Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. The powers that be at General Hospital do. They just don't use them very well. There are some original characters in here as well.

Feedback: Is greatly appreciated. If you like it tell me why, if you don't, please tell me what you don't like. It's how I learn.

Author's notes: A lot of the characters on GH will be in this fic, if you don't see them right away give me time. I like fic's with a lot of characters in them, so that is how I write them.

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What If…

Chapter 13

~Quartermaines~

Emily raced into the bathroom, and barely made it before she got sick, this was becoming a hellish morning ritual. She got to her feet when the nausea passed, and ran water over her face, before brushing her teeth.

She avoided looking at herself in the mirror and wondered bleakly how long she could keep lying to herself. She was terrified that it wasn't the flu, too terrified to take the test she had bought a few days ago and was hidden in her room.

Sighing she moved back into the bedroom and collapsed on the bed. She had a hard time even thinking the word, so how could she find out for sure if she was pregnant. She sat up and wrapped her arms around her knees leaning against the headboard. If she was pregnant, than everything that people had said to her about Zander was the truth. She couldn't bear that. If she were pregnant, everything that was wrong with her life would be magnified ten times over. If she was pregnant she had gotten what she so arrogantly had asked for. If she was pregnant than the man she thought she knew, and loved was nothing but the user that everyone thought he was. But if she wasn't pregnant than maybe she could get her life back. If she wasn't pregnant maybe she could start to live again. If she wasn't pregnant than she was thinking bad thoughts about Zander for no reason. Emily groaned there were so many ifs in her life she needed to find some things out for sure.

God, she thought I need someone to talk to, unbidden Rory's voice entered her head, "I'm not her Emily, but I would like to be your friend, if you let me."

She didn't know why but she already felt a connection to Rory, maybe it was the resemblance, maybe it was because of Jason, or maybe it was just Rory, but she thought she could trust her. But could she trust her not to tell Jason? She stared at the phone.

~Kellys~

Lucky's steps slowed as he entered the room and saw Elizabeth with Jason, they were holding hands. Jealousy rose up again but he fought it down. Remember the plan he told himself.

"Lucky." Lulu cried racing over to him.

Rory tightened her grip on Jason's hand when he went tense at the little girl's words, his eyes quickly searching the room for Lucky. She pulled on his hand to get him to look at her, "Take it easy."

"Lucky, Elizabeth is here and I don't like her anymore, she's mean," Lulu said hanging onto him, glaring at Rory.

"It's okay Lulu." Lucky said squatting down beside her before forcing himself to go on, he knew they were listening, "I know it's confusing, but that is not Elizabeth, her name is Rory."

"She's not?" Lulu asked confused, she knew her brother wouldn't lie to her, and he didn't smell like her daddy right now, so he was telling the truth.

"No, but she confused me too, Lulu." Lucky said smiling at her, "You better go eat your breakfast."

"Okay."

Lucky took a breath before heading to their table.

Jason got to his feet, moving to intercept Lucky, who stopped immediately holding up his hand, "Jason I'm not here to start anything, in fact I want to apologize for the other night, and yesterday."

Jason studied him, usually he could tell when someone was lying, and he was trying to get a read on Lucky, "You were out of line Lucky, and you hurt Rory."

Lucky's blue eyes darkened at that, and Jason could read the genuine regret and shame in them. "I know I want to apologize for that."

"Jason." Rory said then resting her hand on his back. "It's okay let him talk."

Jason looked down at her then sighed heavily before perching on the edge of his seat, ready to move at the first sign of trouble.

"I haven't been in the best of shape lately, I know that you two saw that," Lucky began speaking to both of them before concentrating on her. "I am sorry, your resemblance to Elizabeth really shook me, but I shouldn't have grabbed you or frightened you. I am sorry."

Rory nodded, "Don't do it again."

Lucky nodded and turned to Jason, "I'm sorry for attacking you, I'm not a violent person, you know that, especially not with old friends, so I'm sorry."

Jason studied him for a minute, he just couldn't get a read on Lucky, "Okay we'll let it pass," he said finally, "this time," he finished with a warning.

Lucky grinned then, "Great well I have to go, Goodbye." He said and quickly walked out the door.

Lucky paused outside and took a deep breath that had gone better than he expected. He turned to look back at her again, "Just hang on a little while longer Elizabeth, I'll get you back." He murmured before walking away with a whistle.

"Earth to Jason," she said after a minute.

