Author's Note: First allow me to scream at the top of my lungs, WE WON!!! I gave the credit to CrazieShawtie but the real reason this is updated is the Patriots victory and the joy it fills me with. If there are any Carolina fans in the audience, I sympathize. I felt the same as you when the Red Sox gave the game away this year, so I shall refrain from gloating...at least in this fic :p

starbright: Journey interaction coming right up! I miss Sonny and Mike, too....they always had some of the best scenes.

jane: I'm sad.

francis: I'll refer you to my comment to liz.

liz: Do you read Sister of the Moon's stuff? She writes really awesome Liason fics, and there's not many a Liason author who can hook a Journey fan. I think you'd really like her fics, if you haven't already given them a try. As for me, I don't feel Liason, and I don't write what I don't feel. Don't expect any Liason stories from me, I won't be switching fanbases.

theblondeone07: Yay, you liked Sonny sticking up for her! She deserves it.

light*hope: I can't really take credit for the last chaptering being "powerful." The "hypocrite" line came from parrot of JourneyIntoTheLoveNest when she reviewed the first two chapters. That one review has triggered basically the whole plot. The girl is practically a co-writer. I think you get the Courtney dance in 2 or 3 chapters...don't worry, I intend to write them quickly, lol. And Courtney's "performance" mostly came from transcripts. I think I got review 101. I'm so sad I hit the make. But everyone loved the one hundred and first dalmation, right? *begging puppy dog look* Anyway, thanks so much for reading! I'm thrilled someone as good as you takes the time to read my story :)

Samara: Thank you so much! I'm really glad you liked the ending, I rather liked that part myself.

Ah, one of my wondrous chapter titles. *very American eye-roll...remeber that? Just checking to make sure you're reading, J, lol, j/k* I probably shouldn't have started giving chapters titles in the first place. I am so not cut out for the job :p

Chapter Twelve

The Park

Jason was confused. What was Courtney talking about? And what was wrong with him? Why did that accusation send a shock of something that wasn't quite pain right through him? He didn't care what people thought. So why did he care that she was angry at him for something? "Put me up to what?"

"He told you to follow me, didn't he? I don't need a babysitter!" Courtney turned her back on him, sniffing and trying to regain some composure. How dare Sonny do this? Use Jason to get to her? He didn't even know her.

Jason spread his hands, staring at her back and wishing she would turn back to him. "Sonny didn't put me up to anything. I was here with Carly and Michael. They just left."

Courtney stood there for a long moment, waging his sincerity. He was telling the truth, she just knew it. The next thing she knew, she was collapsing onto the closest bench and running both her hands through her hair. "God, Jason, I'm sorry. There's just so much is going on, you know?"

He hesitated for a moment, and then moved to sit next to her. He was relieved when she didn't slide away from him. He put a cautious hand on her back. "What happened?"

"Sonny came to see me, and we talked, it was going good, and then my dad showed up. Why'd he have to do this? Why does he care? I mean, he couldn't be bothered with me for eight years, and now suddenly he cares? Does he expect me to buy that?"

The strangest thing happened. Jason felt his heart go out to her. He knew she wasn't looking for answers, at least not from him. She wanted them from her father and from herself, and she wasn't getting them. He certainly couldn't give them to her. But he could give her something else: comfort, if only a little bit. "Come here." Courtney willing slip closer to him and accepted his embrace as he wrapped his leather jacket around her shoulders. This was becoming a routine for them, and neither minded.

He didn't know how long he held her. Time seemed to stop, freezing them in this imperfect yet perfect moment. But it couldn't last forever. Nothing ever did. Courtney eventually drew away, drying her tears and laughing at herself. "You must be getting sick of me crying all over you."

Jason shook his head. That statement couldn't be further from the truth. He liked being the one she turned to. "No, I'm not."

Courtney gaze was captured by the intensity of his. He meant it. He really meant it. She didn't know what to say. The words "thank you" couldn't find a way into her mind and then to her mouth. Finally, she tore her eyes away, wondering what was wrong with her. She hardly knew Jason, and yeah, she liked him. Seriously, he was hot. But he couldn't possibly like her. He was just being nice. He probably saw her as his best friend's little sister and nothing else.

Hoping to push the swirl of confusing thoughts from her mind and break the unnerving silence, Courtney spoke up. "So, my dad left Sonny too, huh?"

Jason nodded, looked down at his clasped hands. "Yeah."

"How old was he?"

"Six."

