Chapter 24

August 2006

After two weeks out of town Jason returned home, satisfied that there was no one left in the Morales organization that could hurt his family. Antonio Torres was no more.

He rode the elevator up to his penthouse, physically exhausted but amped because he knew he could call Carly now. He hadn't spoken to her since the night he left town. Jason knew it would take his focus off the task at hand if he would have heard her voice. Every day that passed strengthened his resolve to leave Port Charles, at least for a while, and to take her and the boys with him.

The last two weeks hadn't been easy on Carly either, Jason knew. He got reports from her bodyguard daily about how her and the boys were doing. Carly had stopped working after the kidnapping and stayed with Michael and Morgan at all times. But soon school would start for the kids.

We need to be someplace else by then, Jason thought as he opened the door to his apartment.

He heard a child laughing then saw Morgan run out of the kitchen, around the pool table, then Michael appeared chasing after him. They circled the living room. Carly called out, " The pizza is ready!"

The boys noticed him. "Jason!" they shouted in unison then ran to hug him.

He smiled and when he looked up she was in the room. "What are doing here?" he asked

"What do you think? It's your Welcome Home party." Carly said with a grin. "Morgan, don't you have something for Jason?"

"Oh, yeah," Morgan said and ran over to his backpack that was laying on the couch. He pulled out a piece of construction paper. He brought it over and gave it to Jason.

It read, in childish block letters, WE MISSED YOU LOVE MORGAN and then, under that, in Carly's handwriting was added and Michael and Me. Morgan had drawn a picture of a two small people and one large person who wore a cape. Under that figure, in Michael's handwriting, was written Our Hero.

Jason scooped up Morgan and hugged him. He pulled Michael close with his other arm. "I missed you guys, too. " He said, his eyes on Carly . "How did you know I would be here today?"

"Max. He can't resist my charm." Carly said

Jason shook his head, with a smile on his face.

Carly said, "Michael take Morgan in the kitchen and eat your dinner."

When they were gone, Jason closed the apartment door and then joined Carly on the couch.

"Ahh," he sighed, tired. Then quietly he asked,

" Max ok?"

"No, " Carly replied softly " but he hasn't missed a day of work."

Jason nodded.

"Is it over?" Carly asked

"For now." Jason said "But it never stays quiet for long, you know that."

"You look beat." Carly said " Want me to make another frozen pizza?"

"Umm," he said "no."

Carly laughed. "Oh, come on, frozen pizza cures everything."

He gave her an unconvinced look then said, in a serious voice, "Is Michael doing better now?" Jason asked

"Spending time with Morgan and Kristina, when Alexis backs off long enough to let the kid leave the house, helps. But, at other times, he still tries to act so tough. Like a little solider."

Jason did not like the sound of that, at all. "The vacation will be good for all of us," he said

Carly nodded, studying his face. A very cautious reaction for her.

Jason said, "Know where you want to go?"

Her face lit up. "Well I got all these books about different places. And I have been reading them to the boys at night. They missed your bedtime stories. And Sonny is preoccupied these days. Did you know that he got a new lawyer, Madison Newman? I call her Miss Madison Avenue. What a stuck-up piece of work she is..."

"Carly, the point?" he asked

"Well, Sonny is dating her now. It's been two weeks and he thinks he loves her." Carly rolled her eyes.

Jason gave her a 'who cares' look.

"Anyway, I have had the boys every night," Carly continued " and after reading all these travel books we decided on Mexico. The kids love to be on the beach and they have never been there. Maybe we can even take them down into South America and show them the rain forest. Are you up for that?"

"Whatever you want, Carly." he said easily

"You are being very... accommodating lately, Jase." Carly said " What is going on with you? I'm loving it but I can, also, see pain and worry on your face. It's been there ever since Sam left."

Jason gave her a "don't go there" look.

Carly put her two hands up, "I didn't hate Sam. I didn't love her. But if she made you happy I will go right now, or maybe... " she smiled " right after our vacation because I don't want to miss that, and I will find her and bring her back here. I'd do that, hell Jase, I would do anything to make you happy."

