Note - The word/phrase "stu-fu" is used by me to verbally/transliterally denote the acronym STFU, which stands for "Shut the F Up."

Part 6

She didn't go back to her room that night. Instead, Elizabeth remained sitting on the white porch swing, staring out at the ocean twinkling under the starlight and wondered just where the hell she had gone wrong.

Lucky's name hadn't entered conversation in any other context except the most obvious one – that it was his family she was trying to save. She hadn't made any mention of still loving him and looking forward to her reunion with him – had she? No, she hadn't! There was only one explanation – Jason Morgan was making things up in his head.

Jason Morgan just didn't do that.

The night was warm, the balmy ocean air wrapping around her like a blanket, and Elizabeth continued to stare contemplatively out at the sea. There was so much wrong between them. She had tried wishing it away, sweeping it under a rug and pretending that it just didn't exist. That obviously hadn't worked.

But the biggest problem, she knew, was how to make it all better. For both of them.

Jason came downstairs in the early hours of the morning when Paco and Trey finally left for their rooms at the guards' residence, and prowled the lower floor anxiously in search of his other houseguest. Elizabeth wasn't in her room, and those familiar feelings of panic, dread, fear, and desperation had set in almost immediately. They were the ones that had accompanied him when he flew up three flights of stairs to her studio upon learning Sorel had placed a bomb there, and they were the ones that rushed to greet him now.

Relief slammed through him when he saw her petite form asleep on the swing they had shared earlier. The moonlight fell over her delicate body like the lightest of blankets, painting her porcelain skin an even paler color and making it glow in the dim surroundings. Her head lay on her arm, her fingers falling over the edge of the swing and allowing the wind to tangle itself betwixt.

He didn't know how long he stood there, leaning against the doorway with his arms crossed over his bare chest, staring at her. She was so perfect. She was perfect for him in every way. Looking achingly beautiful in the depths of nighttime slumber, she remained painfully unaware of everything he had once felt for her, everything he still felt for her.

It took a long moment for Jason to will himself to move, to approach her. His hand hovered over her, still uncertain, and the enforcer was most unwilling to disturb her. She looked so peaceful, looking every bit the fallen angel as she slept. His brows furrowed when he noticed that her lips were twisted in a slight frown, lines of tension visible on her forehead. Her hand was curled into a fist next to her chest, her knees pulled up halfway into her body in an almost defensive position.

Sighing, he knelt next to her and tenderly smoothed back lacy wisps of chocolate hair from her forehead. His fingertips lingered on the petal-soft porcelain skin, retaining the color of moonlight, and Jason took care to make sure his movements didn't in turn cause the swing to move. She looked…tired. And upset. And she couldn't be very comfortable, either.

Licking his lips, Jason rose from his crouched position and leaned forward, gently scooping the slumbering brunette in his arms. She murmured something unintelligible, frowning in her dreams, and her small hand swept across his bare chest as he grasped her more firmly.

She was light – very light. And when her cheek pressed up hard against the bare plane of his chest and her hair tickled his side, Jason began to think that maybe lifting her up and taking her to bed hadn't been the brightest idea.

His bare feet scuffled over the wooden planks of the back porch as he quietly let himself back into the house. Elizabeth stirred slightly in his strong arms, even obliviously rubbing his chest with her small hand. Jason sucked in a shallow breath when the pad of her thumb skimmed over his nipple, and walked that much faster toward the stairwell. Even when she was asleep, the woman tortured him.

Elizabeth's lips skimmed his collar bone when Jason adjusted her positioning, taking care to ascend the stairs with the least amount of jostling possible. After what seemed like an eternity of climbing, he finally reached her bedroom and pushed the door open with his bare foot, slowly making his way to her bedside.

