A/N – Thanks for the comments! Sorry that the schedule for posting is all over the place. I'm exhausted but hanging in there. Hope you are well. I get to see Steve and Bradford on Sunday. They are doing a holiday show and then it's up in the air if they will return to touring due to their schedules and because Steve is on Days that makes it kind of weird for him to do GH-themed shows. Hopefully, they'll figure it out. If you're going to be there, make sure you look for me and say hi.
Chapter 43
Audrey put her fork down. The couple had been kind of quiet all evening. "Alright, what happened?"
"Ask him," Elizabeth said before taking a sip of her drink.
Jason sighed as he shook his head. "Her ankles were too swollen, so I called Kelly."
Audrey fought a smirk. Lila and Monica are going to love this. "I see."
"I don't understand why that is wrong."
"Of course, you don't."
His eyes narrowed. "What does that mean?"
He is totally out of his element and felt like two sharks were circling him.
"Do you trust that Elizabeth knows her body?"
"Yes, but she gets into what she is doing and forgets to take a break."
Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "Jason, I set an alarm so that I get up consistently or stop to elevate if necessary."
"And while I love that you do that, your ankles are still swelling. Maybe something else is wrong. I'm sorry, but I love you, and losing you or our child is not an option."
Audrey almost chuckled. Elizabeth looks torn between kissing or hitting him.
"Don't be mad."
Liz ate some mashed potatoes and then focused on him. "Next time, can you at least talk it over with me first?"
He nodded. It finally dawned on him that this was about control, and she is struggling to maintain what little she has. "Okay."
"See how easy it is when you hash it out?"
Liz groaned. "You are enjoying this too much."
"Oh, I am."
Jason doesn't get that at all, but the food is so good, he just doesn't care.
"Your brother called me."
Elizabeth's fork dropped onto her plate. "About me?"
Audrey's head tilted. "No. What am I missing?"
"I'm not sure what is going on with him, but he was asking questions like he was poking around for information. I did tell him I was pregnant and then he quieted. I'm not sure what to think."
Audrey sighed heavily. "He's gambling again and asked for money."
"I'm sorry."
"He's a grown man. This is all on him and I told him that. I'm not giving him money when he has no intention of changing."
"I'm sure he loved that."
"He hemmed and hawed for a few minutes, but I didn't back down and told him to call his father."
Liz smirked. "I'm sure he loved that."
"I doubt he will. Are you scared he's being blackmailed?"
"Yes," Jason said before throwing his napkin down. "I'll take care of it."
Audrey's eyes widened.
"I'm not going to kill him. I'll pay off his debt if he agrees to go to rehab."
"You shouldn't have to pay for that, Jason."
"I know, but he's your family. Besides, maybe he'll crack, and we'll find out if Helena contacted him."
Audrey suddenly feels ill.
"Gram, are you okay?" Liz said moving loser.
"I'm just upset. What if she tries to hurt him?"
"I'll send him far away. She won't find him."
Tears welled in her eyes. "I'm sorry, Jason. I know you have the means, but that doesn't mean I think it's fair. He got himself in this mess. Of course, I don't want him to be hurt, but I don't want to take advantage of your kindness."
He hates that she is upset and wishes he could make Steven pay. "You're not taking advantage because I volunteered.
Audrey wiped a tear away. "Thank you."
Liz squeezed her hand as she fought spilling her tears.
"I think I need a hug."
Liz started to move.
"Not you dear."
The look on Liz's face is so priceless that Jason almost laughed. He got up and so did Audrey, and then they embraced.
When she spotted the pout on Liz's face, she giggled.
"Fine, come here."
Jason moved back and Liz slipped between them.
"I hate they always hurt us," Liz whispered.
When she began to cry, Audrey and Jason's gazes locked.
"It's okay, don't upset yourself."
"It's not okay. I'm so tired of them, Grams."
"I know, darling, but we can't change them. You now have a chance to be a great parent and treat your child like you wanted to be treated. You'll have to find your path and some middle ground, so your style isn't extreme, but I have so much faith in you."
"I'm glad you do."
"I believe in you too," Jason said before her body crashed against his.
He let her cry it out, even though it killed him, and then made her lay down and take a nap.
Audrey led him to the kitchen where they cleaned. "She's tough but sensitive. Can I make a request?"
"Yes."
"I want whomever you send to scare the crap out of him. Can you do that?"
