Author's Explanation: This story began with a flash fiction challenge I did back in October 2002. You are given a prompt and have 1 hour to write a story that fits the prompt. I have no memory of what the prompt was, but the story I wrote is attached here. I can't post it because it is apparently to risque for this board, so you will need to go offsite to read it. If the link doesn't work e-mail me and I'll get it to you. You need to read It Was Only Love to understand the basis of this four-part continuation that I'm posting now. Arghhh I can't post the link here so if you want to read the original let me know and I'll link you to it via e-mail.

Basically the original fic was set 2 days after Elizabeth stormed out of the penthouse after finding out the truth about Sonny. She found Jason at Jake's they talked briefly then they slept together, and she left him the next morning with only a note saying: It was only love, and now it's gone. She left town without any other word and hasn't returned until this story begins. This continuation begins on April 23, 2004 the day when Monica goes off on Carly and Sonny about Michael when he has surgery. Jason's history remains the same, although his motivations have changed, Elizabeth's history, as you will see is vastly different. The other key change is Nikolas was never missing or presumed dead, he's in Port Charles as this story begins.

CYA: I do not own anything only the right to abuse.

Feedback: Do you want to see me beg? Because it can get ugly

Distribution: Ask me first please I'll probably say yes.

Blather: Whether you like it or hate it I would like to hear. Critiques and Critics are welcome, flames are not. The part if very contained only four parts so let me know if you want to read the next.

Stephanie

Love, Lies and Chances

General Hospital

"Michael will be okay," Courtney Matthews-Morgan tried to reassure her husband, then immediately tried to reorder her thinking he was her ex-husband, not her husband. But it was impossible the term "ex" was only a phrase, Jason would always be her husband, her love.

"He's just a little boy." Jason Morgan barely heard her words. "He's already gone through so much."

"Michael knows you're here with him, he knows his parents are here, he will pull through this."

"It's not that easy, you can't just will someone to be alright." Feeling incredibly drained and helpless Jason could merely shake his head. He hated feeling helpless at any time but when it meant he couldn't help someone he loved, like Michael, it was even worse. Why was it Michael that always brought out this feeling of helplessness? It had started when Michael was born, when his heart had needed surgery, an unfamiliar feeling of helplessness had descended on him. The next time he felt that way had been when Michael had been kidnapped. Now he was feeling it again, and again it was while he was waiting to see if Michael would be all right.

Monica's words were still ringing in Sonny Corinthos' ears. It was hard for him to ignore them when they sounded so true. Jason had trusted him with Michael, he had signed away his rights to the boy because he didn't want the boy to be confused or hurt by the constant upheaval in his life. He didn't want him hurt by the way people always fought over him. All Jason had wanted was for Michael to be safe and happy, and what had he gotten?

How many times had Michael and Leticia been sent away because of a threat? How many times had Michael's life been in danger because of the choices he'd made with his life? Michael was just a little boy and he had already been through so much and now there was a chance he could die. Michael could die before he ever really had the chance to live.

Needing reassurance Sonny went looking for the only person who could ever give it to him, his best friend … Jason. Turning the corner that led from the operating arena he came to a halt when he recognized the couple at the nurse's station. He wasn't surprised to see them, but he was surprised to see them together and the familiar anger swirled inside of him making his gut clench. He couldn't help the way he felt he didn't want Courtney anywhere near his family. She had proven herself not to be trusted.

The effort he had made to get to know her had proven to be a waste a time. She might be his blood but she wasn't his family. Since the very beginning she had criticized him, lectured him, condemned him and in the end betrayed him. If she had waited to really get to know him before accusing him of things maybe he would have felt bad enough to try to make her understand, but she hadn't. If he were honest he'd have to admit he hadn't gone out of his way to get to know her either. He had been interested when he first found out about her, but now he believed that interest was more because she had been hanging around AJ, then any real interest in her. Did that make him a bastard? Maybe, but in the end he had been proven right about her, she hadn't been worth it.

All Courtney was to him now was Mike's other kid and Jason's ex-wife. Judging from the way he always saw Courtney around Jason, and her jealous displays he heard about second hand through Sam, he was becoming convinced that Courtney wanted to change the "ex" part. Of course for that to happen Jason would have to change into an entirely new man and walk away from the only life he'd ever known.

