Second Chances: Confusion
Jason knew he needed to get to Elizabeth but he found himself unable to tear his stare away from the cabin where Ric Lansing sat inside. Max's words "drive by" played over and over again in his head like a skipping record. No matter how hard he tried Jason just couldn't wrap his mind around the fact that the shooting happened while he had been holding Ric at gunpoint. How the hell could that be? Suddenly everything that had happened up until that point was suspect for him. It wasn't that he couldn't concede that Ric could have hired someone to handle the shooting for him but as much as he despised Lansing Jason did know he wouldn't have purposely made Elizabeth a target. The image of Faith Roscoe popped into his head. She on the other hand was capable of nearly anything.
Jason thought about Elizabeth's red glass. He knew that the blonde wanna be Mob boss was well aware that it belonged to Elizabeth whether she would have admitted it or not. Jason's gut told him that that was something she wouldn't have taken lightly. Faith Roscoe was fueled by revenge of any kind. As much as Jason hated to admit it, but it just might be time to make a little concession to Sonny about Faith and finally figure out a way to work together. For Elizabeth's safety he would do anything.
He glanced back at the cabin. He would cut Lansing loose when and if he could get a handle on just who was responsible for the shooting. If it somehow pointed back to Ric then Jason would come back and finish the job he had started. With that thought he turned the key in the ignition and the V-8 engine roared to life. As he pulled onto the dirt road his only thoughts now were of Elizabeth and making sure she was all right.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Elizabeth knelt down beside the man she knew only by name, Paulie. Sonny had an army of guards and she was familiar with mainly Max, Marco, Johnny and Francis, but that didn't make this new man's life any less important.
She watched as the bright red blood poured from his wound and puddled on the cement sidewalk. He was unconscious but Elizabeth found herself holding his hand talking softly to him. She told him to hold on. She imagined he had someone he loved and expected him home at the end of the day. The scene before her threw her back in time to one snowy morning – the morning she found Jason bleeding by the boxcar. Elizabeth's breath hitched in her throat as she was bombarded by those memories. She thought how close she had come that day to losing him, how stubborn he was about her not being involved, how he was more worried about her than himself. All of those emotions rushed her with such force. A single tear slid down her cheek as tried not to worry and wonder about Jason.
"Max," she called out finally. "He barely has a pulse," she said as she laid her fingers on the side of the man's neck.
"We should get you inside," Max responded as he surveyed the surroundings half-wondering if whoever was responsible would be back to finish the job they started.
"I'm not going anywhere!" she announced as Max attempted to usher her toward the building. There was a part of her that couldn't leave. For Elizabeth this all felt too surreal she needed to stay. "Did you call an ambulance?" she asked.
"The Doc is on his way."
Elizabeth remembered Sonny saying something similar all those years ago to Jason. That he had men to take care of him. "What if he bleeds to death first?" Elizabeth said logically. "Besides you don't think someone called the police by now?" Elizabeth looked around as the crowd began to gather around them. "Call for a damn ambulance Max!"
Max pulled out his cell phone again and did as Elizabeth asked – no instructed. She was right before long the PCPD would be there asking questions and it would have looked odd for none of them to have called for medical attention for Paulie.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Sonny and Carly sat opposite each other at the large glass dining table neither saying anything. Both of them were lost in their own thoughts about Jason and Elizabeth's visit that morning.
Sonny didn't like how frightened she looked when she entered his penthouse or how her face dropped when he had said he hadn't seen Jason since yesterday. Things were getting so out of control. He didn't like what his men had been reporting back to him daily. He knew it was time to take action but he kept hoping that given the circumstances he would get the outcome he wanted without ever having to take responsibility for the action. He looked across the table at his wife who had barely touched her plate. "More juice?" he asked offering the pitcher of orange liquid to her.
"No."
"You really need to eat something."
She disregarded his vain attempt at ignoring the white elephant in the room. "Please, please don't pretend with me, not after everything that we have been through these past few months. What's really going on?" Carly's eyes pleaded with him.
"Nothing. Nothing's going on."
"Sonny, come on, something is going on. What happened to Jason?"
"I don't know," Sonny answered her honestly.
"What do you mean you don't know?" Carly's tone filled with panic.
"I don't know."
"Sonny....."
"Carly, I don't know!" He raised his voice a notch as frustration got the better of him.
