A/N – Thanks for the comments! Guest - So, Jake is a jerk and spoiled? Jake was kidnapped, taken away from his family, they tried to brainwash him and make him hate everyone. He was just a kid and endured horrible things and then couldn't cope with it when he was returned. He's fixated on protecting his family because he's scared because of what happened to him and because even after all of that, someone wanted to take the one adult he had left away from him. But whatever. If you don't want to try and understand him or have some compassion for him, then I'm wasting my breath.

Chapter 20

Patient 6 picked up a picture on Monica's mantle. She had just left town or ran away because she didn't want to face the holidays with so many members of the family gone.

Michael rushed into the room and froze.

Patient 6 slightly smiled. "Hey. It's good to see you."

Michael perused him, unable to believe he's standing there. "Hey."

When Michael averted his gaze, Patient 6 took a few steps closer.

"What's wrong?" He can't help but stare. It had been too long and Michael has grown so much.

"I just—I've been avoiding you."

"Why?"

"I feel so guilty for thinking he was you."

"Michael…"

"I ignored my instincts that he couldn't be you and I feel like I betrayed you." Tears poured down his cheeks as Jason embraced him.

"I love you, Michael. It's okay. I understand."

They separated.

"I missed you so much."

Jason smiled. "Yeah, I can't put into words how much I missed everyone. Do you think you can fill me in on what's been going on in your life?"

Michael made a face. "That might take longer than an hour."

Jason smirked. "That's okay."

They sat and Michael and Jason talked about his life and Morgan's.

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Elizabeth stood in the doorway of the balcony in her temporary room. They had just had dessert and she had decided that she was tired and said goodnight. She can't help but worry about what tomorrow will bring. The news had spread quickly that she and Max are married. Johnny had even gotten her a ring. As the large diamond glistened on her hand, she felt melancholy and her eyes pricked with tears as she remembered her almost wedding to Jason or whoever he is. She laughed ruefully at the turn her life had taken.

"What's so funny?" Cam asked.

She spun around and wiped her face. "I was just thinking how mortified Jason would be to know that I'm not only running the local mob, but our son is my backup enforcer."

Cam grinned. "Yeah, I don't think he'd get a laugh from that."

"I basically did the opposite of everything he ever wanted."

"You're a girl. You don't listen."

She went to playfully smack his arm, but he tugged her against him instead.

"You look like you need a hug."

She closed her eyes. "I feel like I won the son lotto."

"You did."

She smirked. "You're so funny."

"I know. I'm glad that you noticed, but seriously, are you okay?"

"Yes." She retreated. "I don't want you to worry about me."

"What you're doing for Jake and even Maximus is pretty cool."

"You think so?"

He grinned. "It's hard to imagine you as Maximus. You could fit in his stomach."

"Cam!"

"What? He towers over you."

"I might be small, but I'm tough."

"I know. Thank you."

"For what?"

He sighed. "I think I judged you pretty harshly when we moved here. You never left us and always took care of us. I should thank you because you always did the best you could. I get that now. Nobody is perfect and I don't think anyone could love us as much as you do."

"Oh, Cam…" She gripped him tightly. "I thought I had ruined you." There are so many choices she regrets, and she thanks God that the men she had chosen to be in their life hadn't scarred them.

"Never…"

She patted his cheek.

"Now, about that Ferrari I want…"

Her mouth dropped open. "Did you say all that for a car?"

His eyes twinkled mischievously and the next thing he knew he was on the floor and his mom was tickling him as he yelled for help.

Jake and Johnny ran into the room with Francis right behind him.

Jake cracked up. "I thought you knew her secrets."

"Help…" Cam said trying to dodge his mother's hands.

Francis shook his head as he moved behind Elizabeth and lifted her.

"Don't save him."

"Elizabeth, he was tearing up. I had to save his man card."

She glared at her son who Johnny is helping to stand.

Cam gazed at his mom. "I meant everything I said."

"You better."

He moved toward the door to create some distance. "Oh, and I want a red one."

She growled and went to run after him, but Francis grabbed her waist. "He is so punished."

"You want me to get him, mom?"

She nodded as she pouted, and Jake couldn't help but laugh. He took off and a few seconds later, they heard Cam yelp and he was laughing again.

"You okay?" Johnny asked.

"Yeah, before he slipped in that he wanted a Ferrari at the end, he said some beautiful things to me."

Johnny and Francis laughed.

"He gets that's from you."

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

Francis shook his head. "You've already gotten a few gifts."

"Really? Is it dead animals?"

"This is not the Godfather," Johnny said.

"I'm just checking."

"They have been scanned, but not opened," Francis explained.

Her eyes narrowed. "Do you have a guard you don't like that can do that?"

Johnny laughed. "They are safe. I promise."

"I'll look at them tomorrow. What is customary as a response?"

"I don't think you'll get a lot more, but a phone call will suffice," Francis said.

"Alright." She is suddenly nervous.

"Don't worry. You have the gift for gab and the presents will be from people who have your back."

"Okay."

"Get some sleep. You have a big day tomorrow."

