Jason ran both of his hands over his face as he shifted his feet. Elizabeth had thrown him out of the room she was in about twenty minutes ago and he couldn't believe that he was still here waiting patiently for her.

He couldn't do anything but wait, not when she turned those blue eyes on him and asked in that soft voice of hers, telling him that the scowl on his face would only make the nurse's more nervous when they were trying to take care of her wound.

Elizabeth didn't need him. She was protesting when he carried her into the hospital and demanded to be placed on her feet immediately. He knew that the only reason she allowed him to fill out the paperwork was because her hand was sore from the recoil of the gun. He walked her into the room and was allowed to stay a few minutes before she asked him to take his quick temper outside.

She did it in the most adorable way.

He couldn't fathom that he was here, standing in the hospital, waiting for Elizabeth, his Elizabeth, the woman he had been dreaming about for the past four years. He couldn't believe he thought she was adorable, he couldn't believe that he had made love to her last night; he couldn't believe that they had a son together. It was always something that seemed so out of reach, the beautiful, innocent girl who was too good for him, the woman who always belonged to someone else now belonged to him and she loved him and she wanted to spend every moment she could with him.

Or did she?

He took the incentive and had a priest waiting for Elizabeth on the island, if she hadn't been delayed with the situation involving Max and Sam she would be speaking with him right now and finding out that Jason wanted to spend the rest of his life with her.

He did want to spend the rest of his life with her but he wasn't sure he wanted her to find out that way.

His wandering thoughts of marriage to Elizabeth were interrupted by his cell phone. He quickly reached inside his leather pocket, eager to hear any updates from Johnny and Francis. He flipped it open and pressed the accept button.

"Yeah?"

"Daddy?"

"JJ? Hey buddy, are you okay?"

"I'm okay Daddy," JJ said and then grew quiet for a moment, "You said that I could call if I needed to hear your voice and Mama isn't here yet so…"

"It's okay JJ, it's alright, Mama's with me, I'm bringing her to you."

"Really?" JJ squealed, "Aunt Bobbie, Mama and Daddy are coming to see us! Are Aunt Carly and Michael coming too?"

"Yes," Jason laughed softly as he leaned against the wall. He hoped this swelling in his heart never went away, "Your Mom and I miss you very much."

"I miss you too," JJ said, "I think I made Aunt Bobbie mad, I kept asking for you."

"She's not mad," Jason said, "She knows that you're worried. I've been thinking about you ever since you left my sight. Do you like the island?"

"Yes," JJ said, "When you get here can we go swimming? I didn't want to go without you Daddy."

"When I get there you we can do whatever you want," Jason said, "I can take you out on the boat if you'd like."

"I'd like that!" JJ said, "Mama can come too?"

"Mama can come too," Jason said, "We'll be there by the time you wake up tomorrow morning."

"Daddy," JJ said softly, "I like talking to you but can I talk to Mama now?"

Jason laughed and his eyes moved towards the curtain where Elizabeth was being treated. He wasn't sure how to tell his son that he was banned from seeing her. He pushed himself away from the wall and pulled the curtain aside, forcing a smile to the nurse who hurried past him with a fear in her eyes. His blue eyes then meet Elizabeth's.

"You frightened her," she laughed softly as she waved him into the room, "You want to check my bandages and make sure they're good and tight?"

"Actually," he smiled holding the phone out to her, "Your son would like to speak with you."

"JJ!" Elizabeth practically squealed like her son and grabbed the phone, "JJ how are you baby? I miss you so much."

"I miss you too Mama," JJ said gleefully, "Mama there's so much here on this pretty island and I can't wait till you and Daddy get here so we can see it together. Aunt Bobbie took me around but I really missed you and I wanted to see it with you. I love you. I love Daddy too, tell Daddy I love him."

"JJ loves you," Elizabeth smiled at Jason, "And Daddy and I are on our way to see you."

"Daddy says you'll be here when I wake up."

"We will," Elizabeth said, "Are you being good for Aunt Bobbie?"

"I'm being perfect." JJ grinned.

Elizabeth laughed, "I'm sure you are JJ. I love you. I'll see you soon okay?"

"I love you too, Mama, I'll see you in the morning," JJ said, "Oh make pancakes!"

Elizabeth laughed again as she felt tears hit her eyes, "Daddy will make pancakes. Goodnight honey."

"Night Mama," JJ smiled and then yelled into the phone, "Night Daddy!"