"Why was Elizabeth here? Something had to have happened to him. It was obvious she's worried about him."
"And why would you care if she's worried? You can't stand the girl. You've made it perfectly clear how you feel about her."
"Jason loves her," Carly said softly.
Sonny was stunned by his wife's revelation. He knew it had taken a great deal for Carly to say those words out loud. "Yes he does." Sonny confirmed.
"Are you upset that they are finally together?" Carly asked.
"Me?" Sonny stared at her almost flabbergasted. "Am I upset that they are together? Isn't that a question I should be asking you?"
"If you are fine with it, then what's going on with you and Jason?"
Sonny could do little to hide his surprise at Carly's even tone when she spoke of Jason's relationship with Elizabeth Webber. It had been Jason's friendship with the young waitress all those years ago that Sonny had used to twist the knife in Carly's back. It's what had gotten them together in the first place. And through the years she made it perfectly clear the place she thought Elizabeth deserved in Jason's life – NONE. He couldn't suss out what had suddenly changed for his wife and decided against trying to figure it out. "It's business," he said finally.
"I doubt that. There's something more to it. It's about Ric isn't it?" Carly hated saying that man's name but she knew that he was the root of the troubles between her husband and their best friend.
"It's business Carly. You know I can't discuss that with you." Sonny pushed his chair away from the table so he wasn't forced to look into his wife's eyes.
"Sonny," Carly wrapped her arms around him from behind letting her swollen belly rest against his back. "Please don't shut me out." She rested her chin on his shoulder. "I love you. I love Jason and I hate seeing the two of you at odds. I'm not blind and certainly not stupid. This is all about Ric. It's been about Ric long before Jason hooked up with Elizabeth again. That only complicates things."
"I'm handling it."
"Are you? You and Jason can barely be in the same room anymore. That doesn't look like you are handling it to me."
"I'm the boss. I'm in charge!" Sonny's need for control came through in an arrogant tone.
"Jason's not just some lacky, Sonny. He's your friend. He's saved your life and mine dozens of times. He deserves better than your disrespect."
Sonny turned to face his wife disbelief written across his features. "I respect Jason."
"Do you? Do you really respect him? Or does he only get that when he's agreeing with you?" Carly felt she had held her tongue long enough.
"What are you talking about?" Sonny couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"You know exactly what I am talking about. Jason feels one way about Ric and you feel another......" Before Carly could finish her thought the sound of sirens from below filled the air. Moving toward the terrace she opened the French doors and walked out. As she looked down she saw the street filled with cop cars and an ambulance. Then the sight of Elizabeth came into view. "Sonny...Sonny!" she called franticly. "SONNY!!"
"What?"
"Look!" He did as she said and saw the chaos below. "That's Max and Elizabeth!"
"I know." In a flash Sonny made his way from the penthouse with Carly at his heels.
Sonny and Carly snaked their way through the crowd finally making it to where Max and Elizabeth stood. "Max?" Sonny questioned the guard as Carly went to Elizabeth.
"Are you hurt?" she asked the younger woman.
"What?" For the second time that day Carly's caring demeanor stunned Elizabeth.
"I said are you hurt?"
"Is that what you were hoping for?" Elizabeth retorted. Quickly rethinking her position toward Carly when she saw the blonde look at her wide eyed.
Carly just shook her head knowing that given how she had treated Elizabeth over the years her outburst was warranted but didn't stop her from suddenly considering why she even cared. However Carly knew the answer to that – Jason and he was coming their way.
"ELIZABETH!" Jason's voice rose above the noise and confusion around them. The second their matching blue eyes locked relief filled him. The sight of the red whirling ambulance lights sent Jason's heart racing, even though he had known that Elizabeth hadn't been injured it was a comfort to see her standing on the curb unharmed.
The sound of Jason's voice immediately sent her flying into his arms. He was safe and that's all that she cared about. "I was so worried about you," she said breathlessly.
"Worried about me?" He almost laughed. She was the one that had been shot at and her only concern was him. "Are you all right?"
"I'm better now." She grasped him tightly by the waist letting herself get lost in his encompassing embrace.
"What happened?" Jason turned to Max who had just relayed the events to Sonny.
