Disclaimer: I don't own anything. The characters belong to GH. The song Me and You belongs to Kenny Chesney
A/N: Extreme alternate universe in this story. Courtney and Carly grew up together and have been best friends since they were young girls. Sonny is still Courtney's brother and Jason is Sonny's best friend and they have known each other all their lives. Anything else should be explained in the story.
Summary: What if Jax had come before Jason and Courtney. What if there were never a Journey to begin with? What happens when you suddenly see an old friend in a different light? Can you move past your first love and settle down with a new one? Set around a dynamic friendship that no one can understand unless they've been there.
Me and You 1/1:
Ordinary no, really don't think so
Not a love this true
Common destiny
We were meant to be
Me and you
Courtney stepped off the commercial plane and took in her surroundings. She felt uneasy about arriving in France, considering the close proximity of her due date. But it had been years since anyone had seen or heard from Carly and when she called Courtney out of the blue a few days ago, Courtney knew there was no way she could pass up seeing herold friend. Speaking of the devil, she saw Carly waving deliriously at her. Her friend was a woman cut from a different cloth then most. After all, most people wouldn't just walk away from their family and friends without so much as a goodbye. But that's what Carly had done and no one ever really questioned why. It wasn't exactly a surprise to anyone, least of all Courtney. Carly had been her best friend for almost fifteen years and both girls knew she was destined for more than Port Charles had to offer.
So what if she had a husband? Jax was never something Carly loved. He was just something that Courtney had and Carly wanted, so she took him. That was the twisted thing about their friendship. Carly would stab Courtney in the back numerous times, but Courtney could never walk away. Even after Carly announced her engagement to Jax, who had been Courtney's first love, the blonde didn't seem angered. She had been used to this. Used to Carly being the star while she played back up singer. Did it suck? Hell yes it did, but it was something that came second nature to Courtney. After all, deep down Carly never really meant to hurt her, she just didn't understand that there were some boundaries that could never be crossed between best friends. And Courtney somewhat blamed herself for never setting those boundaries with her.
"Oh my god! Look at you! You look so…" Carly snapped her fingers trying to think of the word. "Pregnant. That's it. You look so pregnant!" Courtney gave her a small smile as she let her hand rub the smooth white fabric that covered her protruding stomach. Most maternity clothes were a bitch, but Courtney actually liked the airy white sundress she had bought especially for this occasion.
"Thanks." Courtney grinned as she took in her best friend. Carly was dressed in a cream colored pant suit. Her long dark hair flowing in the warm summer breeze. She looked young and vibrant, things Courtney hadn't felt in almost two years.
"Okay first off, I get to ask all the questions." Courtney nodded in response, knowing this was Carly's best defense. She needed to feel as if she were in control. The two girls walked through the crowded airport, arms tucked around one another as Carly chatted about all the things they would do and see in their weekend adventure. Courtney listened somewhat distractedly, her mind was back home. Her mind was with him and she wondered why she even agreed to this crazy trip if it meant being apart from her love during a time when she needed him the most.
"So you and Jason?" It was more of a statement then a question and it shook Courtney out of her trance.
"How did you know?" Courtney asked giving her best friend a weird look as her finger tip glided along the classic diamond of her wedding ring.
"I have my connections," was her response, which only served to heighten the blonde's curiosity. As far as she had known, Carly hadn't made contact with anyone from Port Charles. Not her mother and definitely not Jax. "Wish I could say I was surprised."
"You aren't?"
"Oh come on!" The brunette shoved her playfully. "The way you guys would look at each other growing up. It was only a matter of time." Courtney didn't say anything, mostly because she was unsure of what exactly her friend was talking about. There had been nothing between her and Jason until that night at Jax and Carly's wedding. At least nothing that she had ever noticed.
Like a perfect scene from a movie screen
We're a dream come true
Suited perfectly for eternity
Me and you
"So…" Carly prodded.
"So…What?" Courtney replied somewhat agitated.
"Watch it. I thought we agreed: I ask the questions."
"Sorry," Courtney mumbled as she followed Carly into a small bistro. As the two women were being seated, the brunette spoke again.
"How did it happen? How did you and Jason come together?" She asked excitedly and the topic brought a smile to Courtney's face.
"Funny you should ask that…" She replied with a devious grin. "Because it occurred on the night that you screwed me over." It was sharp jab and if Carly was fazed, she didn't show it.