"Yes." Cody is swapping with Richie and flying back later in the evening, so he'll just have him go straight to California. He'll know what to do.
She searched his eyes for a long moment and then nodded. "Thank you. Sometimes, you need tough love. Let him know I approved, maybe someone will finally get through his thick skull."
"I'll probably get him out of the country and then have one of my staff find a treatment program."
"That's fine. I trust you."
"Thank you."
IiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIi
Stefan opened the door to one of the rooms in the catacombs and is shocked by who is there.
Carly stood as her eyes widened. "What are you doing here?"
"I was just walking around. Shouldn't I be asking you that?"
Helena cleared her throat. "She's my guest."
He spun on his heel. "What are you up to?"
She grinned. "Oh, plenty. You know, curiosity killed the cat."
He hates how she clips her words. "Sometimes, you need the cat alive."
She laughed. "You should have minded your business, Stefan."
Carly's stomach turned. She hates everything about Helena and wonders how far the maniacal woman will go.
"I have always kept your secrets before."
"This time, it's different."
"How so?"
"There is too much at stake." She moved between him and Carly. I don't trust you completely."
"I've given you no reason to doubt me." The hair on the back of his neck stands as he awaits her next move.
"That might be true, but there is still the issue of your little girlfriend."
Before he can respond, he's hit hard over the head and crumbles to the floor.
"Holy Shit," Carly muttered. "Are you going to kill him?"
She has no intention of doing so, but the vacuous blonde doesn't need to know that. "Let this be a lesson, Carly. If you step out of line, you may succumb to the same fate."
Carly gulped as she watched the guards drag Stefan's body away.
"Now, the weekend is here, and on Sunday, you will reach out to your former lover and beg him to help you. Jason has always had a weak spot for you."
"That's because we have a deep connection."
"I don't want to know how deep that is, I just need you to play him. I'm sure you've done it many times before."
"I have."
"Then you better give him the performance of your life, or you may lose it."
When Helena strolled out of the room, Carly is relieved. She sunk onto the bed and buried her face in her hands. "Oh Jason, what have I done?"
IiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIi
Emily laughed when Sam beat the guard in poker once again and motioned for him to take off his shirt.
When a curse left his lips in another language and he ripped it off, their brows rose.
"Not bad," Sam said.
"Not as good as Johnny's."
Several sentences left his lips, and they could tell it wasn't nice.
"Language—" Ryan said as he strolled into the room. "And why are you naked?"
The guard shoved his shirt back on.
"Seriously, Angus, you are absolute cow dung at poker. Why do you persist?" Maggie asked.
Siobhan grinned. "Are you putting on a little lard, Angus?"
His face turned red.
"Does Krissy know you're parading your wares around for all to see?" Maggie asked.
To their astonishment, his face reddened further.
"Are you going to pop? Should I ring a doctor?" Katie said.
"You're so funny," he said before ducking out of the room.
Ryan pretended to be mad. "All right, whose idea was it to get the clothes off my guard?"
Emily bit her lip as Sam smiled and raised her hand.
The women in the room cracked up.
He rolled his eyes. "And what would you have done if he had lost his pants?"
She shrugged. "I probably would have made him take them off and then ran off with them."
Emily laughed. "That would have been good."
He focused on her. "You probably would have tripped him to buy her time. I'm onto you."
"You go ahead and believe that," Siobhan said before patting him on the back.
An alarm rang out and his gaze locked with his mother's.
"Follow me," she said as she led them to a panic room."
Once inside, Siobhan grabbed a weapon. "Can you shoot?" she asked Sam.
"Yes."
"Emily?"
She sighed. "Yeah."
They can hear an explosion in the distance and Emily and Sam notice the tension seemed to leave the room.
"Damn that new idiot," Maggie said.
"Ryan needs to fire him."
"He made a deal."
They put their guns away.
"What is going on?" Emily asked.
They turned to face her.
"We have some stills outback—several sheds. I think mister twig for brains blew another one up."
Sam began to laugh. "This is the craziest place I've ever been."
Maggie grinned. "Why, thank you."
Katie opened the door. She can tell from the monitors that Maggie's assumption is correct. "Come one, I'm hungry."
They went back to the kitchen.
IiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIi
Kelly smiled as she moved into the room. "Hello, my favorite couple."
"Yeah, yeah…" Elizabeth muttered.
"Someone is grumpy."