She waited for him to say You make me happy. You're all I need.

Fall on me tell me everything you want me to be
Forever with you
Forever in me
Ever the same

Rob Thomas Lyrics

Instead he stood and walked to his desk. He shuffled papers .

Carly jumped up and stalked over to him. "Hey! No. Don't do that. Focus on me. Talk to me. Am I way off base, here? I don't think I am. I see you hurting and that is one thing I can not stand. You know that. I want to fix this for you like you do for me."

He looked at her. "This isn't about Sam."

Carly asked softly, "Ok. Then what?"

"Me. Things didn't work with her because of my job. I could ignore that fact. I always have in the past. But I can't pretend like the kids are safe when they aren't..."

"Oh, God. What now?" asked Carly

"Nothing right now. But when isn't a threat around the next corner?" Jason said

Carly gave him a puzzled look. "That's the life. We can deal."

"I'm through risking them...and you." Jason said. He voice held no room for arguments. " I told you that already. Do I ever lie to you?"

"Never." Carly said "But you are allowed to change your mind now that the crisis is over. Let's leave for the trip tomorrow. Everything will seem better by the time we get back."

Jason walked past her over to the fireplace. "Have you told Sonny?"

"He won't care if we take the boys for a few weeks." Carly said

"What if it is longer?" Jason asked. He faced the fireplace, his eyes on the pictures on the mantle.

"Well, school starts in a month. But who cares? Michael can catch up. This is a once in a lifetime thing for all of us." Carly said, walking closer to him again. No matter what distance he tried to put between them Carly never let him, physically or emotionally. She would get as close as he would allow. "How long do you want to be gone?"

Jason turned around. He reached out and took her hand. She looked down at his hand holding hers, tugging her closer.

She looked up into those blue eyes that she knew as well as her own. And saw emotions she hadn't seen there in years. It was as if he revealed his whole heart to her in that moment. It took Carly's breath away. Nothing on earth affected her the way Jason's touch did.

Call on me
I'll be there for you and you'll be there for meForever it's you
Forever in me
Ever the same

Rob Thomas

Jason said, "I feel like we need to leave and not look back. I always told you that I could make it work for us here. Keep us safe, sane, let you and the boys be happy. But it didn't work, did it?" His

mind tormented him with thoughts of Carly's breakdown, Michael's kidnapping, all the hard years they spent living with Sonny. " I let you all down, Carly."

"Don't ever say that again!" she cried. The tears stung her eyes. She tried to make sense of all this.

"You come through for us every time. You ground me. It terrifies me to think of living my life without you."

"I go where you are." he said "So that won't happen. If you can't leave Port Charles, we stay. Simple as that."

"I can go anywhere if you're there." Her tears fell. "But why, Jase? Why now?"

He turned around again, hiding his face from her.

She whispered, "Ja-son," begging him to give her the answer she waited, what felt like her whole life, to hear.

You may need me there
To carry all your weight


But you're no burden I assure


You tide me over
With a warmth I'll not forget


But I can only give you love

Rob Thomas Lyrics

With quick movements, he spun around and pulled her to him. His lips found hers. Their kiss was pure hunger coming to life after years of fasting.

He pulled away first. She could have stayed in that moment for years.

He said, " I never let myself want more. I didn't think I could or should or whatever, Carly, you know."

She nodded.

"But I do want it all for the boys." Jason continued "They make me want to get them away from the life. And, yeah, I could just talk Sonny into walking away from the business. We could all live here. Maybe one day we can do that." Her eyes shone up at him, filled with hope. Jason continued, "But for now I want to be somewhere else. And I can't leave you. That didn't work the first time I tried. So come with me, okay? Will you and Michael and Morgan come with me, please?"

I'll be there for you and you'll be there for me
Forever it's you
Forever in me
Ever the same

Rob Thomas Lyrics