Chapter 29

Alexis was frustrated. Things weren't going well for Jason. He'd been in jail the last four days since being denied bail. The prosecution had argued Jason was a flight risk given his habit of leaving the city at a moments notice. The DA was afraid Jason would run at the first opportunity. Even though Alexis had countered with evidence of Jason ties to the community and family the judge sided with the prosecution.

Sonny had understood the ruling. He actually expected it, but Carly was another matter. Alexis had had to sit in her office and listen to Carly go off on how terrible a lawyer she was and how she had better get Jason off if she knew what was good for her. She sighed. She wished Carly would just stay out of it and let her do her job. This trial would be hard enough to win without Carly causing her more stress. Sonny was trying his best, but even he couldn't seem to control Carly. Alexis could only imagine what she would be like during the trial. Maybe Alexis could petition the judge to bar her from the courtroom.

She scanned the files on her desk. Each day brought more damaging evidence against Jason. Ballistics matched both the bullet that killed Lucky and the one the doctors removed from Elizabeth to the gun Taggert had found at Jake's. The only thing she had going in her favour was that there were no fingerprints found on the gun. Why would Jason wipe down the gun then stash it in his own room? It didn't make sense, especially considering who Jason was. If the DA wanted the jury to see Jason as the big mob enforcer that he was, then she could argue that Jason wouldn't make such a stupid mistake.

The blood on Jason shirt was Elizabeth's, but she was never going to argue that fact. There was, she thought, a big difference between Taggert's belief that Jason was trying to kill Elizabeth and her argument that he was trying to save her. However, Taggert had found a witness to Elizabeth's shooting. The woman hadn't seen the shooting, but said she heard two people arguing just before the shooting. When she reached them, she saw Jason giving Elizabeth mouth-to-mouth. Alexis wished the witness had seen Lucky, but he had already run off before she arrived.

She argued Jason hadn't had time to hide the gun since the witness came almost immediately after the gunshot. Taggert figured Jason kept the gun on his person and was able to leave the crime scene before the police arrived by forcing himself into the ambulance when the paramedics would have left him. By the time Taggert had arrested him, he'd already had enough time to stash the gun at Jake's. She wished Taggert would get his head out of his ass sometimes. Why would Jason keep the gun then hide it in his room at Jake's when he could have easily thrown it off the pier after he killed Lucky? The police would never have found it then. Did they really think Jason would want to keep the gun?

Her arguments were sound but she worried that the jury wouldn't care about common sense. She feared they would just see Jason Morgan, mob enforcer and convict solely on that. They wouldn't feel guilty convicting Jason figuring even if he didn't kill Lucky, he's sure to have killed others that he wasn't tried for. This would be their way of punishing Jason for past crimes rather than the one he was being accused of.

The only person the jury would listen to was Elizabeth, and she had yet to wake up. If she could convince the jury that Jason didn't shoot her and couldn't have killed Lucky then maybe Jason had a chance. Alexis hoped that would be the case. She didn't want to think about the alternative. She didn't want to think about Jason spending the rest of his life in jail. It was ironic. After all the times she'd kept Jason from jail, the one time Alexis was sure Jason was innocent would be the one time she couldn't save him.

She jumped at the sound of her ringing phone.

"Alexis, it's Bobbie," the nurse told her after Alexis' hello. "Elizabeth is awake, and Taggert is on his way to see her. She wants you there when she speaks to him."

Here we go, she thought. "Tell her I'll be right there," she replied setting the phone down without saying goodbye. She needed to let Jason know Elizabeth was wake. She didn't have time to go to the jailhouse to see him before going to the hospital. She called the one man she knew could get that information to Jason even in jail. "Sonny," she didn't bother with pleasantries. "Elizabeth's awake. I'm going to the hospital now to see her. Taggert's going to get her statement and she wants me present. Can you please tell Jason she's awake?"

"I'll let him know," he said matching her tone. He hung up without any further discussion and dialled his contact at the jail. After a brief conversation where he did most of the talking, Sonny replaced the phone and headed for the door. He wanted to get to the hospital and see Elizabeth.

He was relieved. He cared about Elizabeth and was worried about her. He had been unable to see her because of Taggert. Sometimes he wished he could just eliminate Taggert. The idea that Sonny would cause Elizabeth harm was preposterous. Elizabeth was his friend and more importantly Jason loved her. He would use all his power to protect her not hurt her.

He still couldn't believe Jason was in this situation. After four days he still couldn't find out who was trying to set Jason up. He had gone to the five families to see who would dare try something against him, but they had nothing to do with it. He thought of Roscoe, Sorel second in command but couldn't figure out how Roscoe would know that Lucky and Jason had a confrontation in the park unless he was following Jason. It was possible, but he doubted it. Roscoe had no backing therefore, no protection. If Sonny found out Roscoe was involved, there wasn't anywhere for Roscoe to hide that Sonny couldn't find him.

Deep down Sonny knew that Roscoe wasn't involved. He was on his last suspects but he wouldn't give up. He was not going to let Jason go to prison for something he didn't do. Even if Jason had to escape if convicted, Sonny would make that happen. Jason was his family and he wouldn't let his brother spend the rest of his life in jail.

