That night Elizabeth woke up suddenly. She laid still trying to figure out why. The room was almost pitch black, there was no noise, she hadn't been having a nightmare, and she wasn't in much pain. Slowly, Elizabeth turned her head searching for whatever had awakened her. That's when she saw him, sitting in a chair in the dark watching her.

"Jason," Elizabeth said softly.

"Yeah," Jason said.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"I was watching you breathe," Jason said.

Elizabeth inhaled sharply at that. She should have expected such a response but she had been unprepared for the emotion in his voice.

"Why?" she asked.

"I needed to be sure that you were alive, safe and home," Jason said.

"I am alive thanks to Max. I am safe thanks to your security. And I am home because of you," Elizabeth said.

"I need to say something to you and I'm not sure how so I'd like to get it all out at once so please don't interrupt," Jason said. "I answered my phone today and you sounded so hurt and distant. I was terrified. All I could think about was finding you and when I did, you were unconscious and wouldn't wake up. At the hospital, I was desperate to get to you and I was ready to kill anyone that stood between me and you. Then Carly asked me if you loved me and I told her that you did. She said that it would be enough; that everything else would work itself out. That's when you cried out my name and I thought you would blame me for not being there, for not protecting you. But you woke up and the first thing you were worried about was Max and the second was protecting me and Sonny. I don't know if Carly's right or not, but I know I don't want to let any of the outside stuff get in our way. Not again."

Jason watched Elizabeth who didn't reply for several moments. She wanted to be sure that he was finished speaking before she said anything.

"I don't think I have ever heard you talk that much at one time in all the years I've known you," Elizabeth said. "I would never blame you for anything that happens to me. No matter what else happens you need to know that. I don't care if I'm shot at or kidnapped or whatever. It's not your fault. I will blame the person who did it, no matter how they justify it to themselves or to you."

"Thank you," Jason said.

"And Jason?" Elizabeth said.

"Yeah?" Jason said.

"I'm sorry I scared you. And I like to wake up to you watching me," Elizabeth said before closing her eyes and falling asleep.

**********************************************

"How do we always end up back here?" Elizabeth asked two days later. She was painting in the penthouse living room with her good arm and he was reading a book.

"We both live here right now," Jason said.

"That's not what I meant," Elizabeth said. "We always end up back together somewhere, practically living together, with one of us taking care of the other. Doesn't seem to matter how far apart we drift or how many people we love in between, we always end up in the same place. Together."

"I don't know why or how," Jason said after thinking about it for a minute. "But I'm not unhappy about it. I've never regretted any of the time we spent together."

"Neither have I and I'm not complaining that we always end up here. I could think of worse people to end up being with," Elizabeth said. "I'm just wondering if fate isn't trying to tell us something."

"I don't believe in fate," Jason said.

"You don't dream either. Doesn't make dreams any less real to those of us that have them," Elizabeth said. "Just becuase you don't believe in something doesn't mean it doesn't exist, Jase."

"True," Jason said. "So you think we're fated to be together?"

"I really don't know," Elizabeth said. "But I loved Lucky with every fiber of my being and you were the one that I walked away for, finally. I loved the person I thought Ric to be. I loved him so much I went to him twice but still I managed to end up back with you."

"And you find meaning in that," Jason said.

"Yes, I do," Elizabeth said. "I loved you through it all you know. I loved Lucky and I loved Ric but after I met you, no one ever took your place in my heart. And, okay, I said way too much and am now very embarrassed."

"Hey," Jason said, standing up and walking over to her. He lifted her chin in a gesture that was achingly familiar to both of them. "No one took your place either. I loved Courtney, too, and she still has her place with me but it wasn't your place. Your's is your's. It always will be."

"Thank you," Elizabeth said. "For saying that. For meaning it."

Jason smiled at her and she hugged him.