Ch 21. So Long Sweet Summer

"We need to talk." she began, sitting next to him on the sofa. He opened his mouth to speak and she put her hand up to stop him. "More specifically, I need to talk."

Jason nodded and he took her hand in his, showing that he was there for her and supported her. He inhaled deeply, realizing that this was it. She wanted to tell him what happened. Not just wanted; she needed to. He could see it in her eyes, she needed to because it was killing her from the inside out.

They sat on the couch and he could tell she was preparing herself. He had every confidence that she would tell him everything and, even though sooner was better than later, he would not push her to do so.

"After...after the penthouse, and you signing the divorce papers, I went to Jake's and I had a few drinks." she admitted, shamefully. " For a while it worked, I forgot about all the bad things. I liked that feeling. So I went back the next day, and the next, and the next."

"You were hurting." he tried to soothe, seeing how disgusted with herself she was.

"I kept going back, I kept going back to when we were happy. Every night, I went back to where our family was happy and together. " she held back the tears as they fought to escape. "One night, I was sitting there, staring at this crowd of empty glasses in front of me, and it happened. I was trying to figure out when that happiness went away. The exact moment when everything changed, when our family started the path to its downfall. And it came to me; our wedding day. What was supposed to be our wedding day, at the church, Carly getting kidnapped. I knew it was his fault."

Flashback

"Ric." she mumbled, her elbows leaning on the counter and staring at the many glasses she had already polished off.

"What's that sweetheart?" the long haired bartender asked her.

"Ric." she said louder.

"Lansing?" he asked. "What about him? He can't be the reason I've seen you in here every night."

"It's his fault. This is all because of him. Him...the wedding...Carly...Alcazar...South America," she spoke, tracing the events and connecting the dots of her pathetic life in her mind.

"Easy darlin', you're not makin any sense. Not even sentences." Coleman informed, but she either didn't hear him or just ignored him as she kept going.

"The yacht...the baby...my baby...my baby...our baby..." he heard her voice breaking and saw the tears barely hanging onto her eyes. "...our baby."

"Ok," I think you've had enough." honestly, he'd thought she'd had enough hours ago. But he enjoyed having her around him. He rarely saw her anymore. But now he knew she was way past the edge.

"You're right. I've had enough." she said in a low tone, resembling a growl.

Coleman knew that tone. He had heard it before. In her brother. The last time he'd heard that was when Corinthos last threatened his life. It scared him to hear her using it, maybe she was more like Corinthos than everyone thought.

"And I know just what to do about it." she said.

Courtney stood up from the stool and wobbled as she tried to find her footing. The older man reached out and grabbed her to steady her.

"Whoa." he said. "I don't think you should be going anywhere. Listen, There's an available room upstairs, why don't you go sleep it off?"

"No." she shouted, shaking his hands off her. "Don't touch me."

"Alright, alright. No touching." he said, holding his hands in the air for her to see. "How's about I call you a cab to get you where you're going?"

"I know where I need to go and how to get there." she said, storming away from him and out of the dingy bar."

End

Courtney halted her story as the high pitched sound of the ringing phone cut into the air. She looked at Jason, expecting him to get up and answer it. To her surprise he hadn't moved. He just sat there, watching her, holding her hand. Finally, the ringing stopped, the call going unanswered.

"Why didn't you answer it?" she asked in a whisper.

"Nothing's more important than this." he said honestly, running his fingers through her hair. He leaned in to press his lips to hers when the phone went off again. He sighed at the annoyance of the device. "I'll tell them to call back."

He picked up the phone and flipped it open.

"Morgan." he answered as usual. "Sonny can't talk right now. Look, it's important I'll call you-What? How long ago? Damn it. Alright, I'll take care of it."

Hanging up, he turned to Courtney. She knew from only his side of the conversation that something was really up.

"What is it?" she asked, fearfully.

"Sonny got a call, from a man on the inside. They know where we are, they're on their way. Probably already here." he explained quickly. "We need to go."

"Jason-"

"Courtney, we can't afford to have this fight again. Yell at me later, but I'm getting you off this island." he said, panicking.

"Jason I can't let you do that." she said pulling away from him as he pulled her towards the door.

"Why the hell not?" he shouted, losing his cool.

"Because." she shouted back.

"Because why? You can't just say that and expect me to accept it! I need to know why you refuse to help yourself!" he hollered, his fear for her overtaking his control over his emotions.

"BECAUSE I SHOT RIC!" she yelled.

At that moment, the worst possible moment, the door behind Jason flew open and he saw District Attorney Scott Baldwin. A sick smile on his face as he and the officers crossed the threshold into the house.

"Well..." he began. "that sounds like a confession to me."