Courtney's eyebrows shot up in surprise. So young? "Wow. I guess I was lucky. I mean, I got twice as much time with him. Is that why Sonny hates him?"

"Sonny doesn't hate Mike. They just do things to make each other mad and stay mad a long time," Jason attempted to explain. He shrugged. "It's complicated."

Looking up through her lashes, Courtney offered a small smile. "Uncomplicate it for me."

Jason sighed. "You know, I'd like to, but it's not my place. You're going to have to ask Sonny about it. He probably won't give you an answer right away. You're going to have to give him some time. This is as big of a shock to him as it was to you. But I know Sonny, and I know he really wants to get to know you if you'll give him the chance."

"Why? He didn't even know I existed last night."

"You're family now."

He said it so bluntly, so simply. It was hard to believe. "Just like that?"

"Yeah." Jason said it as if it didn't seem at all strange to him.

"So I'm stuck with him whether I like it or not?"

Jason turned his mouth down a nodded. "Pretty much. Sonny's a good guy. Not a lot of people see that."

Courtney looked straight at him. "Is it that not a lot of people see it, or is it that he just doesn't let them?"

A silence stretched between them. Jason didn't object or agree. Courtney knew she was right. And not just about Sonny. She had the same feeling about Jason. He wasn't a bad person. He just let people think he was.

"You seem to know my family pretty well," Courtney commented.

"Yeah, I guess," was Jason's way of concurring.

Courtney sat up a little straighter, leaning forward. "Would you mind if I asked you some things? I mean, if you don't mind being quizzed."

Jason smiled that half-smile. "Go right ahead."

So she began the Q&A. "Why does my dad call Sonny 'Michael'?"

"That's Sonny's real name. Michael Corinthos, Jr."

"Then why does everyone call him Sonny?"

Jason thought about it, answered. "He likes it. Mike's the only one who calls him Michael."

"Okay, how about Carly?"

Jason groaned inwardly at the thought but couldn't resist a smile at Carly's enthusiasm. "Carly is Sonny's wife. She's crazy."

Courtney frowned, smiling at the same time. Her brother was married to a crazy woman. "Um...okay..."

"She does crazy things," Jason clarified with a smirk, "but it all comes from a good place. So if she starts trying to run your life, don't take it personally."

Courtney laughed. "I take it she's tried to run yours?"

"Yeah, a little." He paused, then conceded, "A lot."

"So you like her?"

"Yeah. She and Sonny are my best friends." He was pure seriousness again, no joking about it. He sounded very grateful to be a part of that family. God, she wished she could fit in as well as he seem to.

"So how did you meet my brother?" Jason shifted and didn't answer. She wondered if she had said something wrong. "What? Is it that hard a question?"

"No, it's just a long story."

She accepted that. "You'll have to tell it to me sometime." She didn't say it just to be polite; she said it as a promise that she was going to hear it in the future.

"I will." He also said it as a promise. He trusted her enough to tell her. He'd like to tell her, and he would... "But right now you want to know more about your family."

"I want to know more about you too." They smiled at each other, neither backing away from each other's content gazes. They both noticed their knees were just barely touching, and both enjoyed the contact. Something about it felt so comfortable, so right...

Jason's cell phone shattered the moment but not the residual feelings that hung in the air. He flashed Courtney an apologetic look and answered it. Benny was on the other end of the line. "Yeah, I know, we need to talk about it. I'll meet you at the warehouse in ten minutes," he said. He turned to Courtney, "I'm sorry."

She stood up. "No, it's okay. I need to get back to Kelly's anyway. I sort of ran out in the middle of my shift."

Jason laughed along with her, just a little. "I'll walk you," he offered.

She waved a hand. "No, it's okay. I can make it on my own."

"You have my jacket," he pointed out.

She laughed again, handing it over. "Oh, right. I forgot."

"Courtney, you shouldn't be outside without a coat."

It was sweet. It really was. "Yes, Mom." She shoved him playfully, putting her hand in the middle of his chest. It sent an electric current that wasn't so playful through her. She almost shuddered. "Don't worry. If it'll make you feel better, I'll jog back to Kelly's. It'll keep me warm, and I need the exercise anyway."

Jason's eyes swept her frame. "I don't think you do. I mean, you look great." He felt like he was choking on his tongue. Did he sounds like a total idiot? Like he'd been living in a can his whole life?

She felt her cheeks growing warm."Well, thank you, but it'll be good for me anyway. See you later, Mr. Morgan." She gave him a cute little finger-way and began to run.

"Bye, Courtney," he called after her.

~*~