She watched as her door shut and then moved into the bathroom and gazed into the mirror. "Oh, Jason. I hope you won't hate me if you ever find out. I'm trying to hold this family together." She looked down and gripped the sink. "God, I wish you were here." Considering all the relationships in her life, she always seemed to be on repeat and turn back to the men who had hurt her badly. While Jason had hurt her, it was not on the same level as Lucky and Ric. Zander, she chalked up to being young, scared, and stupid. Lucky is in a class by himself. It was innocent in the beginning but after Helena faked his death, she had spent most of the time trying to please him, get him back, or save him. There was an obligation there. If she is honest with herself, she tried to save Ric from himself too. Had she tried to do that with Jason? Had she hoped that he would walk away from the violence for her? Is that why Jake struck such a chord with her when she found out he was Jason? For once, she could have it all and he'd be able to put her first?

Sighing she sat on the bed. Jason was the bad boy with a heart of gold. He gave her the attention she craved and believed in her. Was he the first one to do that? God, she lost herself after the rape and with each man, it was like she was trying to find a part of herself and piece her soul back together. Some of them ripped it right back open. She wasn't strong enough to just leave with Jason and felt like she wasn't enough to make him stay. It was all excuses for them because they knew deep down that they could fall so hard that it could break them irrevocably. That is why he holds such a huge place in her heart, and she's drawn back to him because Lizzie wants to fall with Jason; a full plummet without a parachute, but Elizabeth fights it because everyone is always taken away or leaves and she spent so much time putting everyone else's needs in front of hers she didn't know how to stop. She barely made it back from Lucky. Being with Jason in a full-blown, honest relationship and then losing him would have destroyed her. Yet here she is still standing after someone wanted to kill her; about to take control of a mob family to save not only them but her beautiful son that Helena tried to ruin. God, the length that women went to make her suffer.

Standing she took a deep breath. Elizabeth, for the most part, needs to go. It will be like unlearning a gazillion bad habits, but she needs to focus and be strong. In a nutshell, she can't take shit from anyone. After rolling her shoulders, she gazes in the mirror for several minutes and then smirks. "There you are, Lizzie. Welcome back."

Her door slightly opened, and Jake moved inside.

"Can I have a hug?"

She smiled and warmly embraced him.

"What's wrong?"

"Maybe I shouldn't have made you feel like you had to do this."

"Jake…"

"I just—I feel so out of control sometimes, like this is the only thing I have because everything in my head is so messed up." A tear trickled down his face. "Being an enforcer and protecting us is the only thing I feel like I have control over. My dreams were what kept me going so I didn't think about what happened all the time." He is still traumatized from the Helena years. "She always said that even if she was dead, there were people who would finish it, and every day, I'm waiting for someone to knock on the door or stop me in the street and do just that."

She sighed heavily as she painful memories bombarded her son and wonders if he'll ever get over what Helena did. "You need to do one thing for me, Jake."

"What?"

"You need to talk to someone after this is over. You can't go on holding all of this inside you. When you get it all out, believe it or not, you'll feel free. Do you know how hard it was for me to watch you suck down all that pain because you wouldn't allow anyone in?"

He feels like all he has caused is pain since he was kidnapped.

"I hate that she hurt you so badly and I would do anything to fix that. No one is going hurt our family like that again."

They embraced again. "We'll talk about it afterward. I promise. I know I need help."

"Thank you." It had taken too long for him to realize that, but she's just glad he recognized it so young. She on the other hand had waited for way too long to deal with her demons.

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Patient 6 entered Pozzulo's and is surprised to see an old friend.

Spinelli looked up and his eyes widened. "Wow. It is you."

Jason's eyes softened. "Hey."

"I guess you're surprised to see me since you seem to have lost your phone."

"Who told you?"

"Does it matter? You didn't."

Jason sighed.

"Should I make the assumption that you are harboring a grudge because I gave someone else your life."

"Spinelli, there has been so much going on. Wait—what are you talking about?"

"It was my program that misidentified the false one and made everyone think that he is you."

"It's not your fault. He's my identical twin, so of course he would look like me before the accident."

"You're not mad?"

"No."

"Then why didn't you pick up a phone and call me?"

"I didn't want to put you in the middle of me and Sam. She's happy with him and they have a family."

Spinelli gulps. "I can explain."

Jason frowned.

"After a rigorous test, which Andrew passed, I—I was so convinced that you had returned, and Sam was so elated that I am the one that joined them together in marriage."

Jason is floored. "You—you married them?"

Spinelli shifts his weight. "Oh, you didn't know?"

"No."

"Oh…" Spinelli averts his gaze.

"It's okay."

"Really? After all, I did, it's okay?"

"Well, it's not like you did it on purpose."

Spinelli is overwhelmed and tears spring into his eyes. "It really is you."

"Yeah."

Spinelli makes a noise as he laughs and dives at Jason and grips him tightly.

Jason pats his back for a moment. "Spinelli…"

Spinelli retreats and pulls on Jason's jacket, so Jason tries to remove his hands and slightly smacks them.

"We need to give Andrew back his life so you can get yours back."

