your presence has a calming effect on both of us," she said.
Jason just looked at her and didn't say anything.
Over the next few days, the two settled into a familiar routine. They spoke little but they were, as always, comfortable with the silence between them.
The night before the trial, Elizabeth awoke to strange noises. She walked cautiously down the hall and stopped at Jason's door. She slowly pushed the door open. Even in the dark, she could see Jason thrashing around and mumbling incoherently. Without thinking, Elizabeth rushed to the bed.
"Jason, Jason!" Elizabeth said.
Jason sat straight up, looking for a threat.
"Elizabeth?" he said.
"Yeah, Jase. I'm here," Elizabeth said, sitting down and instinctively wrapping her arms around him.
Jason hesitated a second before returning the embrace. He buried his face in her neck and allowed the tears to fall.
Elizabeth held Jason and stroked his hair. She knew Jason well enough to know that he had been holding this all in since Courtney died, being strong for everyone around him and not allowing himself to grieve.
The emotional purge didn't last long and Jason eased back slightly. Elizabeth reached up and wiped the remaining moisture from his cheeks.
"Thank you," Jason said quietly.
"I've cried all over you enough times. You were due a turn," she said. "You know, that probably should have happened weeks ago."
"I know," Jason said. "Carly kept telling me I need to let it out but..."
"I know," Elizabeth said, softly. "You realize it never really gets better. You just learn to live with it."
"Voice of experience?" Jason said.
"Yeah," Elizabeth said. She tried to lighten the mood. "You know for a guy who doesn't dream, you sure make a lot of noise when you sleep."
"I didn't wake Adella, did I?" Jason asked concerned.
"Are you kidding? That girl could sleep through a tornado," Elizabeth said with a laugh.
They sat in silence for a few minutes.
"There are moments when I forget she's gone," Jason said quietly. "It's in those moments that I know I'm always going to love her."
"That's because love, if it's real, is forever. The person being gone doesn't change a thing," Elizabeth said.
"I shouldn't be telling you this," Jason said.
"Yes, you should," Elizabeth said. "You need to talk about this, about her. I'm glad you know you can talk to me. I know I reacted badly when you two got together but, I swear to you, Jason, all I really wanted was for you to be happy. And eventually I saw that she made you happy."
"I never meant to hurt you," Jason said.
"I know. I forgave everything in the past a long time ago," Elizabeth said. "My reaction to you and Courtney was because I realized it was my fault for walking away. It was just easier to be mad at you than myself."
Jason smiled and Elizabeth knew he understood. She stood up and turned toward the door. Before she walked out, she turned back to him.
"You need to get some sleep for tomorrow," Elizabeth said. "Justus asked me not to come to the trial until I'm scheduled to testify. I wanted to be there for you."
"I know," Jason said. "Justus talked to me about it. He said something about it looking bad."
"Okay, get some rest," she said and walked out.