One woman had tried to make him do that once before, and she had failed. Jason had loved Robin with every part of himself but he had let her go the first time because he wouldn't or couldn't change who he was for her and she couldn't stay with him the way he was. He'd never seen Jason look at Courtney with even half the emotion he had when he looked at Robin. At one time that had disturbed and worried him but now it merely made him weary.

Turning his focus back to the couple at the nurse's station he wanted nothing more than to walk over and break it up. But given his history with their relationship he knew that would probably backfire and Jason would be upset. He relished the idea of a distraction, but didn't want to add more weight to Jason's shoulders. He knew, even if he wouldn't discuss it, that Jason was as worried about Michael as him and Carly were, and on top of that fear he had been trying to stay away from Michael at times so he didn't make things worse. Christ he didn't know where Jason got his strength from but it never failed to amaze him.

He hadn't been able to help Jason with anything for a long time now so if steering clear of Courtney could help Jason, it wouldn't kill him to do it at least for right now. Unconsciously grimacing he headed in their direction with the intent of walking past them to the elevators to go outside and get some air.

Seeing Sonny's approach Jason couldn't help but tense. He wasn't ready to referee another war of words between Sonny and Courtney. The ding of the elevators came from behind him and it was mere background noise until he felt the impact. Feelings crashed into him and their impact was much like being sucker-punched. In that instant he knew who had stepped off the elevator. Taking a step back from Courtney he turned slowly for his eyes to confirm what he already knew to be true, to confirm that Elizabeth Webber had just returned to Port Charles. When his eyes met hers he expelled a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding.

How long did he stand there just staring at her, drinking her in, he didn't know. His eyes never left hers. He didn't want to blink afraid she would disappear as she had once before. The only time he had ever daydreamed it had been about her and the day she came to him wearing a tiara. A part of him was afraid that this was just another imagining. Dimly he registered that he shouldn't be staring but couldn't stop, nothing had seemed real to him since she walked off the elevator.

"Elizabeth."

The high-pitched voice broke the spell between them, and once Elizabeth looked away Jason became aware that he had moved closer to her without realizing it.

"Hello Amy. They told me downstairs that my Grandmother is on this floor," Elizabeth addressed the blonde nurse that had spoken.

"She is and she's going to be thrilled to see you." Perpetually cheery, Amy took Elizabeth's arm. "You are going to be the best medicine for her. Once she knew you were coming she stopped giving us nurses a hard time. It's true what they say about doctors and nurses making the worst patients. Ever since Audrey broke her leg and has been bedridden she has been the worst patient on the floor." As Amy spoke she continued to lead Elizabeth toward a corridor away from the nurse's station.

Was it by chance or by design that before turning down the corridor she inclined her head to meet Jason's gaze again. Her steps faltered for a beat then she moved down the hall and was soon out of sight.

Feeling uncomfortable by what she had just witnessed Courtney reached out to get Jason's attention. Her fingers had barely grazed his arm when he jumped away from her. Startled and confused by his overreaction she dropped her hand. Trying her best to regroup she swallowed hard and took a good look at his face. Reading it the words she'd been about to say dried up.

His usually crystal clear eyes were cloudy with such a swirling mixture of emotions it stunned her. His eyes normally were aloof, sometimes angry, or tired but they were always clear. The only times they hadn't been was when Michael had been hurt and when Carly was in her coma. But even at those times she had been able to recognize his feelings, but this time she couldn't get a handle on them. His facial expression, which was normally standoffish, or even guarded, the way it had been the last several months with her, was the closest to shock that she'd ever seen. His focus was on her but she knew he wasn't seeing her. All he was seeing was Elizabeth Webber. Rocked down to her very core she didn't know how she was supposed to feel or react.

The longer he stood there sightlessly staring at her the more unnerved she became. Something in his expression was making her stomach clench in uneasiness. A truth she had never allowed herself to consider was dancing right on the edge of being known and she didn't want to hear it. Feeling flustered, unnerved, even a touch of fear, Courtney stepped back and stammered out an excuse to leave. When he blinked at her words she realized he finally figured out he was staring at her.

"You'll be kept informed."