"What?" he asked focusing on her.

"What did you think? Was he sincere?"

"I don't know, I still don't want you alone with him." He caught her look and quickly continued, "If you can help it."

"I said I wouldn't be alone with him, and I'll try not to," Rory said digging into her lukewarm pancakes.

"I would rather have you promise me that you won't."

"You know I rarely promise anything because I have never broken my promise."

"Exactly. Why do you think I want you to promise me." Jason argued with a smile.

"Drop it Morgan, quit while you're ahead."

"Oh My God!"

Rory turned to look at the man who had paused by their table and was staring at her. With a groan she bowed her head and rubbed a hand over her eyes, "No my name is not Elizabeth." She said testily not looking up.

"It's not? Well of course it's not." He said forcing his gaze from her, "Hello Jason, when did you get back in town?" He asked extending his hand.

"A few days ago Ned," Jason answered shaking his hand.

"So who knows?" Ned asked his eyes darting over to the woman at the table again before looking at Jason for his answer.

"Emily, I'm going to see grandmother later, and so does A.J." Jason said feeling a kick under the table. Frowning he turned to Rory who smiled at him innocently.

"Ned Ashton, meet Rory Nichols." He said shaking his head.

"Hi Ned, it's nice to meet you." Rory paused studying him, "I just wanted to say I enjoy your music."

"Thanks, I'm sorry about before."

"Happens all the time," Rory said flippantly waving his apology off, with a smile.

"Ned?" A blonde woman called from across the room.

"Good to see you again Jason, nice meeting you Rory," he said with a grin, showcasing his dimples, before moving over to the blonde.

Rory watched him walk away, his butt was fine even without the leather pants. "What?" she asked turning to face an amused Jason.

"I think you know."

"Worried? Don't be Jason you still got the best butt around, of course anytime you want to slip into some leather pants, I won't stop you."

Jason choked on his coffee and she laughed, she was spared his reply when his phone rang.

"Morgan," he said glaring at her.

"Hi Jason, are you busy?"

"No Emily, I just finished breakfast, what do you need?" he asked he could hear the tension in her voice.

"Well actually I was looking for Rory, she wasn't at Jake's and I wondered if you knew where she was," Emily asked twisting the cord of the pay phone around her fingers.

"Yeah, hold on," Jason said holding out the phone to Rory.

"Hello Emily."

"Rory I was wondering if you wanted to get together and get to know each other."

"Sounds good. When?" Rory paused "I'm at Kellys I'll wait for you, bye."

"So she's coming here?" Jason asked taking his phone back, "She sounded upset."

"I know I heard it too, she said she wants to get to know me."

He shifted in his chair, "If she says anything…"

"If she says anything it will be between her and me." She interrupted. "Don't you have somewhere your supposed to be?"

He sighed, "Yeah," he stood and dropped some bills on the table, "I'll call you later."

"Okay, run along now and play with your beans." She said with a smile.

Jason reached down pulling her to her feet and kissed her hard before letting her go. She slipped back into her seat, after that all too brief, yet devastating kiss. "Bye." he said with a smile and walked away.

"Uh…later," Rory managed, she was having trouble thinking again. She eventually became aware of the eyes on her again, and her smile faded. She got to her feet and crossed over to Ned's table, "Excuse me do you have a piece of paper I could have?" she asked the blonde gesturing to the sketch pad the woman carried.

"Sure." She answered pulling out a blank sheet.

"Thanks." Rory said with a smile turning quickly away, so she missed Ned's jolt of surprise.

"Well that explains why Nikolas and Emily were acting so weird last night." Ned muttered.

Rory sat at the table and wrote on the paper, then went to work folding it so it would stand up in a triangle on her table. Satisfied she placed it in front of her and went back to her breakfast, and it was quiet for a few minutes.

"Rory huh? That's a pretty name for a beautiful woman." A man said studying the nameplate she had made, and then her. He smiled at her appreciatively.

Rory glanced up and saw a man with dark hair about her age, he wasn't that tall, but he seemed to have a rather long neck. She said nothing, going back to her breakfast.

"Mind if I join you?" He asked and not waiting for an answer he dropped into the empty chair across from her.

"Yes I do mind." She wasn't in the mood for a breakfast lothario.

"Hey I'm just being friendly, I haven't seen you here before, I would have remembered you, are you new in town?" He asked leaning over the table, to smell her perfume, she was a pretty one.