"That's what I want to know." Marcus Taggert approached the group. Jason rolled his eyes, tightened his arms securely around Elizabeth and turned to stare Detective Taggert down in his most famous way. "Any idea who wants you dead now?" Taggert left the question open for either Jason or Sonny to answer. "I can't help if no one can tell me what happened." Taggert scanned the very silent group. Not that he expected anything more than what he was getting. Anyone in the Corinthos' organization knew better than to speak to the police. Taggert's only in and he knew it was Elizabeth Webber. "Miss Webber, please help me out here. Tell me what happened."
"I don't think I can be of much help. I didn't really see anything. Max pushed me to the ground and when I got up all I saw was the driver crumpled on the sidewalk bleeding."
Jason gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. He could imagine the thoughts racing through her mind. Undoubtedly by the trembling of her petite frame she was reliving the day she had found him in a very similar situation. He wanted nothing more than to scoop her up and carry her inside to their penthouse.
Marcus Taggert felt his blood begin to boil. He had long since lost his patience with the people that found the need to protect the mobsters of Port Charles. "You didn't see anything?" he pressed her.
"I'm sorry no."
"Nothing at all?"
"She said no!" Jason was ready to put a stop to the detective's badgering.
Letting his anger get the better of him Taggert spoke again. "Why are you protecting them? You are setting yourself up to get killed. Is that what you want? Hasn't a bomb in your studio, a kidnapping and being shot once already been enough for you? What's it going to take for you to see that your association with Morgan is going to get you killed?" Jason felt his jaw tighten and his muscles tense as Taggert continued you with his barrage. "I thought you were smarter than this Elizabeth."
"Are we done Detective Taggert?" Elizabeth asked in an even tone. "I am sorry that I can't give you any further information, but as I said I didn't see anything but the pavement."
Marcus Taggert threw his hands up in defeat and left the group without another word.
"You okay?" Jason asked Elizabeth softly.
"She's better than okay. She handled Taggert great!" Carly offered a compliment. "He's such a prick."
Jason did a double take at Carly's remark about Elizabeth, which his friend returned with a weak smile. She was a long way from making amends to him but she wasn't above trying. "Are you okay?" he asked Elizabeth again.
"I'm fine. I just want to go upstairs."
"You go," Sonny turned to Jason. "I'll make sure that someone rides with Paulie to the hospital."
Jason nodded and took Elizabeth by the hand leading inside the building.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Once inside the penthouse he had an incredible urge to never let her out of his sight again. In the past several months she had grown to mean more to him than he ever thought another person could. The idea of losing her was unfathomable for him.
"Are you sure you are okay? Maybe I should call Monica or take you to GH to be checked out."
"Jason, I'm fine really....."
"But what if Max's knocking you to the ground reinjured your shoulder or even your wrist?" Jason knew he sounded over protective but he could have cared less.
"See, look I'm fine." She rolled her shoulders and her wrist without pain. "Really there's no need to bother Monica." Elizabeth smiled and reached for the phone in his hand. "You once said you'd take me over a doctor anyday. Well that's how I feel about you. All I need is you," she said seductively.
She wasn't sure if it was the events of the day or how worried she had been for him the night before that brought on this sudden need to be with him physically but she had it just the same. Elizabeth gently lifted his black tee shirt from the waistband of his jeans to reveal his rippling abs. Easily she traced the six pack and watched as Jason's eyes fell closed at her touch.
"I love you Jason Morgan," she said softly.
"I love you too," he whispered in returned as he allowed his body to respond to her gentle caress.
Jason let Elizabeth lead him over to the leather sofa. He watched each of her deliberate movements as she lifted his shirt over his head dropping it to the ground in a black heap. Absently she ran her palms across his chest the friction causing Jason's body to tingle. Elizabeth lowered her lips to his supple skin and her tongue began its own melodic dance finding the way to each of his hardened nipples. A satisfied moan escaped Jason's lips that made Elizabeth smile.
As her mouth continued its assault on his chest Elizabeth's hands had minds of their own. Her fingertips slipped between his jeans and flesh almost instantly she felt his arousal grow as she undid the button that kept him contained.
"E-li-za-be-th," he stuttered when she took hold of his throbbing male form. She watched Jason take a deep breath as she let her fingers massage him to the point that she could feel him crying out for release.
Unable to control his own desire awkwardly his fingers fumbled with the clasps on her tailored button down shirt. She only shook her head telling him she wasn't quite finished with him yet. She was immensely enjoying bringing him pleasure. In a single motion his jeans and boxers found their way to the wooden floor as well. Jason's naked form standing before her quickened Elizabeth's own pulse.