And like that she was dismissed. Feeling sick to her stomach Courtney hurried to the elevator. Once she was away from him she tried to battle away her unease. She was misreading the whole situation Jason was merely rocked over what was happening with Michael, it had absolutely nothing to due with Elizabeth's surprising return. Elizabeth had no power over Jason, their relationship had been over for more than a year and a half now. Besides Jason had married her, he loved her. Resolute in her conviction she took one last look at Jason as the elevator doors began to close and some of that resoluteness began to vanish when she saw his eyes fixed on the spot Elizabeth had disappeared.

From the other side of the room Sonny continued his observation, he had been searching for a brief respite from his all consuming fear for Michael, and had just witnessed a doozy. He had just seen the emotion Jason was capable of and it wasn't directed at his ex-wife but his long time friend. The friend Jason had once defied him for, the one Jason had worked with the cops and the Quartermaine's in order to help. Courtney hadn't been the recipient of that look of longing, Elizabeth Webber was. Seeing that look validated one concern he always had harbored over Jason and Courtney's relationship.

One of the primary reasons he had objected to their relationship was one he'd never expressed aloud. Perhaps he'd never spoken it because he didn't want to hear his fear confirmed. Because it would have been confirmed. That one look Jason and Elizabeth had just shared confirmed to him that the only reason Jason had gotten together with Courtney was because Elizabeth was gone. And no matter how much Jason had eventually grown to care about or even love Courtney it was nothing compared to the depth of feeling Jason had for Elizabeth. And judging from Courtney's shell-shocked expression when she left she had finally figured that out as well.

"Jason." Stepping closer Sonny made his presence known.

Disoriented Jason tried to focus, to reassess, too close off some of his feelings, and it was harder to do than usual. "Any change with Michael?"

"Michael's in recovery we should be able to see him soon." Sonny followed Jason's lead and didn't mention the last five minutes. "You want to see him?"

"Yeah." Jason fell into step beside Sonny and to his credit he only took one last look down the hall Elizabeth had disappeared.

Kelly's

Feeling drained yet relieved Jason walked into Kelly's a few hours later with only one thing on his mind and that was food. Michael had come out of the anesthesia and the doctor's were cautiously optimistic that he would make a full recovery. After hearing the news from Monica he'd believed it enough he'd been willing to leave his vigil at the hospital. After a quick meal and a few hours of sleep, he'd be recharged and more able to help Sonny and Carly through the days to come.

Taking his usual seat at the counter he waited a few minutes on Penny to get to him, as usual Kelly's had more people than help but he didn't mind. He'd just placed his to go order when the door opened behind him. For the second time that day he knew who it was without looking. Tension he'd never fully dispelled since seeing her earlier began gathering into a little ball in the pit of his stomach as she grew near.

"Elizabeth." An excited Penny hurried from behind the counter to embrace her long-time friend. "It's so great to see you."

"You too."

From the sound of her voice he knew she was smiling. Sitting quietly he let the sound of it wash over him. He had missed hearing her voice. From the beginning she had talked to him, sometimes she had even talked over him. When he had been recovering from the gunshot wound she would talk to him for hours on end even when he was only half aware. He'd grown accustomed to hearing her voice, it had always been soothing to him, especially at a time when everything else in his life had ricocheted out of control.

"I don't mind waiting."

The actual words, not the sound penetrated this time and he turned to look at her. She had taken a seat at a table with her back to him. Before he realized what he was doing he'd crossed to her table. "Can I join you?"

Elizabeth seemed to study him for a long time before finally nodding. Once seated, he found he didn't know what to say. Normally Elizabeth had taken the lead in directing the conversation, but not this time. The silence had stretched to an awkward point when he finally broke it. "I didn't know you were back in town."

"I just arrived this afternoon. My Grandmother fell and broke her leg in two places, I came back to see her and help her out for a few weeks," she explained.

His spirits seemed to sink at her words. She wasn't planning on staying in town, disappointed he continued on. "I hadn't heard about Mrs. Hardy."

"That's understandable," she learned back in her chair to let Penny set her drink on the table and gave a quick smile of thanks.

It was the smile, that quick flash of teeth that did it for him. The uncertainty he had been feeling for months, no longer than that, for the year and a half since that night in Jakes, the last time he saw her had finally faded. His balance had finally returned. He was too stunned by the feeling to figure out what it meant so he concentrated on her words instead.

The smile faded and her face turned serious. "I heard about Michael. Knowing what he means to you I know your every thought, every feeling, had been for him, and trying to help him."