Elizabeth held the phone away from her ear and Jason laughed and yelled back, "Night JJ."

Elizabeth closed his phone and handed it back to him, reaching up with her hand and wiping at the tears that threatened to escape her eyes. She smiled at Jason and then waved her hand at him.

"I'm okay, really."

"You don't look okay," he said as he slid his phone into his pocket and walking towards her, wiping the tears away with his fingers, "What's wrong?"

"I just remembered standing on the docks and thinking that I'd never see JJ again and just to hear his voice..." she whispered as she wrapped her arms around him and pressed her face against his chest, "I'm so incredibly lucky Jason, so lucky to have what I have with you. I can't thank you enough for allowing me back into you're…"

"Stop, stop," he said quietly as he pressed a kiss against her hair and held her against him, "I'm glad that we're here finally," he sighed as his hands slid up her back and into her hair, "How is your shoulder? I wish you would've…"

"Did you see the nurse run out of here?" Elizabeth laughed softly, "She would have never been able to concentrate if you would've been hovering over me scowling, even though I would've enjoyed it."

Jason pulled back, his eyes searching hers, "I didn't think you'd want me hovering."

Elizabeth's smile slipped from her face, "I'd never not want you around. You look so worried and I know you had enough to deal with and enough on your mind, you didn't need to be in there holding my hand…"

"You didn't need me," he shrugged, "You've grown into a wonderfully, strong woman, Elizabeth, I understand that now."

"Okay," she said softly as she pulled him back to her and wrapped his arms around her waist, "For now, for future reference, I need you like I need my next breath. There's no question about that. I'd like to think that you need me too, just a little, I mean I know that…"

"I need you Elizabeth," he said, "I need you in my life, you and our son."

"Good, I'm glad, good," she smiled as her eyes light up, "And just to let you know, when I wanted to cry out and scream, I kept myself calm by thinking about Italy."

"I owe you a trip there."

"A trip?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

He rolled his eyes and placed his hand on the small of her back, leading her out of the room, "We'll talk on the way to finding Carly."

"Where's Carly?" she asked.

"Somewhere in the hospital."

"Carly's in the hospital?" Elizabeth asked shock, "Jason why didn't you tell me?"

"Carly's here," Jason said and let out a long breath, "Visiting Lorenzo."

"Jason! You didn't…"

"I'll explain on the way, Elizabeth," he sighed.

"Okay, okay," Carly said quietly as the nurse in front of her provided her with an updated condition on Lorenzo.

Carly knew that she had frightened the first five orderly's away, the sixth and seventh refused to even speak to her until she demanded some answers, screaming her name in the hall and telling people that would pay dearly if she wasn't given what she was asked.

Then this soft spoken nurse appeared, claiming that Bobbie Spencer had helped her career immensely and Carly was provided with the answer she was waiting for. Lorenzo was going to be okay. He needed plenty of fluids and lots of rest but he was going to be just fine.

She smiled sadly as she approached his hospital room and gazed at the man before her, he was going to be fine and she wasn't going to lose yet another man in her life.

Carly didn't realize how attached she had become to Lorenzo. Since the night when Jason was shot outside of the Brownstone he had been a daily fixture, spending a few hours with her at her home or walking her and Michael to the park. He would pick up dinner at Kelly's or drop by for an early breakfast. She never imagined that she would actually develop feelings for another man, she never had any intention of it, but he appeared in her life, intent on causing chaos and turned into the knight and shinning armor that she wasn't looking for.

It shook her to the core to realize that there was someone else in this world beside Sonny Corinthos.

She wiped the fresh tears from her cheeks and turned to see Jason and Elizabeth standing there gazing at her. Jason had his hand placed at the small of Elizabeth's back, the most public display of affection she had ever seen from the hardened enforcer and Elizabeth was leaning into him, her hand placed gently over her wounded shoulder. The petite brunette was smiling sadly at her as they both approached cautiously.

Carly let out a sob and rushed into Jason's arms, "I'm so glad you are okay. God, Jason…"

Elizabeth closed her eyes and stepped away from the two best friends. She knew what Carly was feeling, she had been there many years ago when Jason disappeared into a burning building and managed to somehow come out barely scathed. She stood there poised, wondering if the man she considered a true friend would ever reappear again. Tonight was nearly indistinguishable to Carly, when Lorenzo told her who the traitor was she had paced up and down these hospital halls waiting word on the man laying in a near comatose state and on her best friend, the man who got her out of every jam she had ever been.