"You'd be grumpy too if you were busting at the seams."
"Well, let's take a look." She checked Liz's feet first. "They are swollen, but your blood pressure is stable."
"Is everything else okay?" Jason asked.
She turned up the heart monitor and then another machine. "Let's take a look."
Once the gel was applied, Kelly pressed the wand against Elizabeth's belly and smiled. "She's getting big."
Liz sniffed. "She's beautiful."
Jason wishes he could make out what they are seeing.
Kelly took a moment to show him.
"Wow," he whispered. A miracle is growing inside her, and he can't wait to meet her.
"You both are doing fine. Your bloodwork is at the lab and I'm running a few tests to rule out the possible culprits, and then we'll decide if more needs to be done."
Jason's gaze finally shifts to his wife. "You okay?"
She nodded as a few tears fell.
Kelly turned everything off after removing her gloves. "Alright, I want to see you in two weeks."
"Okay," Liz said.
After she left, Jason helped her sit up and then stepped between her legs and they embraced.
"I love this baby, but I want her out."
Jason smiled. "Me too…"
IiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIi
As Elizabeth and Jason moved into the area near the main nurse's station, they stop abruptly when Ric comes into view escorted by several police officers.
Taggert muttered under his breath as Ric froze.
"Elizabeth…"
"Don't even say her name," Jason said as he pinned Ric with his gaze.
Ric's attention went back to his ex-wife and her large belly. "You look beautiful."
Elizabeth's shoulders squared. "You are the worse thing that has ever happened to me, and I hope you rot in jail."
He flinches as her eyes blaze with fury. "You loved me."
She laughed bitterly. "I was an idiot. Now that I understand what true love is, I realize you were just a placeholder for Jason. He is everything you were not. I just want you to know that once you are sentenced, I won't ever think of you again. You are dead to me, Ric. I'm finally free from fear, anxiety, and regret."
"You were happy."
"Not for long, because you ruined all that. Thank God. Let's go, Jason."
When they turned to leave, Ric tried to move forward and is restrained. "She won't stop, Elizabeth. You know that, right?"
She slightly turned her head. "I am not your concern anymore."
As they got on the elevator, Ric's yells bounce off the walls of the lobby. "She'll kill him and then you'll be hers. You need to get out of town before it's too late. Elizabeth!"
When the doors shut, he gave up the fight knowing that she is truly lost to him forever.
IiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIi
Jason observed as Elizabeth rested on the couch. She hadn't spoken the whole way home and then laid down. He moved into the kitchen and dialed his phone.
"Johnny…"
"What's up?"
"Remember what we were talking about the other day?"
Johnny stood and moved toward his balcony. "Yes."
"Start it. I'm done."
"Okay."
"Keep me updated."
"Will do."
Johnny shut his eyes going over the details in his head. They are going to slowly poison Ric. It's untraceable and he won't realize that something is amiss until it's too late. The authorities will just think it's heart failure. He needs to die, and while Jason would rather do it himself, that isn't an option. Knowing that they orchestrated it will have to be enough for now.
IiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIi
Helena listened to the report from her spy at the hospital and then hung up the phone. She has two choices, she can kill Ric quickly and efficiently, or help him escape so that Jason can have him.
"What would you like my Queen?"
"I'll make a decision soon." They can get to Ric anywhere. Access is not a concern, but she has plans for Jason and he'll be the first one they blame, so it might have to wait. One way or another, Ric will have to be punished for defying her though. That is for certain.
Stefan began to stir shifting her attention. As the room came into focus, he tried to sit up, but he was restrained.
"Welcome to your new home until further notice."
He is livid and in immense pain. "Why are you doing this?"
"Because things will be moving along in the next few days, and you are a liability."
"I have proven myself to you over and over."
"There were times along the way when I would have probably trusted you, but your girlfriend has made you weak."
He rolled his eyes. "Leave her out of this. I was handling things."
"All she has to do is bat her eyes and you'd jump to the other side. I might be old, but one could never call me stupid."
"So, you're just going to hold me hostage?"
"That's the plan for now."
"But you're also willing to kill me?"
"If it benefits the result that I need, then I think you know the answer to that. I don't enjoy offing family members, but sometimes, I have no choice."
"Does that mean Nikolas is fair game?"
A sly smile edged onto her face. "That is a complex question. For now, he's doing my bidding, but trust is not complete. We shall see where his alliances fall in the end."