"Look I'm not interested, and besides I'm waiting for someone." Rory snapped.

"Well you don't need to wait for him any longer, trust me the bigger and better deal has arrived," he said with a smile laying his hand over hers.

"Actually I'm waiting on a her…" She pulled her hand from his.

"Even better," he said quickly his eyes lighting at the prospect.

She stared at him, well that explained his big neck, he needed it to keep his head upright, "Do you model?" she asked suddenly.

"No but you sure could." He was glad she was dropping the hard to get routine, that was so over used.

Images of him as the model for the Bobbing Head Guy toy were dancing in her head, so it took a moment for her to register the fact that his hand was now on her knee.

Rory leaned forward preparing to do damage then.

"Zander, I didn't know you were here," Emily's voice came from behind the man.

Rory's eyes narrowed, the hand was quickly removed from her knee, and he turned to look at Emily, "Hey Emily, I was looking for you." He said with a smile.

"I see you met Rory." She said, at his blank look she went on "Jason's girlfriend, oh there's Ned I need to tell him something, I'll be right back."

Zander watched her go before turning to face a hostile looking Rory, man had he messed up. "Look I think you might have misread what just happened here."

Rory cocked a brow and waited, this ought to be interesting.

"As you can see, I'm involved with Emily." He paused, but Rory didn't say anything, "I love Emily, this was just a little harmless fun." He said waiting again for her to speak, but she just watched him waiting to see how far deep he would dig himself.

"Damn'it it was just a joke." He said desperately.

"Oh you're right it would have been a joke alright." Rory said her eyes running over him, "More than likely a very little joke, but it would have been a joke nonetheless."

"Wait a minute." He snarled insulted, "I don't know what you think just happened here, but you better keep your mouth shut."

"That sounds like a threat Zander, you really shouldn't threaten me." Rory ordered, "I think you better leave now."

"Not until I know what you're going to tell Emily, if you try to wreck us, you will regret it you little witch." Zander said menacingly, leaning back in his chair, "and don't think your mobster boyfriend scares me either, I have my ways of dealing with brain damaged idiots like him, and little bitches like you, so you better keep your mouth shut."

Emily turned around to walk back to the table just in time to see Zander and his chair, fly over backward and crash headfirst on the floor. "Zander." She cried racing over to him, "Are you okay?"

Rory got to her feet, and stared down at the stunned man on the floor, who was rubbing his head. "Zander you really ought to be more careful in how you approach things, you never know how something will react to you." She said catching his eye in warning.

"What happened?" Emily asked helping him to his feet.

"Oh he was rocking in his chair, and he made a miscalculation, I'd watch that Zander, try that again and you could really get hurt," Rory said with a violent look in her eye.

Zander read the threat in her words, and got to his feet, "Come on Emily."

"No I have plans with Rory." Emily said setting the chair upright.

"Emily I think we need to spend some time alone together." He said catching her hand.

"Now Zander, you really should run along now, Emily and I need to get to know each other better, you've had her to yourself for far to long now." Rory interrupted.

"Emily." Zander said sharply.

"I'll see you later, Zander." She said with a small smile.

"Whatever." He snapped and stormed from Kellys.

Sighing Emily dropped into the chair, rubbing her hand over her face and braced for the comment she knew would be forthcoming.

Rory studied Emily, she could see she was waiting for a verbal blow, "Be careful Emily, that chair has already claimed one victim already, Jason would have my hide if I let anything happen to you." She said trying to lighten the mood.

Emily smiled and looked over at Rory. It was easier looking at her today, and she was relieved. Her eyes widened and she let out a laugh when she saw the nametag, Rory had made, sitting on the table.

Rory shrugged before laughing, "Well I thought it couldn't hurt, here's your photo back." She finished handing her the photo face down.

"Well you probably do need it, especially here." Emily said sobering glancing at the photo before putting it in her bag.

"Why?"

"Well Elizabeth worked here for several years, didn't Jason tell you?"

"Morgan you are so dead." Rory said shaking her head, "You know information like that would have been useful, yesterday." She finished on a groan.

Emily laughed, "Morgan?"

"Yes he's Morgan when he's in trouble, so actually I call him that a lot," Rory said with a grin.

Emily laughed, she really did like Rory, "You want to get out of here?"

"Yes, before Tammy has some memory break and starts thinking I am Elizabeth and tries to put me to work."