"The night me and Jax got married?"
"Correct. Sort of." Courtney answered. "It was actually the rehearsal dinner." Courtney's mind quickly faded to that night all those years before and she noticed how little the distance and time had changed her best friend. Still oblivious to the very end.
Flashback
Courtney slid through the packed restaurant trying desperately to avoid the looks of pity that were etched on everyone's faces. She knew what they were thinking: "Poor girl. Best friend's marrying her first boyfriend while she watches on as the matron of honor." The distinction made her sick and she did her best to forget it with each drink. She settled in the corner and watched as the soon-to-be bride and groom entered the room. Instinctively, her eyes connected with Jax's brilliant blue ones. She did her best to ignore the fluttering in her stomach and the weakness in her knees. His gaze shone with love for her and not the leggy brunette on his arm. She grabbed a passing champagne flute and toasted him from across the room. The bubbly drink helped force down the tears that clogged her throat and she finally broke their stare.
"Hey Blondie." Jason's light voice taunted her. She let a smile come across her lips, he was the only one who would ever get away with calling her that.
"Hi," she greeted quietly as she took in the duo before her. Sonny stood tall, seeming quite concerned about his baby sister. And Jason, well the years had changed him. He was no longer the lanky eighteen year old Courtney remembered as he got on a bus headed towards Boston. No, now his tall stature was filled brilliantly with just the right amount of muscle and fat. His light blue eyes still shone with laughter that no one else would ever understand.
"How you holding up?" Sonny asked with a worried glance towards the couple at the head of the room.
"Just perfect. After all, I'm the Matron of Honor." She plastered a smile to her face as she downed yet another flute of champagne. Immediately, she knew that it was a bad idea. The bubbles went straight to her head and she felt her self begin to sway involuntarily. The boys noticed and looked at each before ushering her out the door. They carefully set her down on the sandy beach overlooked by the restaurant. Courtney closed her eyes, willing the spinning to stop and did her best to drown out Sonny and Jason's reminiscing about "the old times."
"I can't believe Carly's getting married." Sonny whispered as he kept a watchful eye on his sister.
"I know, it seems like only yesterday she was sixteen and her and Courtney would spend all day bugging us." Jason agreed. Courtney didn't stir at the mention of her name. She hoped that they would think she was asleep and leave her there to be washed away with the tide.
"You remember that time when we ditched them in the cemetery after dark."
"Oh yeah. I don't think I've ever seen anyone more scared than when those two came running into your dad's apartment." Jason replied with a smile. "Carly had ripped her T-shirt trying to get through the fences and ended up slicing deep into her rib cage. Your dad made me clean it out as punishment."
"Yeah well that's better than the two weeks of grounding I got."
"You got me there." Jason agreed as he knelt a warm hand on Courtney's forehead. The blonde tried to ignore the jolt of electricity that the touch had caused. 'Now, that's interesting' she thought. Jax had been the only who could ever evoke those feelings in her, but Jason? The dizziness returned along with the sound of footsteps approaching them.
"There you guys are!" She recognized Carly's mother's voice. "I've been looking all over. Dinner is about to start."
"We'll be right in," Sonny assured Bobbie before turning his attention to Jason. "Suppose it's time to get her up."
"Come on, Blondie." She heard Jason call as he nudged her softly. Courtney peered at him through squinted eyes and saw a grin light up his cherubic face.
"Tell them I died." She begged.
"Afraid I can't do that." He replied as a hand reached out and pulled her upright. She looked towards Sonny who squeezed her arm before making the trek back towards the restaurant. Jason stayed where he was and she held up a finger that told him to wait a moment. Before she could process it, her feet were bringing her close to the water's edge. She reached in and let a small wave come across her hand. She brought it in and padded the cool water to her forehead feeling the haziness begin to fade. Letting out a sigh, she headed back towards Jason who had waited patiently.
"Let's roll." She whispered.
"That's my girl." He smiled as he took her petite hand in his much larger one.
"Jase."
"What's up?"
"I was the one with the ripped T-shirt," she informed him and watched as his face grew slightly red with embarrassment. She didn't say anything else, instead continued to latch on to his touch. And that's how they remained the whole night. He never let go and she never asked him to.
End Flashback
Every day, I need you even more
And the night time too
There's no way
I could ever let you go
Even if I wanted to
"So that's it?" Carly asked somewhat disappointed. "I mean you didn't even give me the hot and steamy details."
