A/N – Thanks for the comments! Maxie was on television so she is a reporter. That is why Sarah was mentioning her working at the station and why they were trying to get info from Lucas. Lucky is her cameraman. You'll find out more about them later. And Jason is in no condition to have sex. Between the bruised ribs and the full cast, that really isn't going to happen lol.
Chapter 16
"How was your night with Kelly?" Liz asked.
"We fell asleep after watching a movie. Clearly, I'm a bore."
"I don't think that was it. Any more memory flashes?"
"Not yet."
"Well, I need to call Francis. He's getting all the supplies together so that they can start."
"Did they keep a part of the wing?"
"Yeah. Over half had to be destroyed though."
"It's going to be fine. Francis won't let you down."
She knew Francis wouldn't. He was pretty convicted about getting it done. "I'm going to go make some brownies."
"You bake?"
"There is a short list of desserts I make and that is on it. I'm pretty good at it."
"I'll try one."
She smiled. "I was counting on it."
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Ric took the envelope from the man's hand and slammed the door in his face. "Asshole." After ripping it open, he grimaced at the summons before sitting in a chair. Sonny was going to have a fit. Somehow, he had to stop this. He would not go down without a fight.
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Sonny threw a glass against the wall and then watched it shatter.
"What did that do to you?"
His eyes snapped to the door. "Carly, this isn't a good time."
"I showed up for lunch like you asked. You should have called me."
"I just got bad news."
"I'm sorry."
He sighed and closed his eyes. "I'm being sued for the wing collapse."
"Oh. You figured that was coming didn't you?"
"Yes, but it doesn't make it any easier."
"What are you going to do?"
"Hire a good lawyer, I guess."
"What about Ric?"
Sonny's fists clenched. "He is not going to like my response to this."
Carly swallowed hard and then turned to see Ric standing in the doorway.
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John knocked on Elizabeth's door.
"Hey. Come on in."
He handed her a box of candy. "Nice digs."
"Thanks."
He followed her to the kitchen. "What is that smell?"
"Brownies."
He grinned. "Do I get one?"
"After lunch, you can wait."
She grabbed the bag from Kelly's and handed him a container. They sat at the table. She had already given Jason his lunch.
"It's so good to see you," he said. It was hard not to stare, she basically looked like she did before, but more mature.
"I feel the same. So, you're not married off yet?"
"No because everyone else paled in comparison to you."
"Smooth." She took a bite of her burger.
"This is good," John said.
"I'm glad you like it."
Jason coughed and John frowned.
"Is your boyfriend here?"
"No. I have a house guest."
"Steven?"
"Nope. Jason Morgan is staying with me."
He put his burger down. "Oh, that's right. I think I read that."
She rolled her eyes. "He got hurt because of me, so I'm making sure that he's taken care of."
"Doesn't he have family?"
"Yes, but it's complicated."
"Isn't it always?"
She smiled.
"I'm surprised Johnny hasn't popped the question."
"We haven't been together that long."
"Time is irrelevant if it's the right person. I would have married you."
"We were kids."
"And I still had great taste."
She wiped her mouth. "Your dad never thought so."
"I didn't care what he thought then and I don't care now."
"How is Claudia?"
"She's good. Her personality kind of mellowed a bit."
Liz's brows raised. "Really?"
"Yup. She loves running the business. It suits her."
"Where are you living?"
"New York. I mean, we travel around a lot. Sometimes, we stay in Europe for several months. It can be run from anywhere." The Zaccharas owned a fleet of freighters.
"How long are you staying?"
"For a while, I want to get to know you again."
He had a devilish look in his eyes.
"First of all, that look is what got me knocked up in the first place. Secondly, you do realize that Johnny isn't going away, right?"
"I don't see a ring on it."
She sighed. "Seriously, I can't handle another loss right now. The collapse threw me for a loop and I'm just trying to keep my head above water."
He reached over and held her hand. "I'm sorry. I don't want to hurt you, Elizabeth. You just don't seem happy."
"I'm just trying to process what happened."
Jason rang his bell and she wiped her mouth and threw the napkin down.
