A/N: yippee! Two updates in less than a week….at least I don't think it's been a week since the last one. I could be wrong though. Hmm…if it is yay! If it's not…I'm sowwy

Ch. 12 This Ruined Puzzle

The sun had set, even though the sky was already dark from storm clouds, he could tell the sun had gone down. He stood on the balcony and took in the view. The heavy clouds looked ready to burst and cover the island in its rain. At the moment, Jason was thankful there was such a thing as tropical storms. It gave them the excuse to stay. A chance to talk.

He knew it was a bad place Courtney was in , and she refused his offers to help her. Now they were more or less stuck on the island and he was pretty sure that by now someone had noticed her absence. Baldwin would have people looking for them both. He hated to think about it, but if worst came to worst and they were caught, he hoped Sonny would've found something by then.

He took his eagle eyes away from the scene outside and went over to the spacious kitchen of the house. It had been prepared for their arrival, stocked full with any and every food and drink that someone would need

"Courtney." he called from the kitchen. When he heard no answer, he tried again. "Courtney?"

He ascended the stairs to the second floor of the building where the rooms were. He tapped on the door before cracking it and opening it slowly.

"Courtney are you alright?" he asked entering the room.

He saw her standing before the window of the room. It was obvious that she was deep in thought, which explained why she hadn't answered his calls. Walking further into the room he was soon at her back, but still, her focus remained at the glass.

"Hey." he said softly, placing his hand on her shoulder. She jumped in place at his touch and turned to look at him.

"Jason, he's here…" she blurted out quickly before looking over her shoulder where her gaze had been previously. At her words, Jason pulled her back and made sure she was safely behind him. He pulled out his gun and stood near the window peering out. No one was there.

"Who was here?" he asked, wanting to be sure she was safe.

"No-No one. It was no one." she cleared her throat and looked away. "Did you want something?"

Jason eyed his ex-wife, taking in her strange behavior. He wanted to help her, but she would not let herself open up to him. There was a time when she would tell him anything and everything. Her silliest fantasies, her deepest fears and everything in between. But that was before. Now he was standing on the outside all but begging her to open her door. A price he deserved to pay after the way he treated her.

"You hungry?" he asked remembering her question.

"No." she could tell he didn't like her answer.

"You should eat something."

"I will. When I'm hungry, but I'm not right now."

Jason nodded and left the room. Once she was alone, Courtney once again looked at the outside world. Nothing was there. He wasn't there.

"Michael, turn that down. You'll go deaf."

The boy reluctantly listened to his mother and turned down the volume on the television. With the sound lower he was able to hear his mom grumbling something about his dad not being home. He was glad they were a family again. But he knew something was different, though. It wasn't like it used to be.

His parents didn't act the way they used to. Nobody did; everything was different. His parents were not as close as before. His uncle was living alone again. He hardly got to see his aunt anymore. When he did it was because of his mom; and his dad yelled at her when he found out about it. They thought he didn't notice. That he didn't know, but he did. Didn't mean he understood. He wished everything would go back to the way it was. Why couldn't everybody just apologize and be happy again?

A loud knock on the door brought his mother back into the room. She opened the door and stepped back as the district attorney and a few officers pushed their way in.

"Hey! What are you doing here? Get out now!" she shouted at the man.

"Pipe down, we got a warrant to search the place. Morgan's too." Scott announced happily holding up the document for her to see. "Your husband home?"

"Not that it's any of your business but no. Sonny's not here."

"So you're alone right?" he asked walking around the living like he was looking for something.

"I'm here with my children, Scott. What do you want?" He didn't answer her, instead approached the young boy who stood watching the spectacle.

"Hi, Mikey." he greeted, squatting in front of the boy.

"Don't talk to my son. Michael, go upstairs sweetie."

"Hold on. I just want to ask the boy a question. Michael is your aunt here?"

"Don't answer him Michael. Listen, you have your warrant so get on with it. But you leave my boys alone." she said, angry that he was interrogating her son.

He nodded to the officers who scattered about heir home. She was one head upstairs and rushed over and grabbed his arm before he began his climb.

"There is a baby sleeping up there. If you wake him, I swear to God you'll know the true meaning of hell." she threatened. He looked at her warily, knowing she meant every word.

Once Scott was finally that they weren't hiding Courtney there or at Jason's, they left. Of course he hadn't passed up the chance to toss a threat to arrest everyone in her family for aiding and abiding. Carly slammed the door behind them, still furious that they'd dared to come into her home.

"Mommy?" she turned at her son's voice.

"Yeah, honey, what is it?"

"Why are the bad men looking for Aunt Courtney?"