"Because none of that happened until later."
"I don't understand. I asked you…" Carly pouted.
"You asked me how we got together and that's what I told you. Because after that night, things were never the same between us."
"How so?" Courtney let out a sigh as she took down a gulp of ice water.
"I moved to Boston soon after you took off." She saw a look of pain come across her friend's face at the mention of her departure, which had occurred less than two months after she married Jax. Courtney smiled satisfactorily before continuing on with her story. "He was the only person I knew in the city and we remained in contact with one another. And we were friends for a long time…"
"Until?"
"Until we got stuck in the rain one night coming home from a late movie." She could still feel the torrential rain slamming into her skin. "And Jason lived closer to the theater than me, so we ran to his place."
"And?" Carly prodded.
"And I realized that I didn't want to be "just friends" anymore. One thing lead to another and…" She trailed off and the brunette laughed gleefully.
"You two got it on!" Her high pitched voice raised a few eyebrows of nearby patrons and reddened Courtney's face.
"Yeah something like that." The blonde returned and listened as the other woman squealed. "After that, we just kind of decided that we were better together than we were apart."
"You make it sound so formal."
"Well, it is."
"It's not suppose to be."
"Says who?" Courtney protested.
"Me." Carly contended. "Love is suppose to be spontaneous and romantic. Not cold like some business agreement."
"You have some nerve lecturing me on love." Courtney growled and was met with a shrug of her companion's shoulders. "You walked out on your supposed 'love'."
"I never loved Jax."
"Yeah that's right. You just wanted to prove to me that you could have him if you wanted." Anger was beginning to grow in her stomach.
"Hey! He proposed to me!" Carly defended herself.
"But you didn't have to say yes."
"What was I suppose to say? No?" Courtney nodded in response. "That would have hurt his feelings." And just like that, the anger left. Naïve and crazy as she was, Carly could never stand to see pain in people's face. That's why it was easier for her to run, she wouldn't have to watch the damage she caused rather than stay around and dwell in it.
"What about my feelings?"
"I thought you would understand…"
"You always think that."
"And I'm always right."
Every day I live
Try my best to give
All I have to you
Thank the stars above
That we share this love Me and you
"So what's it like being married to your true love?" Courtney contemplated the question as she munched on a leaf of romaine from her Caesar salad.
"I never really thought of it like that." She confessed.
"Jesus Courtney! Do you even love him?"
"Of course I do! I wouldn't have married him if I didn't." She replied without hesitation and saw Carly look somewhat saddened by the unintentional shot at her. "What is true love anyways?" Courtney quickly changed the subject and a silence fell between both woman and stayed there for quite sometime. Each one trying to put an exact finger on what true love was and felt like, but both coming up empty.
"You know when I found out I was pregnant with our first child, Emma." Courtney started referring her daughter that would soon be turning seven. "Jason had just started out his first motorcycle shop and was working all sorts of crazy hours. Sometimes even all night."
"That sucks." Carly commented and watched as her friend nodded her head in agreement.
"I would get these wicked bouts of morning sickness." The blonde continued on imagining the scene in her head. "And it didn't matter what time he had worked till the night before, Jason would get up and follow me into the bathroom. He'd sit on the edge of the tub, hold my hair and rub my back. Once it was over and I was all pukey and gross, he would look me in the eye and tell me how beautiful I was. Then he would usher me back to bed."
"That's sweet and all, Court." Carly replied. "But are you sure you're not confusing comfort and security with love?"
"No."
"How can you be sure?"
"Jason drives me crazy sometime, but when I close my eyes and think of that scene that occurred almost every morning for a solid two months, I know…"
"Know what?" Carly asked in confusion.
"That I'm where I belong. Jason is who I belong with even if he's not necessarily who I thought I would end up spending the rest of my life with."
"Meaning he's not Jax?"
"Correct and for once that's ok." Courtney replied. "Jason loves me unconditionally and I feel the same way for him. With Jax, things got old so quickly and I used to think that things would be perfect if we met later in life, so things would remain newer and maybe I wouldn't be bored with the idea of marrying him. "
"What's it like with Jason?"
"With Jason…" Courtney couldn't help the smile that came across her face. "Things never stay the same. I'm not bored when we make love, because it seems different, more exciting each time. "
"Now you're getting to the good stuff." Carly broke in with a smile.