'I'll be right back."
She left the kitchen and a curious John followed.
Jason looked up at her apologetically. "I'm sorry. I dropped my pill."
"It's okay. You rarely ring that thing."
She picked it up and handed it to him and Jason swallowed it down with some water. "You need anything else."
"No. Is everything okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine."
She looked a little edgy to him.
John cleared his throat and Elizabeth spun around. "You gonna introduce us?"
"Sure. John Zacchara this is Jason Morgan."
John nodded. "It's nice to meet you."
"Likewise."
"I hear you saved her life. Thanks."
Jason didn't answer him. He looked like a smart ass and could already tell that his smirk was going to drive him crazy.
"We'll be in the dining room. Just ring if you need me. I'll bring you a brownie in a few minutes."
Jason slightly smiled. "Thanks."
John followed her back to the kitchen. "Do you make a habit of dating models?"
Liz laughed. "They would probably cut you for saying that. Johnny owns his own business and Jason is in construction."
"They look pretty to me."
She rolled her eyes. "Some things never change."
"My sarcastic quips?"
"Precisely."
"I always could make you smile."
"This is true."
There was a thud and Liz got up and ran to Jason's room again.
"What happened?"
"I have to go to the bathroom."
She picked the dislodged wedge up. "Jason, you are supposed to call me."
He sighed as he tried to swing his leg off the bed. Liz grabbed it.
"I can do it."
"And how were you going to pick that up?"
"Carefully?"
John chuckled.
"Laughter is not helping. Can you hand me his crutches?"
John brought them over. "Let me help."
He stood in front of Jason and pulled him up and Liz slide the crutches under his armpits.
"Thanks," Jason said softly. He slowly made it to the bathroom.
"He's a handful."
"Not really."
"Johnny must just love this arrangement."
She gave him a look and grabbed some trash and took it to the kitchen. The bathroom door opened and Jason made his way back.
"How long are you in the cast?"
"Another week."
"That sucks."
"Yeah."
Liz rushed back inside with the brownie and put it on the nightstand. They helped him get back in the bed and she handed it to him.
"Thanks."
"Where's mine?" John asked.
She shook her head. "Men."
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Sarah knocked on Spinelli's door.
"Hello? Oh—it is you. Um—come in."
"Thanks Spinelli. I bought you a meal and no it's not chips."
He slightly smiled. "Thank you." He moved some papers aside and she sat on the couch.
"What do you have for me?"
"Apparently, Maxie has been cheating on her boyfriend, Lucky."
Sarah grinned. "With who?"
"Nikolas Cassadine."
Her eyes grew wide. "His brother!"
"I'm afraid so and unfortunately, I have the sex tape to prove it."
"Ugh. I don't think I'd ever be in the mood to see that. So, she's sleeping with the owner of the station, how unoriginal."
"And I'm afraid there's one more victim."
"Jesus, where did she find the time?"
Spinelli smirked. "She had a drunken one-night stand with Dante."
"Dante Falconeri? He's dating Emily."
"Not after she gets a load of this."
"Damn." She really liked Emily and didn't want to hurt her, but Maxie got around and she was quite sure Emily, who hated her, would run away screaming. "I'll pull her aside."
"What do you want me to do with it?"
"I'm thinking that you release the one with Dante. Try not to show the act, just the after-glow or something. Do it anonymously and then we'll send her a note that if she says one more word about Elizabeth, we'll release the second one."
"Your wish is my command."
She kissed him on the cheek, making him blush. "You are my hero. Let me know when it's done."
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John left and Liz went to Jason's room. "I need to go to the hospital. Alice and Lila will be here any minute."
"Okay."
"If I don't drop off some brownies, it might get ugly."
He smiled. "I hope you saved a couple."
"I did. I have to hide them from Johnny. I don't want him ruining his figure."
There was a knock on the door. "Be right back."
She ran and opened the door. "Hello."
Lila smiled. "How are you?"
"I'm okay and you?"
"Therapy is going well. I should be out of this chair in a week tops."
"That is wonderful news. Jason is in his room. Follow me."
