When She Finally Had Enough
Elizabeth walked off the elevator into the Metrocourt restaurant, looking around for Emily. They had planned on a nice dinner, just two friends enjoying each other's company.
Emily had been the only person, other than Sonny, surprisingly, who had been supportive of her these past few months. When word got around that Jason was indeed the father of her baby, she had been on the receiving end of some very hurtful and scathing words. Jason had been by her side the whole time, supporting her, and she didn't know what she would have done without him.
She spotted Emily at a table and started walking toward her when a voice from behind stopped her.
"Well if it isn't the hypocrite."
Elizabeth groaned closed her eyes, her head falling forward. She knew that voice. Why couldn't she go anywhere without having to deal with Maxie Jones?
She turned around and faced her, her arms crossed over her small baby bump.
"If you don't mind, Maxie, I'm in no mood for you, so just go follow Lucky around like the little lost puppy dog you are?"
She turned to walk away and was stopped by Maxie, who grabbed her arm and spun her around.
"You know, Elizabeth, you sure have a lot of nerve. You stand there, berating me for sleeping with your husband, when you yourself cheated on your marriage. So how long have you been sleeping with Jason? I mean, have you two been going at it from day one, or what?"
Elizabeth seethed. She was not going to take her bait. Raising her head high, she turned and walked away. Normally, she would have no problem smacking the heck out of the pitiful girl, but Maxie was pregnant, and as mad as she was, she refused to lay a hand on her.
Continuing her walk to the table, she was stopped again by another annoying voice.
"What's the matter? Can't stand that everyone is finally seeing you for the pitiful woman you really are?"
Elizabeth turned to Carly and just shook her head.
"Listen, I am just here for a little dinner with my best friend. I would appreciate it if you just left me alone, and go about your business. I am in no mood for you tonight."
"Well, isn't that too bad, considering I own this place? You see, Elizabeth, I know what your plan is. The 'poor me' act just doesn't work on me. You're using this baby to get your hooks into Jason. Well, let me tell you something. He saw through it before, he will again. You aren't good enough to shine his shoes."
"Gee, you know Carly, I thought Jason is an adult who can make his own decisions. I forgot that you are in charge of running his life. This is Jason's baby, and no matter what happens, it will always be Jason's baby. No matter what things spew out of that loud, obnoxious mouth of yours, nothing can change that. Now, if you'll excuse me."
As she walked away, Carly went to go after her, but was stopped by Jax, who witnessed the entire scene from across the room.
She finally made it to the table and sunk down, her nerves on overdrive. Emily reached over and grabbed her hand, squeezing softly.
"I'm so sorry you have to go through this, Liz. It's not fair."
"No, it isn't. But I knew that if this was Jason's baby, that there would be consequences. I'm just sorry that it caused problems for you and Nikolas."
Emily shook her head. "Don't apologize for that. He is so busy defending his brother, that he doesn't want to see your side. He ended things with us before it even began because I wasn't going to jump on Lucky's or Sam's side. That's his fault. I know what really happened, and I know what you went through. I'm not going to abandon you out of some loyalty to Nikolas, or Lucky. You are my best friend too, and I'm going to stand by you.
Unshed tears pooled in Elizabeth's eyes as she squeezed Emily's hand.
"Thank you so much, Em. I don't know what I would have done without you these past few weeks."
Emily smiled. "Well, all I know is that you are giving Jason something he has always wanted. You are making him happier than I have ever seen him. I can't be angry at you about that."
Elizabeth smiled and a silence fell over the table as they read their menus. The silence was broken, however as Sam sauntered up to their table, hand on hip, attitude high.
"Gee, Elizabeth? Where's Jason? I mean, wherever you are, he is nowadays?"
Letting out a long breathe, Elizabeth looked up at the brunette windbag.
"Jason is at work. I am just here to have a quiet dinner with a friend. Do you mind?"
"You're damned right I mind. I mind that you took advantage of the situation and hooked your claws into Jason. You just had to have him for yourself. He and I were happy together, and you had to ruin it."