He hated prison. He hated the structure, the rules – being told when to eat and when to sleep. He hated being stripped of his clothes and being forced to wear the ill-fitting blue shirt and jean uniform. Above all he hated being locked up. He hated that his freedom was taken away from him. More than anything right now he just wanted to take off on his motorcycle and feel the wind on his face and the adrenalin in his veins.

Jason stood in the courtyard alone, watching from the corners of his eyes the other inmates scattered throughout the area. There wasn't an immediate threat, but it didn't hurt to be ready. Since his arrival, stories circulated about his reputation as a vicious killer. He once crushed a man's skull with his boot because the man had spilled his drink on the enforcer, one inmate said. He sliced a man open just because he looked at Sonny Corinthos the wrong way, claimed another inmate. A third story told of him breaking a man's neck with his bare hands during a bar room brawl one night.

Jason laughed at the rumours. While some, he admitted, were true, others were just lies he never disputed. There was nothing wrong with letting his enemies and would be enemies thinking he was a brutal killer. In his line of work, fear and respect walked hand in hand. It certainly benefited him in prison. Most of the inmates feared him and therefore left him alone. No one was willing to see if even a third of the stories circulating the prison were true. The rest respected his power and position. Even though he was a new inmate, he wasn't low on the totem pole.

Jason was almost disappointed. He could have used to good brawl to alleviate some of the anxiousness and worry he was feeling. While he knew Elizabeth was alive, he hadn't learned anything else. Was she still unconscious? How badly was she hurt? Did she know about his imprisonment? Did she think he killed Lucky? Would she hate him?

He ached to see her. He didn't wanted her to be alone when she heard of Lucky's death. Even though they had had problems, she stilled loved him and wouldn't take his second death well. He knew she would blame herself for what happened, but none of this was her fault. Lucky was the one who became possessive and controlling. He was the one who refused to accept the person she really was.

Jason hoped this wouldn't give Elizabeth a reason to turn away from him. Would she believe Taggert and the evidence? Would she think she'd made a mistake and decide she really didn't love him after all? Their relationship was only beginning. He wasn't sure it was strong enough to survive everything that was about to happen.

Not that it mattered anyway. Even if she did still love him and stand by him, what kind of relationship could they have? He was in jail. While Alexis tried to be confident, he knew there was a strong case against him. He was probably going to spend the rest of his life in this prison. What kind of relationship could he possibly offer her in jail? She needed to be free. She had already sacrificed enough of herself with Lucky. He didn't want her to give up her dreams of Italy and family just to be with him. She didn't need to be tied to a man whose future would be a six by ten cell.

He laughed. It was ironic. Until Elizabeth he hadn't really thought much of the future. He hadn't understood why people spent so much time worrying about something they didn't have control of. He had lived his life in the present not really caring what would happen tomorrow.

Elizabeth had changed all that. For that brief period of time between Elizabeth leaving Jake's in the cab and Lucky shooting her, he had started thinking about their lives together. He wanted to give her everything she wanted. He wanted to make all her dreams real. He thought about marriage and children. He could almost picture Elizabeth holding their little girl in her arms. Now all he could see is Elizabeth talking to him through bullet proof glass. That wasn't a real relationship.

Not that he would spend a day in jail if convicted. Jason knew Sonny and his people on the inside would help him escape, but did he want Elizabeth to go on the run with him? Was that any better for her? They would be constantly looking over their shoulders waiting for the day the police found them. He couldn't do that to her. He couldn't ask her to give up her life just to be with him.

The bell signalling the return to cells went off.

"Morgan, the warden wants to see you," a guard said as Jason entered the facility.

The two walked silently to the warden's office. When they entered the office the warden was going through files at his desk. He waited until the guard left the room before addressing Jason.

"Mr. Morgan, I hope there hasn't been any problems for you since you've arrived."

"No, Mr Krebs, everything has been fine," he replied.

Krebs nodded liking what he heard. "Good. If you need anything just let me know. I'll make sure you get it before you know it." He was a little nervous. While he had had dealings with Sonny Corinthos for many years, he'd never met Jason Morgan face to face. He wanted the make sure he didn't get on Morgan's bad side while he stayed in his prison.

"I have a message from Mr. Corinthos," he told Jason. "He wanted you to know Elizabeth Webber was awake. She woke up this morning. Mr. Corinthos is going to the hospital now to see her."

While Jason was elated by the news, he didn't show it. "Thank you for telling me. Did Sonny say anything else?"

Krebs shook his head. "Just that he and Miss Davis are working on getting you out of here."

Jason nodded. He knew Sonny and Alexis were doing everything they could to get the judge to change his mind about bail, but he knew it wasn't going to happen. He would have to stay in prison until the trial. He turned to leave.

"Mr. Morgan, was there anything you wanted me to tell Mr. Corinthos?"

"No," he replied before opening the door, "not at this time. I'll let you know if I need something in the future."

"Sam, take the prisoner back to his cell," the warden commanded the guard waiting outside the door.

Jason could think of nothing but Elizabeth as he walked back to his cell. She was awake. She would be okay. Those two sentences lightened his heart. Elizabeth would be able to recover from her injuries and begin a new life. She would be able to live out her dreams and be happy. He only wished, he could share in that happiness.