So, I've been re-reading the chapters, and I realized that other than what's going on with Jason and Liz, there is no continuity with the other characters. They're in the hospital, they're not, they're missing, they're not. So I've decided to just go ahead and make a theme of it. Please, if you haven't been already, just assume that these things are working themselves out. Since the real focus is Liason, I can't be bothered to expand energy on the others. Also, I've been disliking Sam more and more, and I'm afraid it's coming out in the story, so my apologies to any Sam fans, and I hope you don't take it personally. Lastly, I have from time to time, received reviews which make note of the fact that someone is not a Liason fan. This is fine, but I feel that it's more or less completely obvious that I am, and I don't read Journey stories and then comment that I don't like them to the author. Journey fans are always welcome to read and review my work, but I would appreciate that the reviews be more constructive, along the lines of "I'm a Journey fan, but I liked this.." Etc.

Sorry. I got all serious there for a minute. I'll try not to let it happen again. Anyway, enjoy the chapte. There are lots of revelations and confrontations (which you canyou're your ass were fun to write). As ever, when you are done, REVIEW, and make a chick very very happy.

Chapter Five

Jason stood on Audrey Harding's doorstep, wondering if knocking was the most insane thing he could do. The woman didn't like him, after all. But Elizabeth was living there, so if he wanted to talk to her, and he did, there was nothing else to do. He rapped quickly, before he could change his mind again.

To his relief, the door was opened by an extremely frazzled looking Elizabeth, rather than her grandmother. "Jason! Hi, what a surprise, I was just-"her voice faded as she left him standing on the step and wandered away through the house. Frazzled and clearly distracted. He stuck his head in.

"Elizabeth? Can I come in?" He called tentatively.

"Un huh." She walked up the stairs. He stepped into the house, closing the door behind him. Something was obviously wrong, but he hadn't a clue what it could be. Just then he heard the sound of a baby crying, and Elizabeth crooning. He started towards the stairs, but stopped as Elizabeth appeared at the top, cradling a sobbing infant. She walked down, murmuring soothingly to the baby. When she reached the bottom, she looked at him with frightened eyes. "He's been crying for hours. I don't know what to do. He just wont stop."

Jason placed a gentle hand on the child's forehead. Not feverish. "Colic?"

"No, he just seems fretful. I can make him settle."

"Here, let me hold him for a minute while you sit down. You look almost as unhappy as he does." Jason was touch at the unhesitating way she offered up the baby. Elizabeth collapsed onto the couch, and the baby wailed on in his arms. He rocked him back and forth, and spoke over the cries. "Um.. Elizabeth? Who.. I mean, the baby?"

"What?" He could almost see the light bulb go off over her head. "Oh my god! You've never met Cameron." She giggled at the stunned look on his face, and he stretched his arms out, screaming infant in them, to see the child more clearly.

"This is Cameron?" Jason mentally smacked himself upside the head.

"Jason Morgan, please meet Cameron Webber-Lewis, my son." She beamed with pride.

"Your son." He repeated hoarsely. "Oh wow Elizabeth." He leaned over and kissed her forehead. "Congratulations."

She smiled. "Thank you, Jason."

"Lewis?" He asked.

"Zander's real last name. I considered Smith, but it seem wrong to deny his biological connections, and I think Zander would have preferred it this way. At least, I hope he would have."

The object of their attention screamed on, and Elizabeth gnawed on her lower lip with worry. "I wish I knew how to make him feel better."

"I have an idea. Grab your stuff and we'll go over to my place. I think I know what might make him happy." He rocked Cameron gently back and forth.

Twenty minutes later the ragged crew walked though Jason's front door. Jason dropped Cameron's baby bag inside the front door, and Elizabeth sat down, holding Cameron. "Hold on, I'll be right back." He strode across the hall, rapping on the door before letting himself in. Carly looked up in surprise from the couch.

"Jason? What's up? Is everything okay with Sonny?"

"What?" Jason was briefly distracted. "Why wouldn't it be?"

Carly was annoyed, "You tell me, Jason, it's your job to take care of him."

"Actually it's not." Jason snapped at her. Her eyes widened. "It's my job to run interference in the business, and enforce the rules. I take care of him because he's my friend. I take care of you because you're my friend. I take care of Michael and Morgan because I love them. I take care of Courtney because I care about her. It is not my job to do any of those things." Jason suddenly realized he was yelling, but it felt so good, so long overdue, that he didn't stop himself. "I am not your errand boy. I don't exist to fix your problems. My life does not revolve around yours; it is not secondary to yours. When I do something for you, or Sonny, who whoever else, I expect that it be acknowledged as a gift, not taken for granted. Is that clear?" Carly nodded quickly. "Now, I need to barrow the vibrating bassinette for awhile, is that okay?" She nodded again, watching quietly as he fetched it and left, not bothering to say goodbye.

He found that he was smiling widely when he let himself back in. Elizabeth smiled back, unsure why, but infected with his happiness. Jason plugged in the cradle, and they placed Cameron into it, where he immediately stopped crying. The two of them sighed with relief, and the quiet in the room was blissful.

"What were you smiling about?" Liz couldn't resist asking.

"Nothing, just got rid of some baggage." He smiled down at her, and she up at him. She leaned her head on his shoulder and let out a huge yawn. They sat on the couch, contentedly watching Cameron sleep. "Can I get you something to drink? Elizabeth?" He craned his neck down and around to see her face. Sure enough, she was sound asleep. He dropped a gentle kiss on the top of her head, then carefully extricated himself from the couch. She made an unhappy squeak, before squirming into a comfortable position, giving a faint sigh as he laid a blanket over her.

He heard a key in the lock and strode over to the door, sliding out in front of a surprised Sam.

"Listen, I have guest, and they're asleep in the living room, so you're going to have to either just go straight upstairs to your room and be quiet, or find some place else to hang out for awhile." His voice was light but firm,

"But why?" Sam whined. "I don't see why some guest should be more important than me in my own house-"

"Sam-"Jason interrupted, "It is not your home. You are a guest. You are welcome here as long as you need a place to stay. It is my house. I have other guest. They need rest. Are we clear?"

"Yes." Her voice was sulky. "I'll come back." With that she flounced over to the elevator and pressed the button, ignoring him. Which suited Jason fine. He watched as she got in to the elevator, and the doors closed. As he turned to go back inside, Sonny stepped out from around the corner, clearly having eavesdropped on their conversation.

"I can't believe you would be so rude to Sam, Jason." Sonny's voice was angry. "She needs a safe environment, and you-"

"Sonny, I am not in the mood." Jason launched into yet another confrontation. "I have my own needs, and they're not being met. I know that claiming to be Sam's baby's father was originally my idea, but I would thank you to have some respect for a decision that, ultimately, we both made. And along those lines, I've changed my mind. You have to tell Carly the truth, because I can't live with this lie any longer. Furthermore, I would thank you to stop ordering me around all the time. You may be my boss, but that doesn't give you the right to dictate my personal affairs. I am your friend, not some flunky underling, and it would please me if you'd try to remember that." All of it was said in a calm, rational tone, and when he was finished, Jason turned from a stunned Sonny, and walked back into his apartment, closing the door softly behind him

Elizabeth was still sleeping, and Jason, as carefully as he had left, reinserted himself next to her, holding her in his arms. A nap suddenly seemed like a wonderful idea. He closed his eyes, content to be with Elizabeth and her son.

TBC

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