Elizabeth tried to calm herself down. She took a few deep breathes and looked around the room. It seemed as though everyone that was here tonight was determined to ruin her evening. Maxie was at a far corner table, and she noticed that Lucky was sitting with her. Lulu was sitting at a table with Nikolas, who she also didn't notice, both of them giving her looks that could kill. Finally she snapped.
The chair drug along the floor, causing a loud screech. She slowly stood up and faced Sam, fury in her eyes.
"How dare you stand there and act all self-righteous with me! You can act like you are the innocent in all of this? Let me tell you something Sam, you have no one to blame about any of this but yourself. Jason and I slept together. For one night, we came together because the people we were with decided to jump into bed with someone else!"
There was a loud gasp from the rest of the patrons, but Elizabeth continued on, oblivious to the elevator doors opening and Jason and Sonny walking out.
Elizabeth got right up in Sam's face as she continued.
"That's right, Sam. No one knows about what really happened that night. You go around telling everyone how I slept with your fiancé, when you conveniently leave out what you were doing that night. I guess you wouldn't be getting so much sympathy if everyone knew that you slept with your step-father! Not only that, but someone that Jason hates with a passion. His mortal enemy! So you can stand her and be as sanctimonious as you want." She turned and looked around the room, still not looking toward the elevator, and spoke to the entire restaurant. "You can all make all the judgments you want to make about me. I just don't care anymore. Jason and I were together. And, listen carefully. I don't regret it. I'm not sorry. In fact, it was the best night of my life." She looked at Lucky, and continued. "I was hurt and disgusted by what I found when I got to my apartment. My husband was in my bed with the Commissioner's daughter. I had no where to go, and somehow I ended up at Jason's door. We were there for each other that night, just like we have been there for each other for the past seven years. Jason is the only one who has ever really listened, and cared about what I had to say, about how I felt. He respects me enough to make my own decisions. He listens to me without judging me. You all have this opinion about who Jason is, and that's fine. I know who he really is, and as of right now, I don't care about what anyone else thinks. I couldn't ask for a better father for my child. So, you can all sit there, on your high horses, and snub your nose at me, and make your comments. I know what I am doing, I know what I have done, and I know who Jason is. He is better than any person in this room."
She turned around and grabbed her purse and pushed her chair into the table.
"You can all just go to hell."
She turned to run to the elevator when she collided into the broad chest of Jason. His hands went to her upper arms to steady her as her eyes went up to meet his.
He looked at her, amazed at her strength. It must've taken a lot for her to get this upset. She wouldn't normally have gone off like that if she wasn't at her boiling point.
When she looked up at him, the dam broke. She sobbed and fell against his chest. He held her tightly, his eyes blue eyes looking coldly at everyone in the room, knowing that they were the reason for her outburst.
He lifted her head softly so he could look at her, his thumbs wiping away her tears. He gave her a look that said he understood and he was there for her. He kissed her forehead softly and bent down, sliding his arms under her legs and carried her toward the elevator. He turned around to look at the stunned crowd.
"If anyone of you decide you need to make comments to or about her, and I mean anyone." His eyes trained on Carly. "You won't like the outcome."
He turned as the elevator doors opened and carried her into it, Sonny and Emily walking in behind them. The crowd stayed silent as the doors closed.
Inside the elevator, Elizabeth raised her head to look at Jason.
"I'm sorry, I don't know why I said those things. I shouldn't have blurted that all out. I know you didn't want everyone to know-"
"No, you did what you had to do. Everyone has been persecuting you for what we did. You didn't say anything about the reasons behind it and have been taking all of it for months. I don't normally care what people think of me, but it was time they knew what really happened. I'm proud of you."
Elizabeth smiled softly. "Thank you."
"I've got you, Elizabeth. We'll do this together."
She rested her head back on his shoulder, and let him take care of her.
Behind them, Sonny gave Emily a knowing smile, which she returned. They both knew that, even though Jason and Elizabeth got together under unconventional circumstances, they were meant to be. No matter what had happened or will happen, their bond will never be broken, only made stronger.