Elizabeth smiled as she watched Jason release the blond and was startled when she felt Carly's arms around her, hugging her tightly, causing her to wince when she jarred her injured shoulder. Elizabeth fought back the tears that appeared in her eyes. She was grateful she was able to bring Jason back to Carly and Michael, she felt the heavy burden of guilt that she couldn't do the same with Sonny Corinthos.

"I'm glad your both okay," Carly said as she stepped back from Elizabeth and wiped her face, "Johnny told me that JJ and Bobbie are nowhere near harms way and that Michael is safe as well. He said that we're going to go to the island tonight and I think that's a great idea. I think we all need sometime away from this…from this hell."

Elizabeth nodded and looked over at Jason who blue eye's darkened. He couldn't agree more and she could see it. He had just come back into town and had come to find out that his best friend was murdered by a man he had hired and brought into this organization. Jason needed a much deserved rest from this crazy lifestyle and she was grateful that she would be around to help him relax.

"I'm waiting on some type of word from the doctor as to when they can release Lorenzo," Carly said looking at Elizabeth, "They said they had to remove a piece of his kidney but that it will grow back, I don't know, it was just all…"

Elizabeth nodded in understanding. She knew that when you were waiting on word to hear about your loved one most of the things that were said to you came out in jumbled phrases. Hell, she could barely remember how she got to the hospital the night Jason was shot.

"Once we get the okay he can come with us," Carly said and looked over at Jason, "I'm so glad this is all over, I'm so glad we can finally pick up the…"

"Alcazar is not coming with us," Jason said quietly, "Elizabeth and I came to take you home so you can pack and get Michael."

Elizabeth was about to tell Jason that she didn't want to be brought into the argument she knew was coming but Carly's words were sputtered out before Elizabeth had a chance to open her mouth.

"I'm sure that the guards explained the situation and Lorenzo is going with us," she folded her arms across her chest, "That's final."

"He's not coming with us," Jason said crossing his arms across his chest.

Elizabeth couldn't help the smirk that kicked up on her lips. That was Jason's stance that meant he wasn't budging. She wasn't sure if he realized that Carly took her position as well, hands on hips, eyes storming. As much as she wanted to stay and play peacemaker Elizabeth knew that her presence was needed elsewhere.

"You can stand there and glare at me all you want, Jason Morgan," Carly snapped, "I am not one of your minions, I am not the police, the silence treatment doesn't work on me and Lorenzo is going with us," she stamped her foot for an added dramatic effect.

Jason gave no response.

"Damn you!"

The words shouted by Carly disappeared behind the door that Elizabeth slipped into unnoticed. There before her lie the man that swore had no agenda when he came to Port Charles; he simply wanted to rectify the damage that his brother had done.

And like a simpleton she believed every word.

His eyes fluttered open at the sound of her heels clicking against the tile floor. They dimmed when they recognized the person in front of him and a small smile appeared on his face when she came to stand beside his bed.

"Have you come to pull the plug?"

"Lucky for you there are none," Elizabeth said quietly, "Was it that enjoyable for you, trying to trick me? Did you get pleasure out of it, Lorenzo?"

He winced as he reached for her and the winced again when she pulled back, "I never meant to harm you, Elizabeth. I was done in the moment I laid my eyes on you. I should have backed away then. Your innocence…it's enough to drive a man mad."

"Don't try and charm me, Lorenzo," Elizabeth said, "You put my family in danger."

"I never meant you any harm," Lorenzo said, "I was told that I was just a distraction, that they were just going to overthrow the territory. They swore to me that no one would get hurt."

"You work in this organization," she laughed bitterly, "What the hell did you think was going to happen when they overthrew the territory? You couldn't believe that Jason would welcome them with open arms."

"Jason was suppose to be dead before I even arrived in town," Lorenzo said as he placed his hand over his side, "I don't know what happened or how he was sidetracked but I'm assuming that Sam wanted to have a little fun before they…" he closed his eyes and sighed.

"Have you seen my shoulder?" she asked, "Would you like to hear my little boy wondering why his mother can't be with him? Do you want to know what I had to do tonight, Lorenzo? I had to murder someone, in cold blood, because she wanted to murder Jason."

His eyes opened again, dark, intense, "And you would do it all over again, you would do anything to protect your family."

"I would, I don't regret it, I wish I had taken care of her a long time ago."

A ghost of a smile appeared on his lips, "Welcome to the organization."

"I did not need an initiation," Elizabeth whispered, "And I want you to know that I would have shot you had it been you holding the gun on the man that I love."