"I love you," she said again as she pushed him down on the sofa. Jason watched as she slowly loosened each button that held her shirt closed. It was the sexiest thing he had ever been witness to. His gaze rested on the creamy flesh of her breasts that peaked out from the top of her lace bra. He could no longer resist the urge to touch her and reached out caressing her nipples through the thin fabric. He grew harder with each stroke.
"Do you know how beautiful you are?" he asked before bringing her mouth crashing down on his own. Their tongues did a lazy duel with one another heightening the titillation between the pair. The sound of heavy pounding on the door startled the lovers. "WHAT?!?" Jason said with a growl more than annoyed at the intrusion.
"Jason," Max's voice permeated through the thick wooden door. "Sonny needs to see you."
"Tell him I'm busy." Jason looked down at Elizabeth as he kissed her again.
"It's about the shooting today. Paulie's awake and he's talking."
Elizabeth moved from Jason's lap and sat beside him. "Maybe you should go. It sounds like it's important."
"You're important," Jason said cupping her chin in his hand.
"I know that." She held back the tears. This was such a difference for them. She finally felt she had a place in Jason's world and he no longer needed to prove that to her.
"I'm not leaving you tonight," he stressed.
"Jason?" Max's voice again filtered into the room.
Jason looked to the door and back to Elizabeth. "I don't want to leave you."
"I don't want you to either," she returned honestly. "But I'll be here waiting for you when you get back. We can pick up right where we left off." Elizabeth smiled seductively as she laid her hand against his still erect male form.
"You promise?" he asked with a twinkle in his eye.
"Jas...man did you hear me? Paulie's awake...."
"I'm coming. Tell Sonny I'll be there in a few." Jason picked up his clothes that were scattered at his feet and began to get dressed again. "I won't be long!" he stressed.
"I'll be waiting." Elizabeth blew him a kiss as the door closed between them.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Ric yanked his arm again and finally the freedom he had been trying to achieve for hours had been attained. Jason hadn't lied about him bleeding to death if he struggled beneath the nylon ropes that affixed him to the chair. He brought his hands in front of him only to see blood dripping from deep gashes all around his wrists. The pain he felt was excruciating but his need to get to Elizabeth, to find out if she was all right was far greater than his own discomfort.
He forced his fingers to untie the restraints holding his legs in place. With each movement he made a trail of blood that followed behind. After much effort on his part Ric was completely free. He made his way to the door and exited his prison. Before him was a dense wooded area and only a single lane dirt road that lead to the cabin where Jason had taken him. Ric scanned the area hoping that something – anything looked remotely familiar. Nothing.
He knew he stood a good chance of dying a slow death if he didn't do something to contain the flow of blood seeping steadily from the open wounds adorning his wrists. He cried out in agony as he ripped two thin strips of fabric from his shirttail and haphazardly tied them around his wrists using his other hand and his teeth. Once his make shift bandages were in place he started down the dirt lane hoping to sooner or later run into a main road.
After what seemed like hours Ric finally made it to the highway. He could feel the beads of cold sweat forming on his forehead. He knew he was going into shock but he had to keep moving. He had to get to Elizabeth even if that meant he died trying. As luck would have it a passing car stopped along side him. As soon as the driver saw the blood soaked bandages he threw the car in park and assisted Ric into the passenger seat. Before Ric could even tell the man thank you his world went dark.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Jason closed the door to his penthouse. He had definitely stayed at Sonny's far longer than he had anticipated – and he was upset with himself for that. No matter what they had discovered nothing was worth leaving Elizabeth alone – not after all she had been through.
He threw his keys on the desk and that was when he noticed articles of Elizabeth's clothing leading a trail up the stairs. It was almost as if she had left them there purposely as a way of telling him she was waiting for him to just as she said – pick up where they had left off. Jason smiled sheepishly as he bounded up the stairs leaving the clothes in his wake. Softly he opened the door and smiled. There was the woman he loved laying naked in the middle of their king-sized bed. What a sight to behold. As he drew closer shedding his own clothes in the process he noticed that she was snoring softly. Gently he covered her body with the comforter and crawled in bed alongside of her wrapping his arms securely around her. Elizabeth let out a soft sigh when Jason kissed her on the temple and settled in to join her in slumber. There would be plenty of other nights for them to make love.