Jason shook his head.

"We need to get your family back and your finances."

"I've already been over this with everyone else. I'm not breaking up Sam's family."

"You are Danny's father, so you have top priority."

"It doesn't matter if I end up going to jail for attacking Franco. The hearing is in an hour." He starts to leave. "Wait. Were you the one helping Drew find Elizabeth?"

Spinelli's eyes sadden. "I knew you'd want to find little Stone Cold. I tried for almost a year, but alas, whoever is hiding her went to great lengths to give me false leads and make me run in circles. Mr. Sir finally told me to stop."

Jason frowned. "Did Drew know?"

"Eventually, we spoke, and he understood that the Jackal found a new job. He said he would find someone else to help, so I gave him a few people to call."

Jason makes a mental note to ask Sonny why he would do that.

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Nina moved into the interrogation room with Franco.

"Hey. I'm so glad you came."

"Well, that's what girlfriends are for."

He slightly smiled. "Thanks. You're the only one. I want him to fry but no one will testify against him."

"Maybe you should let it go."

"What? He tried to kill me."

"Well, you did do a lot of bad things to him and the people that he loves."

Franco rolled his eyes. "I had a tumor."

"He didn't know that."

"What? Are you saying that I should let it go? Why are you taking his side? You don't even know him."

She sighed. "I'm not taking his side. I'm on yours. Some people would say you owe him. Let's face it. Jason doesn't care about tumors. His brain doesn't work that way. You hurt people and now he wants you to die."

"He can't kill me if he's in jail."

Nina smirked. "Is that what this is about?"

"This is about a man beating the crap out of me."

"Look, I know it hurt, but this is going to make you look very bad. You're trying to build a life again and people will hate you for this."

"I don't care about that." He has a secret that will certainly ensure his death.

"Yes, you do. I think you're scared he is Jason and that he is going to want revenge."

Franco rolled his eyes.

"Franco, if you don't let this go, not only will he make sure you end up dead, but your stint as the town pariah will become otherworldly."

A lawyer popped his head into the room. "We need to get to the courtroom."

They stepped into the other room just as Patient 6, Spinelli, and Diane entered.

"I hope you're ready to lose," Diane said smugly.

"Save it."

Patient 6 and Franco are staring at each other.

Nina put her arm on Franco's.

"Alright, let's go so I can wipe the floor with you."

"Please…" Nina whispered. "Do it for us."

Franco didn't move, but after a long pause he said, "I'd like to drop the charges."

"She just saved your butt," Diane said.

"I guess I have some paperwork to do," Franco's lawyer said.

Carly moved into the room with Sam and Drew. "I'm glad you're all here."

Jordan and Curtis led Andre Maddox into the room.

"Well, it's the man with all of the answers," Sonny said.

"Dr. Maddox, tell the truth. Tell them that I am Jason Morgan and that's my twin, Andrew Cain," Jason said. "Why did you do it? You hurt my child."

Andre looked away.

"You pretended to treat my kid. What? Was it to hurt me?"

"I didn't pretend. I did everything I could to help him."

Diane stepped forward. "Okay, let's get back on track. Dr. Maddox, tell them which man is Jason Morgan."

"You won't have much use for me once the truth comes out. I did this to find a cure for Alzheimer's and Dementia which are soul-destroying conditions—"

"Shut up!" Sam said moving forward. "We are not going to feel sorry for you. You are cruel, greedy, and evil. You took Jason Morgan's memories and gave them to someone else and then act like it's no big deal. So, screw you and your intentions. Just tell us who is who."

He looked around for a moment. "I was sent here to monitor Andrew Cain." He turned towards Jason. "You're Andrew." He then turned toward Patient 6. "And you are Jason Morgan."

Sam slowly turned around to face the man she loves who is trying to hold in his disappointment.

Andrew moved forward. "How much did he pay you to say that?"

"Who?"

"Sonny Corinthos."

"Did he promise to bail you out and get you out of the country? All you had to do is say that Andrew is me?"

"It's not a lie."

Andrew turned his attention to Sonny.

"Why would you do this? Why would you betray me?"

"What are you talking about. I didn't do anything. You have my word."

"What sucks is that your word doesn't mean a damn thing to me anymore. Because I wouldn't work for you and bow at your feet, you sell me out?"

"You have it wrong, man."

Diane moved forward. "Dr. Maddox, do you have any proof?"

"Nothing that I can access."

An officer moved forward to take Andre to booking.

"I truly am sorry."

Andrew is seething. "I truly don't care." He turned to Sam. "Let's go."

Spinelli came forward. "Wait! I have proof."

"Spinelli…" Sam said.

"The longer this goes on, the more painful it will be. I have proof that you are Andrew Cain.

Andrew is not impressed. "You are a computer hacker. You can fake files."

"Yes, I could, but why would I do that? I would never inflict that kind of pain on any of you."

"I am just establishing facts. It's up to you to do what you want with them."

"Fine, show me what you have."

Spinelli pulled out a picture. "This is Chief Special Warfare operator Andrew Cain. You're a navy seal."