Show: General Hospital

Title: Las Vidas de los Corinthos' 2: Chapter 27

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

A/N: First, I must apologise for the abominable amount of time it took to get this chapter
out. Life has been a bitch and, needless to say, the show hasn't been that wonderful or
helpful in the least, so I've had major writer's block (sigh). Thank you for last chapter's
comments; there are all so dear to me and it's always nice to see some new names pop up
in my email as well as the ones that have been here from the beginning – a big fat
'Mwahh' to you all. Anyways, thanks to LiasonFan for being my muse and my sounding
block for this story as well as the other stories I've got on my plate; don't know what I
would do without your help sometimes, girl. Well, this chapter was hard enough to write;
don't kill me if it sucks, but hopefully you'll enjoy it.

Port Charles Grille (lunchtime)

Elizabeth tremulously returned her promoter's smile as she stopped by their table.

"You look good," Daniel said against his will.

"Thank you," replied a startled Elizabeth.

Daniel bit the inside of his cheek, instantly regretting his words even more. Ever the
gentleman, he rounded the small table and pulled out Elizabeth's chair for her.

True to the reputation of impeccable service, a waiter appeared. "Would like anything to
drink?" he asked politely.

"Perrier," she replied, though she certainly could do with a nice stiff shot of whisky to
help her get through this meeting.

"Very well. And for you, sir?" he asked. "Another?" As Daniel nodded, the waiter smiled
politely before presenting them with their menus. Liz and Daniel both took advantage of
"scanning" the menu to school their thoughts; both of them were thinking about the
awkwardness of the situation.

Finally, Daniel couldn't stand the silence between them. "How's the painting coming
along?"

Elizabeth resisted the urge to heave a sigh of relief that she hadn't had to be the
icebreaker. "Fine. I started on two others," she of course neglected to inform him that one
of those had been a portrait of Jason. "I was working on one for Mr. Johansen when you
called."

"He's very anxious to get these paintings. He's shown a remarkable level of interest in
you."

Elizabeth couldn't have prevented the smile that blazed across her face even if she'd
wanted to. "Already?" she asked incredulously? "I haven't even been exhibited for a full
month. Promoted for even less time."

Daniel felt a tug on his heartstrings as he looked at her. "What can I say?" he asked
softly. "The man has great taste."

All the good humor fell from her face; she recognized that look. It was longing. Hadn't
she seen it plastered on her face enough before she'd reunited with Jason?

Just then, the waiter returned with their drinks. "Perrier for the lady; Scotch for the
gentleman." The conversation halted as he set the water before Liz and the tumbler of
whisky before Daniel and he now looked at them expectedly. "Are you ready to order?"

Grateful for the intervention Liz replied, "Chicken Caesar salad, please."

The waiter accepted the menu. "And for you, sir?"

"Steak and potato; medium."

"Very good."

Elizabeth wished the waiter could stay there indefinitely but the efficient little bugger
swept off to take their orders to the kitchen. She turned to Daniel, who cleared his throat
before saying, "It's fair to say Mr. Johansen is more than just interested. He's hinted to
Connie and I that he'd like to be your benefactor."

Liz choked on a sip of her sparking water. "You're shittin' me, right?"

Daniel smiled, remembering when she'd first said the same thing to him not so long ago.
"I shit you not."

"I don't know what to say to that…." She'd never spoken to or even seen the man and he
wanted to help finance her art career based on one single art show?

"You say, 'I'll have to speak with my lawyer.'"

Confusion marred Elizabeth's features. "What? Why?"

Elizabeth was relieved the conversation had strayed from personal topics. "Kit Johansen
taking you on as a beneficiary is a very serious matter. He's a highly respected collector
and he's never even hinted about doing this sort of thing before, so you're very lucky,
Elizabeth. As your dealer and promoter, I say 'go for it' but you might want to enlist the
help of a lawyer to get you out of any sticky situations, such as him chopping down the
money tree if you don't adhere to the hundreds of clauses I'm sure his lawyers will have
in any contract he makes you sign."

Liz's frown deepened. "Oh." Who knew this would get so complicated?

The rest of their lunch passed quite pleasantly. Their meals came and throughout the
delicious food their conversation was set firmly away from all matters personal.

Halfway through their espresso Elizabeth's cellphone rang. She lifted a finger to excuse
herself and picked up the tiny mobile from her bag. "Hello?"

It was Alexis, standing with Zico outside the PCPD. "Hey, it's me."

