Chapter 23

The next day

Location- Greystone

Carly crept down the hall towards Michael's room. He had been given a clean bill of health by Bobbie and Noah at the hospital last night. Jason ordered the guards to bring Morgan back to Greystone and he was here by the time Michael arrived.

Her whole family was safe once more.

But all day long Michael acted like the kidnapping didn't bother him in the slightest. Carly ached for him, knowing he must be hiding just how scared he had been.

She slowly opened his door and slid inside. There he was , safe and sound, asleep in bed.

"Hey," Jason said from a chair near the window.

Carly jumped slightly at the sound of his voice. "How long have you been in here?" she whispered, walking over to him.

They both spoke in hushed tones.

"A while." Jason said

"There's a guard right outside his door." Carly said

"I know." Jason said "And I do need to go track down Antonio Torres but I don't want to leave yet."

"The boys and I can head to the island tomorrow, Jason. If it would make you feel better."

"I don't know." Jason said, with frustration in his voice. He stood up and walked a few feet away.

"I know how you feel, Jase. I don't want the boys out of my sight either." Carly said

Jason stood over Michael's bed. He reached down and briefly touched his shoulder. Then Jason walked back to the window.

The moon shone on his face, Carly could see how set his jaw was , how tight his lips were pressed together. She hated to see him so upset.

Trying to break the tension, she said "Hey, maybe, we can move Morgan's bed in here and all live together in this room."

Jason gave her a look, smiling slightly. Then he let out a breath. " I think we can come up with a better plan than that."

"You are asking me," Carly said, raising an eyebrow. She walked closer and smiled. " to come up with a plan? Hmmm. That is new."

Jason chuckled. Still whispering, he said "Now don't get any crazy ideas."

"You love my crazy ideas," Carly said, laughing softly

"Since when?"

"Always. I make your life interesting."

"You make my life..." he started to joke back then stopped.

Carly saw the serious expression came over his face.

She said, "You're not in this alone. Okay? You, me, Sonny and all those guards you two pay so well will keep the kids safe."

Jason cleared his throat. "That's not good enough anymore."

"So you're going to be with us 24 hours a day?" Carly said

"If you'll have me." Jason said

Carly titled her head and gave him a puzzled look. "The boys will be thrilled to hear that. We love spending time with you."

"Good. Because you do more than make my life interesting. You make my life... period. And I can't lose any of you." Jason said, staring out the window.

Shivers shot through Carly. If she wasn't mistaken, and she didn't think she was because she had great instincts, her world had just shifted in a huge way. Jason made it sound like he wanted the life they had planned to spend together years ago. He sounded like he wanted her.

There were moments of gold

and there were flashes of light

There were things I'd never do again

But then they'd always seemed right

There were nights of endless pleasure

It was more than any laws allow

Baby, baby...

It's all coming back

It's all coming back to me now

Celine Dion lyrics

But how many times had she thought, since the first day she met him, that he wanted the same thing as her or that she could convince him to want it? Too many damn times.

In the end, she got him but not as her husband, not as the one who fathered her children, or the man she came home to each night. But she had him still. In all the other important ways.

That hadn't stopped her from wanting more. From giving him a look, a wink, a flirty line over the years.

And at times, she had thought he was just about to go for it. But then he pulled back. Then the barrier that neither of them could forget came back between them- The Sonny Factor.

Carly made her life about Sonny for so long, in part because, she fooled herself into believing Sonny was like her. Dark, messy, passionate, out of control. Neither was better than the other. They both put that look of heartbreak in Jason's eyes that day they slept together and that made her and Sonny the same.

But hot sex and mutual pain hadn't made a happy home for Sonny or Carly.

There were those empty threats and hollow lies

And whenever you tried to hurt me

I just hurt you even worse

And so much deeper

There were hours that

just went on for days

When alone at last

we'd count up all the chances

That were lost to us forever

forever

Celine Dion Lyrics

Happiness was Jason for her. It had always been. But

Carly settled for his friendship. She hated settling. It went against everything she was about. But if her options were friendship or nothing, she would gladly settle for him being her best friend, her one safe place in a crazy town that had never understood her.

She told herself Sonny was the man she was meant to marry. Or maybe it was Lorenzo. Or someone else out there. She told herself that even though no other man felt right she had to deal. She had put herself in this place and, hell, she could make the best of it.

Once Jason made up his mind that was it. He was done with her, as far as a romantic relationship went, Carly always believed.

If you forgive me all this

And I forgive you all that

We forgive and forget

And it's all coming back to me

When you see me like this

And when I see you like that

We see just what we want to see

All coming back to me

The flesh and the fantasies

All coming back to me

Celine Dion Lyrics

But there was something in his voice now that hinted maybe she was wrong about him not wanting to risk his heart on her.

Carly had to see his eyes to know her answer.

Though he stood only a foot from the window, staring out at the full moon that hovered over the estate, Carly stepped between the window and him.

She stood facing him, her back on the window, her front pressed against him.

"Ya?" Jason asked in a what's going on? voice

"Yeah," Carly said, her eyes confirming it. This was impossible. But it was true. "Just so you know, Jason, losing me was never an option."

"Good," he said in a low voice. His eyes locked on hers. And it was there. He wanted her.

He took a step back. Carly took a step forward.

Don't back off now, she thought Let this time be real and not just a fantasy I dreamt up because I want it to be true.

Jason glanced over at Michael. "I'm going to go finish this business with the Morales family and Torres. Then I will be back for all of you."

Carly wondered if he meant for the vacation or for more. But all she said was, "Hurry back, Jase."

He left her standing there, feeling every nerve ending in her body. She wanted to chase after him and say, "Am I crazy? Tell me you feel this too. Just say the words so I know I'm not imagining all this."

But she had chased and begged too many times back in the day. As much as she wanted, a few moments ago, to grab him and feel those lips on hers again she was glad she hadn't. Jason had to make the move this time. She had always been here, her heart open for all the see. Her feelings for him were so obvious everyone who ever saw them together could see it. Plenty had commented on it over the years.

Carly needed to know for sure Jason wanted her back, romantically, and that he had decided it on his own. She couldn't talk him into this, if it happened.

She would have to do something she hated. Wait.

It's all coming back to me now

If you do it like this

It's all coming back to me now

And if we...

Celine Dion Lyrics