"I haven't been able to do much for him, just watch him while he's in pain and hooked up to monitors." The words were coated with the familiar feeling of bitterness and helplessness.

"That's not what I hear," Elizabeth countered. "I hear you saved his life when you found him in the first place. And since that point I bet you've been a tower of strength not only for him but for everyone else as well. So give yourself a break."

The time apart hadn't lessened her ability to read him and for that he was grateful. He wasn't sure if he could have handled it, if she hadn't been able to read him. Things had been so strained between them before she left, then added to that was the way she had left. The memory of that last night was still so vivid in his mind, the feelings were still so intense, they were right there below the surface, but he didn't know how to discuss them. He didn't know how he could broach the subject of that last night or even worse her abrupt departure of the next day. Before he could figure it out Elizabeth took control of the situation and changed everything.

"I hear congratulations are in order."

"What?" Puzzled by her words he shifted his focus to her face.

"Your marriage."

Jason flinched.

"Or I guess I should say marriages. I heard you've had a couple since I've been gone." She didn't try to smile just kept her eyes on his. "I saw you with your latest wife at the hospital earlier. So I guess I'm offering a belated congratulations."

"We're not married anymore," Jason blurted out.

"Oh." Looking down at the table she reached for a napkin to clean up the spill from her drink.

Following the movement of her hand his eyes latched onto something that had his heart stopping. "Are…" hearing the scratchiness in his voice he cleared his throat and tried again. "Are you married?" He gestured to the diamond ring on her finger. It wasn't a gold band but it was on her ring finger.

"No," she shook her head. "I'm not married."

Closing his eyes in relief he soon forced them open to study the ring again after another minute he tore his eyes from her ring to meet her eyes. "Are you engaged? Because that looks like an engagement ring."

She looked down at the ring for a minute before looking up at him. "Yes, it's an engagement ring."

With those five simple words the world shifted and he was thrown back to that early October morning when he had read her note of farewell. The devastation wasn't as severe as it had been that day, but there was still a sense of loss caused by her words. What could he say? As she had pointed out he had been married not once but twice since she'd been gone. Granted one of those marriages had been a ruse, but it was a fact. So he had no right to feel disappointed that she had moved on as well.

"Thanks Penny." Elizabeth smiled when the waitress set two different to go bags on their table.

"Elizabeth…" he began only to stop when his cell began to chirp.

Shaking her head with a wry smile Elizabeth got to her feet. "Oh how I remember that cue."

"What?" Puzzled again he pulled out his phone but didn't answer.

"The phone was always your signal to leave," she explained. Picking up her to go order she dropped some bills on the table. "This time I'll be the one to go."

Before he could stop her she walked out the door. Frustrated and even a bit angry, Jason did the only thing he could do, he answered the phone.

"Elizabeth." Seeing her jump at his call Nikolas smiled charmingly. "Sorry I thought you saw me."

"Well I didn't," she grumbled and let him take the bag when he reached for it.

"I saw you talking to Jason," Nikolas inclined his head towards Kelly's. "Did you tell him?"

"No."

"Elizabeth," his sigh was long and eloquent.

"Back off Nikolas it's my life." With that she headed for the docks and the launch to Spoon Island.

Knowing it was pointless to argue Nikolas merely followed her lead. The truth would come out eventually he only hoped she would be ready for it when it did.

Penthouse

It was late when Jason let himself into the penthouse. His earlier plan of eating and grabbing a few hours rest had evaporated in the wake of Elizabeth's abrupt exit, instead he had ridden his bike for hours. Keeping the lights off he moved through the penthouse with ease. Courtney had made superficial changes to the place while she had lived there, but there were certain areas she hadn't touched, one of those places was where he was heading now.

A room off the kitchen, one that had once been an extra bedroom, was now a storage receptacle for items that were no longer on display in the penthouse. Flicking on the light, he navigated his way through the cluttered room until he reached the closet. Opening the door, he pulled a plain wrapped package from its spot on the back wall. He knew Courtney had never found the painting because she had never questioned him about it, the way she had when she had found another keepsake of his.

Turning he spied the keepsake in question. A replica of the Eiffel Tower had been placed on an overcrowded dresser. He wasn't surprised to see it had been relegated to storage. When he had told her it had come from Robin he had seen the way her expression changed. It wasn't that he had displayed it, in fact most of the times he even forgot he even had it. But the fact he had kept it for all these years upset her.