It's my mother, she mouthed to Daniel. "Hi."

"Feel for lunch?" her mother asked. "Ric went back to the office to finish some reports
and I'm heading home; figured I'd treat the kids."

"Sorry, too late." She wanted to ask how Zico's interview had gone, but she knew the
entire matter deserved a certain level of discretion.

"What?" asked Alexis, mischievously. "Jason comes home in the middle of the day
now?"

"No…" she said exasperatedly. "I'm at the Grille already; I'm having lunch with Daniel."

"Daniel?" asked Alexis incredulously, as she took Zico's hand and headed for the
Beemer. "What's he doing in Port Charles?"

"Progress report."

"Oh." Alexis wanted to say so much more – she knew Elizabeth had had more than just a
business relationship; how much more, was uncertain, but she knew it – but she didn't.
"Ok. Well, I'll talk to you later. See you for dinner tonight?" she asked as she reached the
car and unlocked it. She settled Zico in the backseat and buckled him in with a smile,
tugging his baseball cap more firmly over his eyes.

Back at the Grille, Liz hedged. "Oh, I don't know…"

"Plans?" her mother asked knowingly.

Their relationship may be unorthodox to say the least, but a girl had t draw the line
somewhere; there was no way she was going to say anything about her and Jason's love-
life, especially not with her former lover sitting across the table from her. "Maybe…" she
replied vaguely.

"Hmmm…."

Elizabeth could picture in her mind the smirk that went along with that statement.

"Ok," Alexis conceded as she slid into the driver's seat. "Talk to you later."

"Bye."

Alexis terminated the call and, using her rearview mirror, asked Zico in Greek,
"Hungry?" He flashed that adorable grin of his and Alexis rolled her eyes playfully.
"Stupid question, I know. You're probably always hungry."

Zico giggled, for the moment his mind off his harrowing interview that morning. Alexis
pulled into traffic, not mindful of the black sedan that pulled out to follow her. Adam,
who'd been about to pull out before being cut off noticed how the car stuck close to them
did. He fished out his phone and dialed Jason. "Yeah, it's Adam. Ms. Davis and the kid
are being followed."

Jason halted on his way through the park to get back to Elizabeth's studio. "Shit. Call
Marco to cover them, but I want you to stay behind whoever is following them."

"Will do. What to do when I catch up?" asked Adam, keeping a mindful eye on the sedan
as it stopped just two cars behind the silver BMW at a set of stoplights; he hoped the
people weren't planning on doing anything stupid.

"Call me. I want to know who's so interested in Zico and why."

As Jason terminated the call, Adam swallowed convulsively. It wasn't going to be a very
pretty picture when he was finished, that much he was certain of.

Back at the Grille, Liz closed her cellphone and looked apologetically at Daniel, who was
watching her intently. "I'm sorry about that."

"No problem." They fell silent and Liz sipped her now cold espresso. "Listen, I should be
going. I'm staying in Port Charles for the night. But I'll be heading back to the City
tomorrow morning. Virginie has a crisis," he stated long-sufferingly. In their short time
together Liz had come to know the French-Canadian had a flair for the dramatic.

"My sympathy," Liz said laughingly.

"Thanks." He got to his feet and actually bit his lip a little before his black eyes found
hers. "Are you happy, Elizabeth?"

Elizabeth certainly had not been expecting this question but she answered him truthfully,
"Yes, I am."

He nodded briskly, doing a good job of hiding his emotions. "I'll call you if Johansen sets
up anything concrete."

"Thank you, Daniel."

He took his leave, walking briskly through the crowded restaurant, nodding at Francis
who'd been watching them from the bar while munching on fries and a coke. When he
rounded the corner, he quickly doubled back and watched Elizabeth from the shadows in
the corner as she seemed to sag with relief that he was gone, before straightening her
shoulders and setting her things in order. He knew that mask of indifference that she had
perfected had dropped back onto her face. For the first time when looking at her, he felt a
burning anger take root in his heart.

She was happy? Too bad he wasn't.


Aware she was crying all over her brother at work, Courtney pulled away, her face red,
not just from the tears but from the embarrassment of letting other people see her in this
moment of weakness. As she pulled away, Sonny's eyes were filled a sense of pity and
this fueled her temper and gave her strength. At the sight of her flashing blue eyes, Sonny
smirked inwardly. Courtney was a strong woman, he'd have to give her that at least.

