Ch. 1 Leaving the Heart Behind
The room was filled with panic. It could be sensed in the air and seen on the faces of everyone in it. But in the midst of all the fear that filled the hotel, she felt an eerie calm. She was not worried, but she never was when she was in his arms. Their surroundings faded away as the held onto each other. It was the way it should be. Husband and wife together.
But not for long. Any minute now they would be splitting up. He would be going and she would stay behind and wait for her turn.
Jason stood in the middle of the room. Outwardly, remaining his usual, calm self. But on the inside he wanted to shout at the top of his lungs. He was still in a state of disbelief. All of the terrible things he had done and fate decided to give him a favor. He would be on one of the first helicopter rides to safety, while his heart would stay behind and get on the last.
As the thought crossed his mind he hugged his wife a little tighter. She noticed. Her eyes locked on to his as she looked up at him. She sensed his uneasiness.
"Don't worry, I'll be fine." Courtney was doing her best to keep her voice steady.
"You can still take mine. Nobody knows what numbers we have yet." the desperation beginning to surface in his voice, "you can get out of here."
"Jason-"
"Please, Courtney. Take it."
"No, you have to be there for Sonny, and Carly and the boys."
"You can't say that I'm more important than you. I need to know that you're-" Before Jason could finish he was cutoff by the announcement he was dreading.
"Who's got number 8?" Ric shouted into the crowd.
Jason knew it was his last chance to get Courtney out of there. This time he didn't hide any of the worry or fear in his voice.
"Courtney, take this," his voice came in a forceful whisper trying to hand her his ticket to safety. "This is the last chance, just do this I'm begging you."
Courtney was doing her best to hold back the tears forming in her eyes. She had to be strong for him. She had to let him know that she would be ok.
"Number 8!" Ric was getting impatient, now.
Before Jason could try anything again she did what she knew she had to do. "Here. Jason had 8." Courtney knew he wasn't happy that she had done that. But she didn't care, she wanted to be sure that he was safe.
"Alright Morgan lets go." it didn't take a genius to figure that Ric would have preferred it be anyone else.
Jason had no way to go back now. Though neither his heart nor his soul followed him out of that room, he reluctantly went up to the roof. As the helicopter rose up into the night sky, Jason looked down at the hotel. He watched the flames swarming around it, and he wondered if that had been the last time he would hold his wife.
The room was filled with panic. It could be sensed in the air and seen on the faces of everyone in it. But in the midst of all the fear that filled the hotel, she felt an eerie calm. She was not worried, but she never was when she was in his arms. Their surroundings faded away as the held onto each other. It was the way it should be. Husband and wife together.
But not for long. Any minute now they would be splitting up. He would be going and she would stay behind and wait for her turn.
Jason stood in the middle of the room. Outwardly, remaining his usual, calm self. But on the inside he wanted to shout at the top of his lungs. He was still in a state of disbelief. All of the terrible things he had done and fate decided to give him a favor. He would be on one of the first helicopter rides to safety, while his heart would stay behind and get on the last.
As the thought crossed his mind he hugged his wife a little tighter. She noticed. Her eyes locked on to his as she looked up at him. She sensed his uneasiness.
"Don't worry, I'll be fine." Courtney was doing her best to keep her voice steady.
"You can still take mine. Nobody knows what numbers we have yet." the desperation beginning to surface in his voice, "you can get out of here."
"Jason-"
"Please, Courtney. Take it."
"No, you have to be there for Sonny, and Carly and the boys."
"You can't say that I'm more important than you. I need to know that you're-" Before Jason could finish he was cutoff by the announcement he was dreading.
"Who's got number 8?" Ric shouted into the crowd.
Jason knew it was his last chance to get Courtney out of there. This time he didn't hide any of the worry or fear in his voice.
"Courtney, take this," his voice came in a forceful whisper trying to hand her his ticket to safety. "This is the last chance, just do this I'm begging you."
Courtney was doing her best to hold back the tears forming in her eyes. She had to be strong for him. She had to let him know that she would be ok.
"Number 8!" Ric was getting impatient, now.
Before Jason could try anything again she did what she knew she had to do. "Here. Jason had 8." Courtney knew he wasn't happy that she had done that. But she didn't care, she wanted to be sure that he was safe.
"Alright Morgan lets go." it didn't take a genius to figure that Ric would have preferred it be anyone else.
Jason had no way to go back now. Though neither his heart nor his soul followed him out of that room, he reluctantly went up to the roof. As the helicopter rose up into the night sky, Jason looked down at the hotel. He watched the flames swarming around it, and he wondered if that had been the last time he would hold his wife.