"I could honestly picture myself spending the rest of my life in his arms and it would never seem mundane." The blonde finished and saw a look of envy displayed by her companion.
Every day, I need you even more
And the night time too
There's no way
I could ever let you go
Even if I wanted to
"You miss them, don't you?" Carly asked on their last night togetheras she caught Courtney staring at a picture of her family back home.
"It's barely been forty-eight hours." She replied sadly.
"Yeah well, you never were cut out for the life on the road." She took the picture out of her friend's grasp and studied it carefully. Jason had Courtney in his arms in front of a picturesque sunset and a young girl accompanied by an even younger boy lay at their feet smiling wildly.
"That was last year." Courtney filled her in. "I never thought we were going to get Emma and Matty to sit long enough to take the picture.
"How old are they?"
"She's six and he's three." Carly nodded. "I'm sure they would love to meet you."
"Don't try it."
"What?" The blonde batted her eyelashes innocently.
"I'm not going back."
"Why?" No response. "I don't care if I'm not suppose to ask the questions, but I have to know, Carly. What in Port Charles scares you so badly that you won't return?"
"You wouldn't get it."
"I wouldn't get it?" She asked indignantly. "This is me you are talking to."
"I know who I'm talking too!" Carly screeched. "Courtney, the girl with the perfect husband, the perfect children and the fucked up best friend."
"I don't think of you that way."
"You don't? Because you sure could have fooled me." Was the brunette's bitter response.
"Don't turn this on to me, ok?"
"It's hard not to." Carly replied sadly. "You have everything I always wanted. Don't you see that's why I had to marry Jax. Because he made you happy and I thought in turn that he could make me happy as well. I thought that we could have the cute little family…"
"You didn't stick around long enough to have the 'cute little family'." Courtney reasoned.
"Because he was never was going to love me like he still loves you. And it was only a matter time until you guys got back together."
"I'm never reuniting with Jax. I have Jason and he's all I need." It was a statement said with such vindication that it caught both women off guard.
"Yeah now. But not when I left."
"I would have never taken him from you, I love you too much to do that."
"So what? I love you, too and it didn't stop me." Carly replied.
"That's the difference between us."
"Because you are a good person and I'm not."
"No, Carl." Courtney held her hand up. "You are a great person, just a little misguided."
"Stay here for at least another week." Carly immediately changed the subject.
"I can't."
"I know."
"I'm sorry." Courtney apologized for something she wasn't sure she did. Carly curled up next to her in response and an uneasy tension overtook the room. Neither was sure how long they stayed like that until Courtney finally stood and began to pack. The brunette didn't say anything, just watched sadly.
"Don't make it another eight years without calling, Carly." The blonde ordered as she headed for the door. Deep down she knew that this was possibly the last time she would see her best friend and it broke her heart, but there was nothing she could do to stop it. She needed to go home. She needed Jason to rub her back and tell her everything was going to be okay, even if it wasn't.
"I love you, Court." Carly whispered and the blonde threw her a brilliant smile in return.
"Right back at you, sweetie."Ordinary no, I really don't think so
Just a precious few
Ever make it last
Get as lucky as
Me and you
Me and you
Courtney stood in the busy terminal that was Logan Airport. Her eyes searched out Jason and she found him leaning against a pole, hands slid into his pockets as he watched passer-bys uninterestedly. She felt her heart flutter at the sight of him and couldn't help the goofy grin that emerged. She crossed the crowded distance between them and stood right in front of him.
"Waiting for someone special?" She asked and watched as he nodded slowly in return.
"Yeah, I wonder where she could be." He returned playfully and was met with a soft push.
"I guess I'll just have to do instead."
"I guess so." He linked an arm around her waist and guided her carefully through the masses of people. They chatted idly of her trip and she told him of the places she had seen. The Louver, Eiffel Tower, and the Van Gough museum were all sights that Carly had taken her to see. He listened feigning interest, butbothknew that Paris was never his kind of city.
"How were things with Carly?" He asked quietly and Courtney let a smile run across her lips.
"Strange, as usual."
"I wouldn't expect anything different." They had finally made it to the car and he was opening the door for her when she leaned forward and kissed him softly.
"I missed you."
"I'm a very miss able guy," he joked and she shook her head.
"I love you."
"I love you, too." He returned as he placed a hand on her belly. And at that exact moment, Courtney found the peace she had been looking for since she stepped off the plane in Paris and hoped that where ever she was, Carly was feeling it too.