A/N: greatest apolgies for not updating in what seems like years! but i hope that multiple updates at once will help me redeem myself? let me know!

Ch. 20 Whispers

Jason remained laying in bed, though the sun had been up for some time. He didn't want to move, for fear it would wake her. He felt completely content listening to her rythmic breathing while she lay in his arms. Moments like this were few and far between. She moved around a bit and settled down again, snuggling as close to him as possible. He kissed the top of her head, a gesture to tell her he was there. Jason knew there was nothing else he could do for her while she slept. In her dreams she, like everyone, had to fight her demons alone. But he would sure as hell do all he could for her when she was awake.

"Well, what do I owe the pleasure?" he asked with a sly grin, as he leaned against the door frame.

"It's all your fault." she told him, pushing past him and into the apartment.

"What's all my fault? Did I miss something?"he asked.

"You know damn well what I'm talking about." she spat, wavering slightly.

"Courtney, Courtney, have you been drinking?" he teased. "You must really be your father's daughter, huh?"

"That's none of your business." she replied. "Everything's your fault. You ruined everything!"

"Oh, is this about Jason? Sorry to hear about your marriage, heartbreaking stuff, really it is." he said sarcastically.

"Don't pretend you know a thing about my marriage!" she spoke angrily.

"You don't have a marriage. Not anymore anyway, you made sure of that from what I hear." he replied. "Don't blame me for that. What is this now, number two, right? So, who's next in the Quartermaine family tree you plan to wed?"

"Just shut up! If you hadn't kidnapped Carly..."she began and trailed off. "It all comes back to you. You don't deserve to breathe."

Courtney woke with a start in the empty bed. She felt the cool sheets next to her and realized that he must have gotten up a while ago. She was glad, no doubt she'd been tossing through the dream. Not dream, not even nightmare, a memory. It was like she was there, living through all of it all over again.

The man heard the shower turn on upstairs and knew she was up. He did a time check, it was nearly noon. Jason had gladly let her sleep. In the mean time, he'd made some calls and apparently the police were still clueless as to their whereabouts. Everything was quiet. But Jason had a feeling they wouldn't stay that way for much longer. When Jason Morgan had a bad feeling, he didn't ignore it.

Sonny stared at the phone in his hands. He'd been trying to work up his nerve and call the hospital. He said he would arrange for the test, and he meant to. But he knew if the had the test done, they would get the answer. The answer he was afraid of. It wasn't that he wouldn't love the baby if it was his, but he always thought if he had another child it would be with Carly. An addition to their already beautiful family. But if he was the father of a child made in a meaningless fling, he would lose the only thing that had ever mattered to him.

Carly had gone out at just about the break of dawn. It was all that Max could do to catch up to her before she could get too far on her own. As much as the answer scared him, not knowing was killing them both. Running his hand down his face, he let out a long sigh. With shaking fingers, he dialed.

"I, uh, I need to schedule a paternity test."

She grabbed her purse and stomped out of the building. Another day had gone by, and that murdering witch still wasn't in jail. Her shift at Kelly's hadn't given her the opportunity she thought she'd get. The one person she knew could help her hadn't come in for his usual. Angrily, she stormed along the walk, thoughts floating around in her head in clouds of anger and vengeance.

"Elizabeth?" his voice broke into her thoughts. "Are you ok?"

"Better now. I've been looking for you." she admitted.

"Really? What can I do for you?" Lucky asked, grinning at one of his oldest friends.

"I need to know what you guyz are doing to find Courtney."

"Oh," he could almost feel the sparkle in his eyes fade away. "Elizabeth you know I can't tell you that."

"I know it's police business, but I have to know." she pleaded.

"Liz, I know how important Ric was to you. But-"

"Please, as my friend, Lucky this is driving me insane. I need to know something's being done."

The man ran his hand through his shoulder length hair and sighed. He looked at his best friend and first love. She was begging him to give her somethihg. In their entire friendship he'd never been able to deny her for long.

"Alright," he said, leading her to a corner and whispered. "Don't tell this to anyone. There was a tip."

"A tip? What kind of tip?"

"They're on an island, ok? There's a group of officers heading that way now."

"That's great!" she said, raising her voice.

"Shh, don't say anything. A lot of cops don't even know. Baldwin doesn't want word to get to Sonny and him warning them." he told her.

"I understand. I won't tell anyone that you told me." she said, happily. "Thank you."

Lucky watched her walk away. At one time he thought they'd spend their lives together. But that was a Jason Morgan and a Ric Lansing aog. He knew she cared deeply for the dead man, and like most people she wanted his murderer brought to justice. Also like most people, she believed that person was Courtney.That was where Lucky got skeptical. He just couldn't wrap his mind around the possibility that she would actually kill someone. But it didn't matter what he thought. He was a cop, and he followed the evidence. And all that evidence pointed to Courtney.