"You didn't have to feel the need to come down here and comfort me. I'm fine."

Sonny arched a silky black brow. "Then why haven't you been to work since we got back
from New York City?"

"Did Bobbie tell you that?"

"No. Jason did."

Courtney's lip curled and her eyes narrowed, although inside she felt like dying at the
mere mention of her former fianc's name. "What else did he tell you?" she asked
bitterly.

Sonny didn't reply immediately. Instead, his mind took him back to his conversation with
Jason as Johnny had driven them back to their warehouse after their meeting with the
Five Families.

Flashback:

There was going to be a riot on their hands if they didn't find this murderer fast. That
much di Rossi had hinted at in the meeting. The PCPD had turned its beady eyes on to
the other members of Port Charles's Underworld and so a certain level of discretion had
needed to be undertaken – at the expense of more than one family's pockets. The message
was clear – ship up or ship out.

"
Sonofabitch!" cursed Sonny as he settled back into the blush leather interior in the limo.

It was a sentiment echoed entirely by Jason. He could understand the antsiness of the
Families but di Rossi was one to take unfair advantage of a situation; he didn't trust him
as far as he could throw him. He told his partner this.

Sonny nodded in agreement. "He's trouble. As if we didn't have enough on our plates
already. Watch our back where he's concerned."

Jason nodded; he didn't have to be told twice.

The two partners fell silent. Sonny stared moodily out of the window and Jason mentally
counted down in his head, waiting for his friend to start his questioning. He'd barely
made it to eighty-five counting backwards from one hundred when he felt Sonny's dark
eyes on his profile. He turned his head and was surprised to find he had trouble holding
his friend's unwavering gaze. "When?" it was uttered quietly but it was a loaded
question.

He felt as awkward as a teenaged boy and he didn't even pretend to not know what
'when' Sonny was referring to. "The day after the showing."

Sonny closed his eyes. He'd never forget that night. Silverman had been killed that night,
but it was the night he could tell his daughter had decided to let sleeping dogs lie, the
night he realized that his bestfriend was still in love with his daughter. "I hadn't even
known you'd spoken to her that night."

"Yeah, we spoke." They'd done a lot more than just speak. She'd kissed him; for the first
time in almost two years he'd tasted her again.

"Is that where you were when we were trying to find you?"

"Yes."

Sonny heaved a heavy sigh. He was a man caught in the middle. On one hand, as a father
and a bestfriend, he was happy to see that special sparkle in Elizabeth's eyes and happy
to see this newly relaxed Jason; as a brother, his heart broke for Courtney and he even felt
a little anger on her behalf knowing the pain she must be in. "What about Courtney?"

He didn't miss the way Jason clenched his jaw and looked away. "She threw the ring at
me."

Sonny cursed his stupidity. So that was were the scratch on his cheek had come from! He
almost chuckled; he could picture his sister hurling it at him, though; he'd played touch
football with her, he knew she packed one helluva punch, Jason had helped her perfect it.
Too bad it had come back to haunt him.

"I'm sorry I hurt your sister, Sonny. But I love Elizabeth. I was tired of denying how I
feel; of seeing her hurt," he said softly, hoping his friend would understand. "I was sick
of the lying… we'd hurt each other so much over the past two years and we couldn't
stand it. I'm sick and tired of being an idiot, Sonny, of sacrificing everything so other
people could be happy. Don't I deserve to be happy? Don't I deserve to be loved?"

Alexis's words came back to him. "
Everybody deserves to be loved, Sonny. Even you."
Even Jason. "Of course you deserve to be happy; to be loved."

"Then give me your blessing."

"You're asking my permission?"

"Elizabeth isn't a child, Sonny, nor is she a possession. I just want to know that you
won't stand in our way. I promised Elizabeth no more lies. I can't do that if you expect
me to keep back part of myself," he said pointedly, obviously referring to when he'd had
Jason lie about his 'death'.

"It'll be dangerous," he couldn't help but say.

"It's already dangerous. She's your daughter."

Sonny said nothing for a while. Finally his dark eyes gripped his friend's blue ones. "If
you hurt her again, Jason, I swear I'll
kill you."

Jason nodded before replying, "If I hurt her again, I'll kill myself."

Sonny nodded grudgingly and Jason knew that somewhere inside, his friend approved.
He already knew Alexis approved; she was a useful ally.

As though the thought suddenly occurred Sonny turned to his friend and asked, "Where
are you staying?"