She had changed the sheets as soon as she had emerged from her shower that first day; something about the smell of disease or weakness. Instead, she had picked a pale blue sheet-and-blanket combination, and her matching pillowcase displayed a sprinkling of dainty little white flowers. It was on this sea of blue that Jason gently laid her down, holding his breath and half-expecting her to wake up. But she slept on, murmuring something more as soon as her head hit the pillow. Jason watched, utterly enamored with her delicate mannerisms, as she curled into a ball and sank her cheek into the pillow. A gentle tug pulled the sheets free, and he tenderly covered her up, bringing the soft cotton up under her chin even though he knew she'd have kicked it off by the time the sun reached the horizon.

He didn't know how long he stood there, watching her as she slept. She didn't move in her slumber, but she did occasionally let out little murmurs and moans and wounded sighs. Jason's gaze always returned to her mouth – those perfect, full, nude lips that were parted ever so slightly to offer a glimmer of her pearly white teeth underneath.

He wanted to kiss her.

She wasn't his to kiss.

With a sigh, Jason knelt down and brushed his lips gently against her forehead. He didn't know what sort of spell she had cast over him – all he knew was that she dominated his thoughts and colored his world, and that there was no escaping her. Somehow, she had slipped past all the defenses he had erected and claimed the citadel of his heart, never to relinquish it. His steps were heavy as he left her room, his hand lingering on the doorknob.

"Goodnight, Elizabeth."


"OK, yeah, so I definitely never thought I'd be saying this, but my brother totally needs to learn how to shut up."

"Oh, Em…"

"No, seriously! He's being such a guy! He couldn't even stu-fu long enough for you to tell him what an idiot he was being! Ugh. Men."

Elizabeth laughed lightly into the receiver. It was morning – an early one for her even though the sun had long since been up. She had woken up around eight o'clock to find herself in her own bed – most likely either Trey or Paco's doing. A little exploring told her that Paco was the only other person in the house besides Jason, and he was busy reading the paper in the library. She had greeted him and then announced that she was going to go for a walk by the ocean. He hadn't lifted an eyebrow in return, just promised that breakfast would be ready when she returned.

So Elizabeth had slipped back upstairs and into a white bikini that she had the good sense to bring along, quickly grabbing an almost sheer, pale blue sarong to wrap around her waist. She searched for flip-flops but didn't fret when they failed to turn up, and just walked downstairs and out the door barefoot.

The island was quiet, and very serene. The white sand was already warm under her feet, having basked in the sun for a couple hours while she was still sleeping, and the foamy waves of the cerulean sea lapped the shore greedily, leaving it slick and cool under her toes. It was a perfect morning to be out walking; especially after her less-than-perfect night.

"Well, you know what you've got to do."

Elizabeth cringed, knowing all too well what her friend was talking about but found herself stalling anyway. "What?"

"You've got to set him straight, Elizabeth! He still thinks you're with Lucky, for crying out loud!"

"I know, it's just that…"

"What?" There was an impatient pause and Elizabeth could almost hear Emily putting the pieces together. "Oh, man. Elizabeth! You're being a chicken, aren't you?"

"Yes."

"I swear, sometimes I don't know who's a bigger idiot – you or Jason."

"Definitely Jason."

"The jury's still out."

"Yeah, yeah."

"Elizabeth, I'm telling you, you have to set him straight. Just tell him point-blank that even though you may have 'died' for Lucky, if that's how he wants to look at it, you're not in love with him anymore after everything that happened and that you have no plans to return to him."

There was a guilty pause.

"What? You don't, do you?"

"Do I what?"

"Plan to go back to Lucky."

"Emily!" Elizabeth was almost appalled at the genuine confusion in her best friend's voice. "No, of course not! Why would you think that?"

"Well…"

"Go ahead."

A deep sigh. "Don't get me wrong here, Elizabeth – you know I love you and stuff, but…"

"But…?"

"But you don't exactly have such a hot track record when it comes to Jason and Lucky."