Jason knew he needed to get to Elizabeth but he found himself unable to tear his stare away from the cabin where Ric Lansing sat inside. Max's words "drive by" played over and over again in his head like a skipping record. No matter how hard he tried Jason just couldn't wrap his mind around the fact that the shooting happened while he had been holding Ric at gunpoint. How the hell could that be? Suddenly everything that had happened up until that point was suspect for him. It wasn't that he couldn't concede that Ric could have hired someone to handle the shooting for him but as much as he despised Lansing Jason did know he wouldn't have purposely made Elizabeth a target. The image of Faith Roscoe popped into his head. She on the other hand was capable of nearly anything.
Jason thought about Elizabeth's red glass. He knew that the blonde wanna be Mob boss was well aware that it belonged to Elizabeth whether she would have admitted it or not. Jason's gut told him that that was something she wouldn't have taken lightly. Faith Roscoe was fueled by revenge of any kind. As much as Jason hated to admit it, but it just might be time to make a little concession to Sonny about Faith and finally figure out a way to work together. For Elizabeth's safety he would do anything.
He glanced back at the cabin. He would cut Lansing loose when and if he could get a handle on just who was responsible for the shooting. If it somehow pointed back to Ric then Jason would come back and finish the job he had started. With that thought he turned the key in the ignition and the V-8 engine roared to life. As he pulled onto the dirt road his only thoughts now were of Elizabeth and making sure she was all right.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Elizabeth knelt down beside the man she knew only by name, Paulie. Sonny had an army of guards and she was familiar with mainly Max, Marco, Johnny and Francis, but that didn't make this new man's life any less important.
She watched as the bright red blood poured from his wound and puddled on the cement sidewalk. He was unconscious but Elizabeth found herself holding his hand talking softly to him. She told him to hold on. She imagined he had someone he loved and expected him home at the end of the day. The scene before her threw her back in time to one snowy morning – the morning she found Jason bleeding by the boxcar. Elizabeth's breath hitched in her throat as she was bombarded by those memories. She thought how close she had come that day to losing him, how stubborn he was about her not being involved, how he was more worried about her than himself. All of those emotions rushed her with such force. A single tear slid down her cheek as tried not to worry and wonder about Jason.
"Max," she called out finally. "He barely has a pulse," she said as she laid her fingers on the side of the man's neck.
"We should get you inside," Max responded as he surveyed the surroundings half-wondering if whoever was responsible would be back to finish the job they started.
"I'm not going anywhere!" she announced as Max attempted to usher her toward the building. There was a part of her that couldn't leave. For Elizabeth this all felt too surreal she needed to stay. "Did you call an ambulance?" she asked.
"The Doc is on his way."
Elizabeth remembered Sonny saying something similar all those years ago to Jason. That he had men to take care of him. "What if he bleeds to death first?" Elizabeth said logically. "Besides you don't think someone called the police by now?" Elizabeth looked around as the crowd began to gather around them. "Call for a damn ambulance Max!"
Max pulled out his cell phone again and did as Elizabeth asked – no instructed. She was right before long the PCPD would be there asking questions and it would have looked odd for none of them to have called for medical attention for Paulie.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Sonny and Carly sat opposite each other at the large glass dining table neither saying anything. Both of them were lost in their own thoughts about Jason and Elizabeth's visit that morning.
Sonny didn't like how frightened she looked when she entered his penthouse or how her face dropped when he had said he hadn't seen Jason since yesterday. Things were getting so out of control. He didn't like what his men had been reporting back to him daily. He knew it was time to take action but he kept hoping that given the circumstances he would get the outcome he wanted without ever having to take responsibility for the action. He looked across the table at his wife who had barely touched her plate. "More juice?" he asked offering the pitcher of orange liquid to her.
"No."
"You really need to eat something."
She disregarded his vain attempt at ignoring the white elephant in the room. "Please, please don't pretend with me, not after everything that we have been through these past few months. What's really going on?" Carly's eyes pleaded with him.
"Nothing. Nothing's going on."
"Sonny, come on, something is going on. What happened to Jason?"
"I don't know," Sonny answered her honestly.
"What do you mean you don't know?" Carly's tone filled with panic.
"I don't know."
"Sonny....."
"Carly, I don't know!" He raised his voice a notch as frustration got the better of him.