"Elizabeth's studio."

Sonny chuckled knowing that Jason must not have been too comfortable. After all, the
sum total of furniture in his daughter's cramped studio consisted of a rickety metal shelf,
two bar stools, a lumpy old couch and a cot with an even lumpier mattress. He sobered,
"Why don't you move back into PH2? It's a helluva lot more comfortable. You don't
look like you're getting too much sleep."

Jason nodded his head, saying he'd talk to Liz about it but thinking, how was he to tell
his friend he wasn't getting enough sleep at night because his firecracker of a daughter
was insatiable?

Present:

"The engagement's off, obviously."

"Obviously," Courtney replied thinking back to when she'd thrown her ring at him and it
had caught his cheek. It had left a little scratch; it probably wasn't even visible.

Sonny touched his sister's hand, willing her to look at him, hoping that she could see that
he knew was bravado.

Courtney wiped the last traces of tears from her face and said softly, "It's my fault,
Sonny."

"How?"

"I deluded myself. Maybe in the beginning I didn't but I knew he still loved her. Oh,
maybe he did love me for a while… he told me so… but never like he loved… loves
her."

"What'll you do now?"

Courtney lifted her sky-blue eyes to meet her brother's curious dark brown orbs. She
thought about the life that could quite possibly be growing in her belly. "I don't know,
Sonny. I just know it hurts so bad… I wish I were dead."

Adam had let Marco take over covering Alexis's car, stealthily slipping in front of the
sedan at a junction, letting Adam focus solely on the car and it's occupants. The windows
are lightly tinted and he could make out one figure in the car. He felt only a little relieved.
He assumed the man knew Alexis was obviously guarded, although she drove her own
vehicle. He hoped the man wouldn't get over ambitious and try to dispatch the future
Mrs. Corinthos and the little boy. The man seemed to be on reconnaissance; simply
following them. Well, not for long.

Alexis whipped the Beemer down the ramp that led into the basement garage of
Harborview Towers and Marco followed in the midnight blue SUV. As expected, the
man in the sedan pulled into a spot where he had a perfect view of anyone entering or
leaving the building, either by foot or vehicle. Adam drove past him and parked further
up the street where the man couldn't see him; he would be paying too much attention to
the building anyways. He exited the car and ducked into a little restaurant. The manager
started shouting at him when he just walked in the kitchen, but they recognized him as
one of Sonny's guards and wisely left him alone. Adam hurried along the back alleys,
loading his gun, until he emerged about fifty yards behind the car. The man's windows
were up and for a moment, it looked as though no one was in the car. He saw a flutter of
movement from the car and stepped back into the shadow of the alley as the man opened
the car and got out. Adam surveyed his quarry, the man was about six feet tall and
muscled, with dark hair and eyes. He was dressed in jeans and sunglasses, looking for all
the world like a normal person out doing afternoon errands. Adam wasn't fooled in the
least; he noted how the man's eyes hadn't left the building. For all his stature, the man
wasn't a very good guard; he hadn't checked his surroundings once since he'd gotten out
of the car.

Adam decided he'd had enough of waiting. He was just about to make his move when he
spied Jason coming down the street towards the man who still paid no attention. He
caught his boss's eye and stepped from the alley and headed toward the car. Jason walked
between the sedan and a flashy red Miata as if to cross the street but at the last instant
wheeled to the man and quick as a flash punched the man in the side. The man wheezed
instantly, the breath knocked from his body. Jason propped the body up and Adam shot
him with the tranquiliser. As if nothing had happened Jason felt for the back door handle
with his hand and pushed the man in the back seat before jumping behind the wheel.
Adam slid into the passenger seat and they drove off.

From Adam driving past to Jason driving away, it had lasted all of three minutes.

Diana, Kristina's day nanny (and Leticia's younger sister), looked up as the door swung
open and Alexis and Zico walked in. Krissy, who'd been doing a puzzle on the floor with
her looked up. "Mama!" she squealed and bounded over to her mother.

Alexis bent and scooped up her daughter. "Hey sweetie, I missed you!"

"I missed you, too, Mama!"

Zico smiled shyly at Diana and she returned his smile, already enchanted by the little
boy.

"How would you like a picnic?" she asked her daughter in Greek. "Huh? A picnic,
Krissy," she repeated in English for both Diana and Krissy whose Greek wasn't perfect.

"A picnic? In the park?"