~Warehouse~

"Jason it's good to see you," Benny said with a smile when Jason entered the building.

"Hey Benny how's the numbers business?" Jason asked slapping the older man on the back.

"Coming along," Benny said his bushy eyebrows wagging wolfishly, "Coming along," he repeated and walked out.

Jason kept moving until he heard Sonny's voice, "I told you to move the French Vanilla, not the Mocha. How in the hell did you get Mocha out of the words French Vanilla?" Sonny asked disgustedly.

Jason smirked knowing without seeing him who Sonny was talking to, Dean Gagal wasn't the smarted guy in the warehouse.

"Sorry, it happened," Dean said with a shrug, before walking off. Jason stopped and pressed back against the wall to let the man pass, Dean was huge.

Sonny shook his head and stared after Dean, "Go on then were finished here." He yelled after the man, then he caught sight of Jason and laughed, "Tell me again why we keep him around?"

"Well when the forklift breaks, he becomes one, and the guys love his smutty jokes."

"That's right, I knew there was a reason. You're running late today," Sonny said moving into the office.

"Yeah, I had to talk to Rory about some stuff." Jason followed closing the door behind him.

"Stuff?" he asked.

"Yes, stuff. Hey why was she mad at you last night?" He asked pulling off his coat.

Sonny sighed sitting down, "When I saw her yesterday morning I had the same reaction everyone else has, I guess she wasn't expecting it from me and I hurt her."

"Oh, that's one of the things I wanted to talk to her about. I showed her a picture of Elizabeth."

"How did she handle it?"

"She was uncomfortable, especially when I told her we were going to be here longer than she thought," he said rubbing his neck.

"So she's not happy about staying? Does she want to leave?" Sonny asked not wanting to cause Jason any problems, but he really needed him here.

"No, she's isn't thrilled, but she would never ask me to leave, she knows you need me here. That's enough for her."

"So she doesn't question you?"

"No the only thing she every asks is what to pack."

"You're lucky." Sonny couldn't help but feel envious, sometimes it was hard getting out of the penthouse.

"I know," Jason couldn't help but smile, he remembered Carly's insatiable need to know everything.

"I wanted to talk to you about Lucky," Sonny said grimacing, "I didn't like the way he was acting yesterday."

Jason slouched in the chair and studied Sonny, "I saw him this morning he apologized to Rory and me."

"Did you believe him?"

"Well I know he was serious about being sorry for hurting Rory, as for the rest, I'm not sure, it was hard to get a read on him." Jason admitted.

Sonny leaned back in his chair, "Well he was adamant yesterday that she was Elizabeth, he was out of control then, I've never seen him like that."

"Did he threaten her, or you?" he asked tensing, Rory hadn't told him much about her conversation with Lucky.

"Not Rory, but me, he seems to think I was working with you to keep Elizabeth away from him. I think you need to keep an eye on him, it's hard to believe he would let it go overnight." Sonny sighed he wanted to believe that Lucky had come to his senses, but he wanted Jason and Rory to be prepared just in case.

"I will, and Rory had agreed not to be alone with him if she can help it."

"Was she okay after her run in with Carly?"

"Yeah in fact she was jazzed about it. She wouldn't tell me what happened though, when I asked she said it had nothing to do with me, which I though was a little strange." Jason said with a shrug.

"Carly was pretty tightlipped too," Sonny said smiling, "Except she did tell me she wants to buy a pool table."

"A pool table?" Jason laughed, "Man she hates to lose."

"She did say she was looking forward to seeing you and Rory together so I thought we would all have dinner tonight."

Jason stared at Sonny in shock, "Sonny let's not push it, there was no carnage last night, but having them together with silverware," he shook his head, "I don't think that's wise."

Sonny smirked staring at his friend, Jason hardly ever made comments like that, Rory must be rubbing off on him.

Jason saw the smirk, "What?"

"Nothing, I was just noticing the change in you, I think I like it." Sonny answered grinning broadly when Jason glared at him getting to his feet. He continued before Jason decided to retreat again, "I thought we would go to the No-Name, that way word will get out."

Jason sighed and pinched his nose, knowing he was caught, "I'll call Rory and ask her."

"Ask?" Sonny said.

Jason raised an eyebrow, "Yes ask, she's her own person I don't dictate her life to her."

Sonny shifted feeling the sting of that rebuke, "Well I'll check with Carly and let you know later on."

"Fine," Jason said and left the office.