"Why was Elizabeth here? Something had to have happened to him. It was obvious she's worried about him."
"And why would you care if she's worried? You can't stand the girl. You've made it perfectly clear how you feel about her."
"Jason loves her," Carly said softly.
Sonny was stunned by his wife's revelation. He knew it had taken a great deal for Carly to say those words out loud. "Yes he does." Sonny confirmed.
"Are you upset that they are finally together?" Carly asked.
"Me?" Sonny stared at her almost flabbergasted. "Am I upset that they are together? Isn't that a question I should be asking you?"
"If you are fine with it, then what's going on with you and Jason?"
Sonny could do little to hide his surprise at Carly's even tone when she spoke of Jason's relationship with Elizabeth Webber. It had been Jason's friendship with the young waitress all those years ago that Sonny had used to twist the knife in Carly's back. It's what had gotten them together in the first place. And through the years she made it perfectly clear the place she thought Elizabeth deserved in Jason's life – NONE. He couldn't suss out what had suddenly changed for his wife and decided against trying to figure it out. "It's business," he said finally.
"I doubt that. There's something more to it. It's about Ric isn't it?" Carly hated saying that man's name but she knew that he was the root of the troubles between her husband and their best friend.
"It's business Carly. You know I can't discuss that with you." Sonny pushed his chair away from the table so he wasn't forced to look into his wife's eyes.
"Sonny," Carly wrapped her arms around him from behind letting her swollen belly rest against his back. "Please don't shut me out." She rested her chin on his shoulder. "I love you. I love Jason and I hate seeing the two of you at odds. I'm not blind and certainly not stupid. This is all about Ric. It's been about Ric long before Jason hooked up with Elizabeth again. That only complicates things."
"I'm handling it."
"Are you? You and Jason can barely be in the same room anymore. That doesn't look like you are handling it to me."
"I'm the boss. I'm in charge!" Sonny's need for control came through in an arrogant tone.
"Jason's not just some lacky, Sonny. He's your friend. He's saved your life and mine dozens of times. He deserves better than your disrespect."
Sonny turned to face his wife disbelief written across his features. "I respect Jason."
"Do you? Do you really respect him? Or does he only get that when he's agreeing with you?" Carly felt she had held her tongue long enough.
"What are you talking about?" Sonny couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"You know exactly what I am talking about. Jason feels one way about Ric and you feel another......" Before Carly could finish her thought the sound of sirens from below filled the air. Moving toward the terrace she opened the French doors and walked out. As she looked down she saw the street filled with cop cars and an ambulance. Then the sight of Elizabeth came into view. "Sonny...Sonny!" she called franticly. "SONNY!!"
"What?"
"Look!" He did as she said and saw the chaos below. "That's Max and Elizabeth!"
"I know." In a flash Sonny made his way from the penthouse with Carly at his heels.
Sonny and Carly snaked their way through the crowd finally making it to where Max and Elizabeth stood. "Max?" Sonny questioned the guard as Carly went to Elizabeth.
"Are you hurt?" she asked the younger woman.
"What?" For the second time that day Carly's caring demeanor stunned Elizabeth.
"I said are you hurt?"
"Is that what you were hoping for?" Elizabeth retorted. Quickly rethinking her position toward Carly when she saw the blonde look at her wide eyed.
Carly just shook her head knowing that given how she had treated Elizabeth over the years her outburst was warranted but didn't stop her from suddenly considering why she even cared. However Carly knew the answer to that – Jason and he was coming their way.
"ELIZABETH!" Jason's voice rose above the noise and confusion around them. The second their matching blue eyes locked relief filled him. The sight of the red whirling ambulance lights sent Jason's heart racing, even though he had known that Elizabeth hadn't been injured it was a comfort to see her standing on the curb unharmed.
The sound of Jason's voice immediately sent her flying into his arms. He was safe and that's all that she cared about. "I was so worried about you," she said breathlessly.
"Worried about me?" He almost laughed. She was the one that had been shot at and her only concern was him. "Are you all right?"
"I'm better now." She grasped him tightly by the waist letting herself get lost in his encompassing embrace.
"What happened?" Jason turned to Max who had just relayed the events to Sonny.