The trinket had been a symbol, a memory of the first person he'd loved. It had been a memory of all the good that had been between him and Robin as well as the first hint of the bad that was slowly being created between them as well. He had asked her for it when he had been lying in a hospital bed recovering from a bullet wound, while she had been in tears, waffling between telling him goodbye and asking him to come with her.

Those days had sewn the seeds of the destruction of their relationship. Robin couldn't handle his life. She wanted him to change, to give up everything for her, she even tried to trick him into changing by asking Sonny to fire him, but it hadn't worked. He couldn't do what she wanted, what she asked. He couldn't pretend to be someone else to ease her fears. Their relationship had several more rounds in it before it was irrevocably broken over what happened with Michael but it had begun its slow destruction those few days in the hospital all those years earlier.

Shaking the memory of Robin away he carried the painting from the back room and into the living room, turning on the lights while he did. Unwrapping it carefully he laid the familiar painting on the pool table. After that morning in the studio, when he had discovered she was gone, the painting had been too painful for him to look at. He could still remember the way his hand had shook as he reached for the note she had left for him.

It was only love. And now it's gone.

Those printed words on the stark white paper had haunted him for months. Every time he closed his eyes he could see those words and would taste the bitterness of loss. That night at Jake's, that one magical night that had meant so much to him, hadn't been real at all. That night he thought had signaled a future for him and Elizabeth yet had meant the exact opposite to her. To her it had meant goodbye. He had wanted to find her, yet every time he picked up the phone to put the wheels in motion he would flashback to her eyes of that night and the hurt that had been reflected there, hurt that he had caused and he hung up the phone. He couldn't make her return and he couldn't follow her. He could only wait and hope she would return on her own. But she didn't do that, and the longer she stayed away the more he didn't care about anything.

It had been almost a year and a half but he finally realized he was still trapped in her studio looking at a note that had ripped his heart out. Everything that he had done, every decision he had made, every action he made or didn't make had been colored by her leaving. It was humbling for a man who prided himself on not telling lies if he could help it, to realize that he had been living a lie for well over a year. The lie was that he had gotten over Elizabeth. He wasn't over her, in fact he was still in love with her.

General Hospital

"Jason?"

The soft voice interrupted his thoughts. "Emily," he shifted to embrace his sister.

"I came back as soon as I could. I would have been here yesterday but Heathrow was fogged in," she explained quickly then took a critical survey of her brother. He looked exhausted. "How's Michael?"

"He's improving. He made it through surgery and the first 12 hours since then, if there is no incident in the next three hours they'll raise his status from critical."

"That's great," she took her first easy breath since Nikolas had tracked her down to give her the news. She hated being away from her family when they were in so much pain. "I wish I could have been here for you."

"There's nothing you could have done even if you were here," he tried to dismiss her concern for him. "Besides I was fine it was Michael who was in trouble."

"Still," she started again then gave up, Jason would never admit he could have used her. She knew his focus had been on Michael, with what was left going to support Sonny and Carly. He was always so strong it was hard to imagine him needing someone to lean on as well, but she had no doubt he could have used someone. Since Courtney had messed him over that duty fell to her. Actually even with Courtney it seemed like it was still her job.

"Emily, I heard you were back." Lucky Spencer broke the moment and Emily hurried away to give him a hug.

Ignoring the reunion Jason turned his focus on Sonny and Carly's approach. Lucky was still someone he didn't like or even trust. Even now that Lucky wasn't brainwashed he still wasn't the same kid that he had once rented a room too. That kid would have lived on the streets before becoming a cop. As far as he was concerned the Lucky Spencer of today was no one he wanted to know or even think about, and yet a part of him wondered if Lucky were there to see Emily or because he had heard Elizabeth was back in town.

"Is there a problem?" Jason addressed his friends when they grew near.

"No. Michael's being examined so the doctor's kicked us out," Carly tried miserably to smother a yawn.

"You need to get some rest," Jason stated the obvious.

"I'll rest when I get my son home," Carly retorted.