"Well…" said Alexis, knowing a picnic in the park was far too risky. "We can have
picnic right here, can't we?"

"Uh huh."

"And Papa isn't here so we can have pizza or hamburgers and ice-cream."

Kristina's big eyes widened further. "Ice-cream?" she echoed wondrously.

"Ice-cream?" Zico smiled. That was one English word he already knew and loved. "I like
ice-cream," he said to Alexis in Greek.

Alexis grinned and ruffled his silky black hair. "I bet you do!"

That was how Sonny found them an hour later when Johnny opened the door to the PH
and Marco couldn't keep his smile of his face wondering how the boss would we react if
he knew the junk the children and his fiancée were eating. Alexis was sprawled on her
stomach on the floor in jeans and tank top with spaghetti straps. Zico was next to her and
Kristina was perched in Diana's lap. They all clutched ice-cream cones – Kristina was
wearing most of hers as was Zico – and they all looked up at him guiltily from their game
of Candyland on the floor.

Sonny tried to looked exasperated, even annoyed, as he shut the door but failed miserably
as a chocolate covered Kristina smiled and said, "Ice-cream, Papa?" He laughed and
chucked off his jacket. "Why not, corazon?" He sank to his knees and, not caring they
weren't alone, pulled Alexis in for a kiss. Swirling his tongue around the sweet chocolate
and that taste that was uniquely Alexis. When he pulled away Zico and Kristina were
making gagging noises and Diana had politely dropped her eyes to the boardgame.

Sonny licked his lips and Alexis blushed, her eyes darkening in desire. "I like ice-cream,"
he announced. When everyone else turned back to the game he leaned forward and
whispered, "But I much prefer Alexis."

Her blush deepened and Sonny laughed. Somebody was gonna get lucky tonight!

When the sedative wore off and his eyes opened, the man realized he had no idea where
he was. He racked his brain and blanched as he realized the Corinthos' must have
realized the woman and child were being followed, had caught him and brought him here.

"You finally decided to wake up."

He turned his head and found himself looking into a pair of cold blue eyes. Almost as
cold as hers. And that was saying something. He said nothing.

"Who are you?" At the man's silence Jason frowned. The man's ability to keep quiet
obviously was much better than his ability to watch without being watched. "My name is
Jason Morgan. Do you know who I am?"

The man still said nothing.

Jason tried another tactic. "Why were you following Alexis?"

Alexis? He knew no such woman. He'd been ordered to follow the little mouse, the
Cassidine bastard, Natasha. He remained stubbornly silent.

Jason heaved a long- suffering sigh. He really didn't like interrogations… not much.
Taggliatti's he'd relished because he'd hated the bastard and had wanted to prolong his
suffering as long as possible. He felt no such emotion for this nameless man, he was just
a lackey, an incompetent one at that. He had no time to waste. He wanted to know who
had ordered the man to follow Alexis and why. "You'll talk anyway, you know that,
don't you?"

For the first time he noticed Morgan's hands were gloved in latex. His eyes widened as
he lifted a syringe, pumped it once to make sure it was full and, even as he struggled
against his bonds, jabbed it into the side of his neck.

He felt no different, thinking that whatever he'd been injected with would take a while to
kick in. But to his horror, as Jason stripped off the gloves and asked him again, "Who are
you?" he had no control over his actions and he found himself answering: "Roland
Thermopolos."

Jason arched a brow, though he wasn't too surprised to learn he was Greek. After all,
he'd imagined Zico's kidnappers to be Greek – they had to be able to control the boy.
"Who hired you?"

"Marietta Kincaid."

"Who is she?"

"I don't know."

"Who works with you?"

"Hilan Yanouk and Andreas Panathinaikos."

That last name rang a bell but he couldn't place it. "Would they know who she is?"

"I don't know."

Jason grit his teeth. This man didn't seem to know much of anything. "Why were you
following Alexis?"

"I don't know any Alexis. I was told to follow Natasha Cassidine."

"When was this."

"Three days ago when the little boy went missing from the boat."

"Zico Constantine?"

"Yes."

"Marietta Kincaid was responsible for his kidnapping?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know shit, do you!" Jason exploded.

Roland said nothing. He felt very nauseous.

"Where is the boat?"

"I –"

Jason cut him off. "Let me guess, you 'don't know'?"

Roland nodded.

"Are there more men looking for the child?"

"Yes."

"How many?"

"Two."

"The men you were working with?"