"That's what I want to know." Marcus Taggert approached the group. Jason rolled his eyes, tightened his arms securely around Elizabeth and turned to stare Detective Taggert down in his most famous way. "Any idea who wants you dead now?" Taggert left the question open for either Jason or Sonny to answer. "I can't help if no one can tell me what happened." Taggert scanned the very silent group. Not that he expected anything more than what he was getting. Anyone in the Corinthos' organization knew better than to speak to the police. Taggert's only in and he knew it was Elizabeth Webber. "Miss Webber, please help me out here. Tell me what happened."
"I don't think I can be of much help. I didn't really see anything. Max pushed me to the ground and when I got up all I saw was the driver crumpled on the sidewalk bleeding."
Jason gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. He could imagine the thoughts racing through her mind. Undoubtedly by the trembling of her petite frame she was reliving the day she had found him in a very similar situation. He wanted nothing more than to scoop her up and carry her inside to their penthouse.
Marcus Taggert felt his blood begin to boil. He had long since lost his patience with the people that found the need to protect the mobsters of Port Charles. "You didn't see anything?" he pressed her.
"I'm sorry no."
"Nothing at all?"
"She said no!" Jason was ready to put a stop to the detective's badgering.
Letting his anger get the better of him Taggert spoke again. "Why are you protecting them? You are setting yourself up to get killed. Is that what you want? Hasn't a bomb in your studio, a kidnapping and being shot once already been enough for you? What's it going to take for you to see that your association with Morgan is going to get you killed?" Jason felt his jaw tighten and his muscles tense as Taggert continued you with his barrage. "I thought you were smarter than this Elizabeth."
"Are we done Detective Taggert?" Elizabeth asked in an even tone. "I am sorry that I can't give you any further information, but as I said I didn't see anything but the pavement."
Marcus Taggert threw his hands up in defeat and left the group without another word.
"You okay?" Jason asked Elizabeth softly.
"She's better than okay. She handled Taggert great!" Carly offered a compliment. "He's such a prick."
Jason did a double take at Carly's remark about Elizabeth, which his friend returned with a weak smile. She was a long way from making amends to him but she wasn't above trying. "Are you okay?" he asked Elizabeth again.
"I'm fine. I just want to go upstairs."
"You go," Sonny turned to Jason. "I'll make sure that someone rides with Paulie to the hospital."
Jason nodded and took Elizabeth by the hand leading inside the building.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Once inside the penthouse he had an incredible urge to never let her out of his sight again. In the past several months she had grown to mean more to him than he ever thought another person could. The idea of losing her was unfathomable for him.
"Are you sure you are okay? Maybe I should call Monica or take you to GH to be checked out."
"Jason, I'm fine really....."
"But what if Max's knocking you to the ground reinjured your shoulder or even your wrist?" Jason knew he sounded over protective but he could have cared less.
"See, look I'm fine." She rolled her shoulders and her wrist without pain. "Really there's no need to bother Monica." Elizabeth smiled and reached for the phone in his hand. "You once said you'd take me over a doctor anyday. Well that's how I feel about you. All I need is you," she said seductively.
She wasn't sure if it was the events of the day or how worried she had been for him the night before that brought on this sudden need to be with him physically but she had it just the same. Elizabeth gently lifted his black tee shirt from the waistband of his jeans to reveal his rippling abs. Easily she traced the six pack and watched as Jason's eyes fell closed at her touch.
"I love you Jason Morgan," she said softly.
"I love you too," he whispered in returned as he allowed his body to respond to her gentle caress.
Jason let Elizabeth lead him over to the leather sofa. He watched each of her deliberate movements as she lifted his shirt over his head dropping it to the ground in a black heap. Absently she ran her palms across his chest the friction causing Jason's body to tingle. Elizabeth lowered her lips to his supple skin and her tongue began its own melodic dance finding the way to each of his hardened nipples. A satisfied moan escaped Jason's lips that made Elizabeth smile.
As her mouth continued its assault on his chest Elizabeth's hands had minds of their own. Her fingertips slipped between his jeans and flesh almost instantly she felt his arousal grow as she undid the button that kept him contained.
"E-li-za-be-th," he stuttered when she took hold of his throbbing male form. She watched Jason take a deep breath as she let her fingers massage him to the point that she could feel him crying out for release.
Unable to control his own desire awkwardly his fingers fumbled with the clasps on her tailored button down shirt. She only shook her head telling him she wasn't quite finished with him yet. She was immensely enjoying bringing him pleasure. In a single motion his jeans and boxers found their way to the wooden floor as well. Jason's naked form standing before her quickened Elizabeth's own pulse.