"I would have wanted you to shoot me, Elizabeth," he said quietly, "I want you to know that I never intended things to go this far," his eyes drifted away from her, towards the window, where he could see Carly and Jason in a heated discussion, "You saw the good in me, you allowed others to see that as well," he looked back at her, "I came forward because I didn't want any of the people I cared about to die. I tried to end things amicably but as always in this business things end with death."

Elizabeth sighed wearily as her eyes moved towards the hall, "I'm tired of washing away the blood on my hands." She then turned back towards Lorenzo, "He wants to make sure that you never hurt anyone he loves again."

Lorenzo nodded, "I know what my fate is."

She shook her head, "Carly is fighting for you. She has good reason. Jason and I never heard one complaint from the guards about the food she was requesting or the trouble she was causing. Somehow you managed to keep her…sane."

He laughed softly and then winced, reaching for his side again, "There was a showdown in the park involving one of the mothers on the PTA. She stated that Michael wasn't good enough to play with her child and Carly let her have it. She was…" Lorenzo's eyes drifted towards the woman in the hallway again, "She was beautiful. She's so determined, such a free spirit, she does what she pleases and doesn't care what anyone else has to say."

"It drives Jason nuts."

"It brings something to my life," he said quietly as he looked over at her, "Do what needs to be done. I'm okay with that, it's apart of this business. I know that when I'm gone Carly will have you to help take care of her."

"Carly doesn't need, or want for that matter, me," Elizabeth said approaching the bed again, "You accept her for who she is and you know, you understand what it's like to have had that one person in your life that made it all worth while. Carly always kept comparing men to Sonny Corinthos like I'm sure you compared women to your Sophie. You get that you will never feel that kind of passion again but that there's someone else out there for you. She needs that."

Lorenzo nodded, knowing that he needed that as well.

"And for Carly and Michael's sake," she closed her eyes and sighed, "And for the sake of me and Jason's future relationship, Carly is going to need you around. I'll make sure that your there."

"You aren't even hearing me," Carly said practically growling, "Your just standing there with that damn look on your face letting me rant and rave until I've exhausted myself and will disappear like always until the next crisis comes along well guess what Jason, I'm not giving up on this. I'm tired of you cutting people off; you just push them right out of your lives after one simple mistake. I am the only one who has managed to make it back into your good graces."

"Elizabeth."

"Don't interrupt me with Muffin face references," she bit out, "What the hell would've happened to you if you didn't allow Sonny and me back in Jason? We screwed up, we screwed up big time, because that's what people do, we make mistakes and Lorenzo, he made a big one and all I'm asking is that you…"

"Carly…" he sighed rubbing his forehead, trying to make the dull ache go away.

"Jason, please," she said as she fought the tears that threatened to clog her throat, "I know that you know I'm crazy and I know that you think Lorenzo is some passing phase in my life that will give me something to do for a month or two but that's not it, it's not. Lorenzo has been able to do something that no one else has since Sonny died; he put a smile on my face. I think that counts for something. Jas, I need that, I need him, and look," she said placing her hands on his biceps, "He'll be on the island, surrounded by the guards, in close view of you so you know that nothing bad will happen. He'll be able to recuperate, Michael can spend more time with him and I can decide if…"

"If?" Jason asked with raised eyebrows.

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," Carly said with a small smile.

"Carly, I don't…"

"Carly," Elizabeth said stepping out of the hospital room, "Lorenzo is asking for you."

"I have to see him," Carly said as she left Jason and hurried into the room where Elizabeth had just existed.

Jason watched the woman approach him, a small smile on her face, her hands reaching out for his, bringing them to her lips and placing kisses on the back of each one. He rolled his eyes and then pulled her into his arms, hugging her to him, before releasing her.

"What are you going to do?" she asked softly.

"I can't tell you no," he said, "And you think that Lorenzo should be on the island with us."

"I do," Elizabeth said as she slid her arm around his waist, "I think that it will work out for all of us in the end but I also think that out of all of us you make the best decisions Jason. If your instincts are telling you that Lorenzo shouldn't come with us, then he stays. I won't fight you on it."

He sighed as he rested his chin against her hair, "Lorenzo can come to the island with Carly and Michael. They'll be leaving tomorrow morning with Johnny and Francis."

Elizabeth pulled away and looked up at him, "What about us?"

"We have a plane to catch," Jason said with a small smile, "There's a little boy waiting for us."