"Yes."

"And Alexis… Natasha?"

"Just me."

"Where can I find them?"

He knew this would probably be like signing his Comrades death certificates but he
couldn't help it. "On the docks. In an abandoned warehouse. Pier 23. They like to go to
the bar on the docks."

"Jake's?"

"Yes."

"Are they armed?"

"Not heavily."

"Good."

"What are you going to do with me?"

Jason didn't want to kill him; he didn't want to let him go either. He'd have to think
carefully about this. After a careful study and recap, he realized that this man seemed
terrified of this Marietta Kincaid, whoever she was. "Enjoy my hospitality for a little
while, Roland. Then you can go."

His eyes widened. He knew this was no gesture of goodwill. Once his comrades reported
he'd been missing and then he suddenly showed up unhurt, Marietta would ask no questions
before having him executed. "No!"

Jason turned and shut the door on the man's shouts. Maybe he'd put himself out of his
misery with the gun he'd left there.

"Are you serious?" Jason and Elizabeth were making their way up to the Penthouse Level
in the elevator when Liz asked him the question.

She thought that her father had roped them into an early dinner, not insisted that they
move back into their old apartment.

"Yes."

"Oh."

The elevator dinged and the couple stepped off and into the hall, walking around the
corner. The smiled at Johnny outside PH4 as Jason fished the key from his pocket. A few
of the other guards had moved Jason's Spartan furniture into the apartment and the fridge
was stocked, not like those two would be doing much cooking.

As Jason shut the door behind her, Elizabeth got shivers as she looked to wards the
staircase where she and Jason had had that fight so long ago. She smiled at the pool table
and the beat up leather couch and Lay-Z Boy. Other than that, the house was bare, it's
beautiful hardwood floors gleaming under the lights.

"I missed this place," she said softly as Jason wrapped his arms around her and drew her
against his chest. She'd loved it from when she'd first met him; when her mother had
lived here; the few short days she'd lived here with him.

"So did I."

She tossed her bag onto the couch and made her way into the kitchen and the refrigerator.
Sure enough it was stocked with, in addition to vegetables and other necessities like eggs,
butter, milk and cheese, junk food like chocolate bonbons and soda and beer for Jason.
The guards, definitely not her father, had done the shopping. "You want a beer?" she
asked.

"Sure," he said as he made his way to the Lay-Z Boy and sat down. As usual, the leather
cushioned every angle; he flipped back the chair and he was more comfortable now than
he'd been in a while when sitting in furniture. He'd missed this thing!

"Here."

He opened his eyes to see Elizabeth smiling down at him and holding out a can of beer.
"Thanks."

"So, what did you do today? I went back to the studio to take you to lunch but you
weren't there."

"I went to the Grille."

"Oh?" confusion marred his brow.

Choosing her words carefully she continued. "I had lunch with Daniel."

A shutter descended over Jason's blue eyes. "Toreno?" he asked, although he knew only
one Daniel.

"Uh huh."

"Oh."

Elizabeth grinned mischievously. "Are you jealous?"

"No!" Jason hastily denied.

"Really?" he watched through half-slit eyes as she lifted her filmy chiffon skirt around
her thighs and settled onto his lap.

Jason groaned as Elizabeth rocked sensuously and pressed kisses along his throat. His
hand dangled on the side of the chair and he set the beer safely on the ground.

"'Cause, I'd be mad with jealousy if I was you."

"Should I be jealous?"

Liz lifted her head and looked into Jason's smoky blue eyes. She could feel his growing
arousal between her legs. "No," she bent to kiss him and in doing so, the chair suddenly
lowered even more, causing her giggle even as Jason's lips swooped to cover hers.

He tasted like beer and Jason and she couldn't prevent that moan that became trapped in
her throat as his arms came around her body, pressing it closer to him. Elizabeth broke
their kiss and her nimble fingers slipped under Jason's smooth stomach enjoying the
jump and play of hard muscles under her touch. He sat up slightly and Elizabeth whipped
his T-shirt up and over his head, tossing it to the floor until it lay on the beer can. Jason
returned the favour, lifting her white tank top over her head and trailing his lips across
her shoulders and collar before dipping and taking one pebbled nipple in his mouth.

"Jason…" his name left her lips on a ragged whisper and he found himself filled with the
need to make her say it over and over and over again until that was all she could
remember.