"I love you," she said again as she pushed him down on the sofa. Jason watched as she slowly loosened each button that held her shirt closed. It was the sexiest thing he had ever been witness to. His gaze rested on the creamy flesh of her breasts that peaked out from the top of her lace bra. He could no longer resist the urge to touch her and reached out caressing her nipples through the thin fabric. He grew harder with each stroke.
"Do you know how beautiful you are?" he asked before bringing her mouth crashing down on his own. Their tongues did a lazy duel with one another heightening the titillation between the pair. The sound of heavy pounding on the door startled the lovers. "WHAT?!?" Jason said with a growl more than annoyed at the intrusion.
"Jason," Max's voice permeated through the thick wooden door. "Sonny needs to see you."
"Tell him I'm busy." Jason looked down at Elizabeth as he kissed her again.
"It's about the shooting today. Paulie's awake and he's talking."
Elizabeth moved from Jason's lap and sat beside him. "Maybe you should go. It sounds like it's important."
"You're important," Jason said cupping her chin in his hand.
"I know that." She held back the tears. This was such a difference for them. She finally felt she had a place in Jason's world and he no longer needed to prove that to her.
"I'm not leaving you tonight," he stressed.
"Jason?" Max's voice again filtered into the room.
Jason looked to the door and back to Elizabeth. "I don't want to leave you."
"I don't want you to either," she returned honestly. "But I'll be here waiting for you when you get back. We can pick up right where we left off." Elizabeth smiled seductively as she laid her hand against his still erect male form.
"You promise?" he asked with a twinkle in his eye.
"Jas...man did you hear me? Paulie's awake...."
"I'm coming. Tell Sonny I'll be there in a few." Jason picked up his clothes that were scattered at his feet and began to get dressed again. "I won't be long!" he stressed.
"I'll be waiting." Elizabeth blew him a kiss as the door closed between them.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Ric yanked his arm again and finally the freedom he had been trying to achieve for hours had been attained. Jason hadn't lied about him bleeding to death if he struggled beneath the nylon ropes that affixed him to the chair. He brought his hands in front of him only to see blood dripping from deep gashes all around his wrists. The pain he felt was excruciating but his need to get to Elizabeth, to find out if she was all right was far greater than his own discomfort.
He forced his fingers to untie the restraints holding his legs in place. With each movement he made a trail of blood that followed behind. After much effort on his part Ric was completely free. He made his way to the door and exited his prison. Before him was a dense wooded area and only a single lane dirt road that lead to the cabin where Jason had taken him. Ric scanned the area hoping that something – anything looked remotely familiar. Nothing.
He knew he stood a good chance of dying a slow death if he didn't do something to contain the flow of blood seeping steadily from the open wounds adorning his wrists. He cried out in agony as he ripped two thin strips of fabric from his shirttail and haphazardly tied them around his wrists using his other hand and his teeth. Once his make shift bandages were in place he started down the dirt lane hoping to sooner or later run into a main road.
After what seemed like hours Ric finally made it to the highway. He could feel the beads of cold sweat forming on his forehead. He knew he was going into shock but he had to keep moving. He had to get to Elizabeth even if that meant he died trying. As luck would have it a passing car stopped along side him. As soon as the driver saw the blood soaked bandages he threw the car in park and assisted Ric into the passenger seat. Before Ric could even tell the man thank you his world went dark.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Jason closed the door to his penthouse. He had definitely stayed at Sonny's far longer than he had anticipated – and he was upset with himself for that. No matter what they had discovered nothing was worth leaving Elizabeth alone – not after all she had been through.
He threw his keys on the desk and that was when he noticed articles of Elizabeth's clothing leading a trail up the stairs. It was almost as if she had left them there purposely as a way of telling him she was waiting for him to just as she said – pick up where they had left off. Jason smiled sheepishly as he bounded up the stairs leaving the clothes in his wake. Softly he opened the door and smiled. There was the woman he loved laying naked in the middle of their king-sized bed. What a sight to behold. As he drew closer shedding his own clothes in the process he noticed that she was snoring softly. Gently he covered her body with the comforter and crawled in bed alongside of her wrapping his arms securely around her. Elizabeth let out a soft sigh when Jason kissed her on the temple and settled in to join her in slumber. There would be plenty of other nights for them to make love.