"Em…"

"No, just hear me out for a second; I need to say this. Every time there might have been something…going on between you and Jason, you'd always turn around and fly straight to Lucky. I get that you felt like you were cheating on him, Elizabeth, and I get that you loved him. Believe me, I do – no one knows better than me. I saw you two fall in love for the first time; I know how deep those feelings run. I knew all that and that's exactly what I told Jason. And no matter how much you wanted to deny it before, there definitely was something happening between you and my brother. And you'd always go back to Lucky."

"Are you saying-"

"I'm just saying that I get why you did, and I don't blame you for that. But I can't forget the fact that my brother was always the one left out in the cold – he was the one that got hurt in all of this, Elizabeth."

"I-"

"I know that it wasn't easy for you, either, I really do. You have to know, Elizabeth, that I don't blame you for sticking with Lucky. But I do blame you for the way you handled the whole situation. I've never seen Jason as…mad or frustrated or hurt as he was the last time he was in Port Charles. Not since Carly took Michael from him, I mean. And even though I understood the circumstances, it still wasn't possible for me to accept that my friend was responsible for that without feeling a tad bit resentful."

Elizabeth didn't say anything; she just switched the phone to her other ear and let her sheer sarong dance in the summer breeze as she walked, the cool water lapping at her painted toes.

"I don't want him to get hurt again, Elizabeth."

"I know," she sighed softly. "Neither do I. I never want to hurt him like that again."

"I know you don't," Emily replied honestly. "I know you didn't mean to do it the first time. But that's why this is so important, Elizabeth – you have to tell him the truth and get rid of all the misunderstandings between you two. If you don't work them out, then you're both just going to keep hurting each other."

"I know."

"So you gonna tell him? The truth, I mean?"

The brunette let out a groan, covering her eyes with her free hand. "If I can somehow miraculously work up that kind of courage."

"Elizabeth!"

"Well, what do you want from me? Have you seen your brother, Em? He's freaking intimidating sometimes!"

She was less than pleased to hear her best friend burst into peals of laughter. "Are you scared of Jason, Elizabeth?"

The very idea was appalling. "No!"

"Yes, you are! Oh, my God, that's too hilarious! Wait'll I tell Zander-"

Despite the fact that she was completely alone, Elizabeth's cheeks turned bright red. "Emily Bowen Quartermaine, you are not going to discuss this conversation with anyone! And certainly not your nosey boyfriend who-"

"Okay, okay," Emily laughed. "Fine. But only if you stop being such a chicken."

"It's going to be terrible, Em," Elizabeth confided in a low voice. "How do I say all this? Where do I even begin?"

There was a long pause as her friend thought. "Well, Frauline Maria said that a very good place to start is the beginning."

"Please don't tell me you just had another Sound of Music marathon."

"Hey! It was movie night here at the clinic! And don't rag on the Sound of Music."

"Fine, fine."

"Anyway, I still say that the best way to tell him is to tie him down to a chair and just spill it."

"You know I'd never be able to do that."

"What, the tying up part? Jeez, Webber, where is your kinky side? I know you've got one."

"Oh, shut up, Emily. I meant the whole 'spilling' bit. I'd never be able to do it. I can't just tell him. There's too much to tell."

There was a thoughtful pause on the other line. "Well, how about showing it?"

"What do you mean? You're not suggesting I paint a picture, are you? Because that would be the dumbest part of this conversation yet and-"

"No, no – will you just listen? Jeez, no wonder Jason can't shut up – he obviously gets it from you. Anyways, if you can't tell him, then I'm thinking you could show him. You know – play it up a bit. You guys are sharing a house on the beach of a private island, for God's sake! Play up the feminine charms, woman!"

"Emily! Are you suggesting that I hit on him?"