The pleasure was jack-knifing through her and he switched and his hands found their way
under her skirt and gripping one silky thigh. It delved past the material of the flimsy
underwear she had taken to wearing and one finger dipped into her dewy well.

"Oh God…." Jason grinned against her chest as one finger was followed by another. He
hadn't even gotten inside her and she was already calling for her Maker. Elizabeth
fumbled with his fly as Jason steadily stroked his fingers deeper inside her. She felt them
skewer in her and suddenly they were curled upward in a come-hither position as his
thumb rubbed her nub hard. Elizabeth was holding herself above him and he could feel
the strength of the muscles in her thighs, which were planted on either side of his. Her
head was thrown back and she was chanting his name under her breath as his talented
fingers stroked her towards orgasm. Sweat popped from his brow; he didn't think he'd
seen anything more beautiful than Elizabeth Corinthos in the throes of an orgasm.

One, two, three and she was there, her backed bowed and, if her hair had still been long,
it would have been spread out on his jeans as she called out his name in a husky cry.

He didn't waste anytime. In less time than it had taken to blink, his jeans were open and
he was buried inside her, his fingers buried in the short curls at the nape of her neck,
swallowing a cry of pleasure knowing that each thrust was prolonging her ecstasy. He'd
taken Liz to the often-unattainable Nirvana of the multiple orgasm, but he didn't want
Johnny or the rest of the Penthouse floor to know however.

Elizabeth opened her eyes, her gaze riveted to Jason who guided her, seamlessly lifting
her up and down, leading her in the dance that was old as time and love. Her hands
gripped his shoulders and Jason's left her hips to cup her breasts as she took over, setting
the pace.

Her walls were still fluttering around her and she was so wet and tight and he was so deep
he felt as though he'd died and gone to heaven. He was almost there and when
Elizabeth's head was thrown back and her pace became almost frantic. "Oh God, Jason!"
she cried out hoarsely and his mouth covered hers, smothering the rest of her chant,
hoping that it wouldn't bring the guards running. They crashed over together and Jason
held her body close to his as a bright light shattered over them and they rode it out
together.

Whether it was seconds, minutes or hours that passed when Jason next caught himself he
opened his eyes to find Elizabeth lying limp in his arms. Their skin was still slick with
sweat and his heart was racing like he'd just run a marathon. As if it weighed a ton, Liz
lifted her head and smiled lazily at him before kissing him lingeringly. "Now I see why
you like this chair so much."

As his fingers gently skimmed along her sweaty back, rubbing against the thin roughness
of her birth-control patch in the small of her back, he merely smiled. He didn't have the
strength to laugh.

The after dinner rush had died down. It was an hour to closing and Courtney and Penny
had had only a few latecomers to deal with. Her palms were sweaty and every time the
phone rang, she jumped. She was beginning to think Dr. Meadows had forgotten to call
when the shrill ring of the phone shattered the quiet of the phone.

Courtney tried to camouflage the anxiety she felt as Penny, who was closer, answered the
phone.

"Kelly's." Penny paused and listened. "Yeah, sure, she's here. Hold a sec. Hey,
Courtney, it's for you."

Courtney nodded and made her way to the phone, wiping her sweaty hands on her apron.
"Hello?"

"Ms. Matthews, it's Dr. Meadows."

"Hello," she didn't say whom because she didn't want Penny to know who was on the
line.

"I got your results back from the lab."

"And?" she held her breath.

"It's as you suspected: you're pregnant."

The warehouse was in the worst part of the docks. But, considering who was meeting
there and why they were meeting there it was no wonder.

Present were Delano, Yates and Lyle and eight of the nine men from the list that could be
found. He'd already given them an outline of what he planned to do, of what had already
been done. He'd seen the nods of satisfaction on their faces as they listened to his plans.
There were all violent revenge-driven, often murderous men, but none of them, they
conceded, held a candle to Delano Taggliatti.

The ninth man hurried in, the other eleven turning to look at him. At the sight of one of
the men he halted dead in his tracks and feelings of recognition barreled through him. He
cast his mind's eye back to Iris Valcor's sketch and stared now at Edward Yates. Officer
Cross swore. "We have a problem."

TBC…

A/N: Whew! A nice loooooooonnnnnnnnggggggggggg chapter. Once I got started, I
couldn't stop, lol. I hope you enjoyed it and please don't kill me because of Courtney's
pregnancy.

OT: Can anyone remember what year Jason's car accident was in? The one when he got in the accident with AJ not the one with Skipper.