Weary with fatigue and drained by the fear she had been feeling for days Carly was ready to explode all over the first person who looked at her funny. A part of her hoped that person would be Monica, her ex-mother-in-law from hell. Try as she might she couldn't banish Monica's sharp accusation from her memory. Because she couldn't banish them, because they had a ring of truth in them, all she could do was bury them with her anger. Now all she needed was to find an outlet for the anger. Where the hell was Sonny's latest brunette trinket when she needed her?

"Elizabeth?" Lucky couldn't believe his eyes when his ex-fiancé stepped off the elevator.

"Emily, Lucky," Elizabeth smiled widely at them.

Lucky wasn't sure if she would be receptive to a hug from him, so he hung back while Emily hurried forward to embrace her. When he saw Elizabeth's gaze shift in Jason's direction he felt a small stirring of jealousy. Even after all this time, even after the therapy, even after all the betrayals he had inflicted on Elizabeth, he still couldn't help feeling upset by seeing the looks between her and Jason.

"What the hell is Miss Muffin doing back in town?" Carly demanded sharply earning a glare from both Sonny and Jason.

"Her Grandmother was injured, she came back to see her," Jason explained briefly.

Sonny's eyes narrowed in response to Jason's explanation. It hadn't taken him long to track Elizabeth down and talk to her, he couldn't help but wonder what else they had talked about.

"When did you get back?" Emily stepped back from her friend. She hadn't realized how much she missed Elizabeth until she saw her again. Letters and phone calls were definitely not the same thing as being there in person.

"Yesterday. I actually stayed at the mausoleum you live in on Spoon Island last night with Nikolas," Elizabeth admitted.

"Nikolas didn't mention that." Emily was puzzled until she remembered Audrey, maybe Elizabeth hadn't wanted to be alone her first night back in town.

"I was supposed to be a surprise, I hope I'm a welcome one. I know I didn't make it back when you were sick…"

"You called, you sent letters," Emily was always quick to forgive.

"Can we go now?" Carly wanted to know. Her desire to get Jason away from Elizabeth was stronger than her own desire to get away from her. She didn't like the expression she saw on Jason's face. As much as she may have hated it she couldn't say she was surprised to see it. He always looked like that when he saw Elizabeth. But just because it was familiar didn't mean she liked it.

Hoping to ward off trouble Sonny nodded in agreement. "The doctors should be finished by now."

"Nikolas," Emily's cry of delight at the recognition of her fiancé faded when she saw the baby he was holding in his arms, it was a child she had never seen before.

Ill prepared for the audience that was greeting him Nikolas hesitated for a second, his eyes met Elizabeth's and when she nodded he stepped off the elevator. The little girl in his arms began to bounce and hold out her arms in recognition. "She missed you," he announced as he crossed to her.

"I missed her too," Elizabeth couldn't help but smile at the joy on the baby's face and reached for the baby. "Come to Mommy."

At her unexpected words silence descended over the motley group. Sonny turned to look at Jason who was standing there, immobile, a look of shock and pain on his face. Whatever they had talked about it was obvious her baby hadn't been a topic of conversation. He was proud when Carly reached out and touched Jason's back in an obvious show of support for their friend.

"Mommy?" Lucky repeated the word in shock. He couldn't have heard that right. Elizabeth wasn't a mother she wasn't even married.

"I don't understand," Emily was every bit as confused as Lucky. Her gaze automatically went to Jason who looked as confused as the rest of them. In fact the only people who didn't look confused were Nikolas and Elizabeth.

Carly had the uncomfortable feeling that the other shoe was about to drop and when it did it was going to be brutal. Her instincts were screaming at her to get Jason out of the area before it dropped but she was immobile as the rest.

Seeing everyone's puzzled expressions Elizabeth took a breath to prepare for her world to change and answered the question. "I'd like you two to meet my daughter Brenna. She'll be a year old June 1st."

Jason's mind began to work again and it raced back in time trying to do the math. Either Elizabeth had been pregnant when she left town and hadn't told anyone about it. Or Brenna had been born prematurely, and if she had been there was a good chance that the little girl with brown curly hair could be his. As much as the idea appealed to him, he instinctively sought to deny it. Elizabeth wouldn't have kept his child from him, she couldn't have. The little girl Elizabeth had settled on her hip turned to look in his direction and he had his answer. His life changed forever when he saw his eyes staring back at him from little Brenna's face.

Let me hear from you if you want the next part.