"Well, yeah, sure, why not? Hey, it's obvious that he's not going to be making any moves, right? He still thinks you've got 'Property of Lucky Spencer' stamped on your forehead. So take things into your own hands – show him how you feel if you can't tell him. It's the little things that count, Elizabeth – he'll pick up on the signals, I'm sure of it. And if he asks what the deal is, well, you can work from there. You can show and explain that you're not in love with Lucky – that you haven't been for a long time now. You can make him understand that taking the poison wasn't so much 'dying' for Lucky as it was repaying a debt you felt you had come to owe him. You're free, Elizabeth, like you said you would be the last time we talked. You're free to do what you want, and if that happens to be my brother, well, then, hey, more power to ya."

"Emily!"

"What? Don't bother denying it – you want my brother. You want him bad."

"Oh, dear Lord, why do I talk to you?"

"Seriously, Elizabeth, all joking aside – I say have some fun. Play with him a bit. And be sure to lemme know how it goes – just leave out the smutty stuff, okay? Even I have limits."

"Woah, news bulletin! Sound the alarm!"

"Very funny. Call me crazy, but I really have to draw the line at hearing about you and my brother get it on. I have to run now – we're supposed to be in the dining hall in an hour and I should make a break for it if I want to snag a shower spot."

"Okay, I'll talk to you later, Em."

"Don't lose heart, Elizabeth. Just…go with it. Yeah. Be obvious - that's the whole point of this. No more mixed signals. And be sure to tell me how it goes! Just not the between-the-sheets stuff."

"Goodbye, Emily."

"Later, Elizabeth."

She clicked off the phone and lowered her hand limply to her side, replaying Emily's words in her head. Maybe the little vixen was right – maybe it was time to jump the gun and show Jason how she felt. It might be awkward, but she was sure that it would also be a relief. There had always been an almost animalistic sexual tension between them and she was looking forward to exploring it – albeit very nervously.

She had noticed that she was drawing closer to the house and took the time to enjoy the surf a little more before venturing back. The waves lapped at her ankles and Elizabeth skipped and whirled through it, kicking it up in a pristine spray that arced up into the brilliant sunlight. Humming to herself, she grasped her airy sarong behind her with both hands and let it flutter gaily in the breeze, kicking at the frothy waves with her slender feet.

Elizabeth was usually able to tell when she was being watched, but at that moment as she played about merrily in the surf, all such suspicion escaped her. Had it not, she would have realized that a pair of intense blue eyes had been trained on her figure ever since she came into view.

Jason Morgan had been standing on the back porch in his pajama bottoms for the last fifteen minutes, drinking his coffee and watching her stroll along the sea. She was a vision of perfection – her skin several shades darker than the pure white bikini she wore and bronzing nicely, her hair open and spilling over her shoulders in loose waves. He couldn't have torn his gaze from her if he had tried with all his might, especially since there was nothing holding up Elizabeth's bikini except a couple thin, flimsy little strings. Strings that could easily be undone with one swipe of a hand.

He'd never pegged himself to be a masochist, but after the last fifteen minutes, Jason decided that he most definitely had to be.

Her body was perfect, all soft curves and graceful slopes, just as he knew it would be. The skimpy swimsuit offered a very appealing view of her cleavage and toned backside, and her hips swayed to a beat that all women heard internally. Skimming the waves and gracefully twirling about, she looked more like a fairy than his Elizabeth, and Jason was content to just stand there and watch even though he knew that he shouldn't be.

After all, she wasn't his to watch.

She had stopped playing about and had turned toward the house once more, and Jason knew he had to move before she spotted him staring at her. With a heavy sigh, he pulled back and ambled toward the screen door, his hand tightly closed around his black coffee mug. Elizabeth was his houseguest for an indefinite period, but more importantly, she was his top priority – her safety, her happiness, her well-being all rested squarely on his shoulders. And Jason wouldn't dream of disappointing her. He'd keep her safe, he'd keep her healthy, he'd do her best to keep her happy; and then he'd have to send her back to Port Charles into the waiting arms of a young man he had come to hate deeply.

It wouldn't be easy, but despite their proximity, he would have to keep a great deal of emotional distance from the petite brunette that had laid claim to him so long ago.