They headed to the room and were met with a smile.
"Hi."
"Hello Jason. It's lovely to see you."
"I'm glad you came all the way over here."
"It's not that far."
"Alright, his meds are on the nightstand. He should be good to go. I'll see you in a few hours."
She left and Alice secured the wheelchair and left them alone.
"So, tell me how you really are."
"I'm fine. I can't wait to get around more, but I'm coping."
"Edward told me that he visited."
"Yeah."
"I will never excuse what he did, but I know he would like to make amends."
"We'll see."
Alice came into the room. "Look what I found." She handed Lila a brownie.
"This looks delicious."
"Elizabeth left a note that we could take one."
Lila bit into it and moaned. "My word these are good."
Jason smiled. "It's her specialty."
"That girl is a keeper."
"Tell me about," Jason muttered.
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Elizabeth got about two steps from the nurse's desk and Felix and Epiphany sniffed the air.
"Oh—my—God, brownies," Felix said.
They scrambled towards her, making her laugh as they each took a bag and sniffed it first.
"I'm locking these away."
"What's that?" Steven asked.
Liz handed him and then Patrick a bag.
Steven quickly devoured one. "So good."
Amelia reached for Patrick's bag and he lightly smacked her hand.
"Hey!"
Liz shook her head. "I have extra." She handed the bag over.
Jeff saw them from across the room and rushed over and Elizabeth just held the bag up.
"I think you all just use me."
"Damn right," Felix muttered before eating another one."
"Don't you people have work to do?" Sarah asked mischievously.
"No," they all said at once.
Liz chuckled and handed her the last bag. "I'm all out."
They dispersed and Sarah took her aside.
"Maxie is about to get her world rocked."
"What did you find?"
"Let's just say that she's cheating on her man with his brother and had a little drunken tryst with Dante too."
"No way!"
"I'm taking care of everything. By tomorrow, she will learn to shut her big trap."
Liz hugged her sister. "You are the best."
"So they tell me…." Sarah's eyes narrowed and she pushed a surprised Elizabeth behind her. "What do you want?"
Steven glanced at them and then moved closer just in case.
"I want to speak with Elizabeth."
"No. You can call her lawyer," Sarah said.
Ric's face remained blank. "I thought that maybe we could handle this without going to court."
Liz stepped to the side. "I have nothing to say to you."
"Please, be reasonable. We didn't purposely try to hurt you."
"You walked off the job, leaving me to fend for myself. The beam was not put in correctly, and you didn't give a crap."
"I didn't walk off forever. We argued and I pulled my guys temporarily until it got resolved."
Liz's mouth dropped open.
"You have no proof that the beams were faulty and I highly doubt they will believe some brain damaged menial worker over my men."
Liz took two steps forward only to be pulled back by Steven. "You are an obnoxious pig. Jason doesn't have brain damage and he's very good at what he does, unlike you. What would you have done if that wing had fallen on a bunch of kids? Get out of my face and don't come to my place of employment again and confront me or I will get a restraining order."
Ric softened his face. "There really isn't a reason for that. Please..."
"We almost died!"
Epiphany stepped in front of Ric. "Leave before I throw you into that elevator."
Ric's jaw clenched. "Fine." He left and everyone turned to look at Elizabeth.
"Are you alright?"
She was pissed. "I'm fine. I'll be in my office."
Steve sighed. "What an asshole."
"I can't wait for Diane to take him down," Epiphany said and she was going to make sure that Diane knew what had happened.
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After talking to Sarah, Liz checked in with Francis and then went home.
She walked into the apartment and gasped.
Johnny looked up from reading the newspaper.
"Did you do this?"
"No."
She frowned. There were flowers everywhere.
"That would be your ex."
"John?"
"Do you have another one wandering around?"
She ignored the sarcasm. "I'm going to kill him."
"I don't think that is the reaction that he was looking for."
She closed her eyes for a moment. "I'm sorry."
"I came up to check on you and found Lila with Jason. She had to leave, so I stayed."
"Thanks. I had a little run in with Ric at the hospital."
He frowned. "What the hell did he want?"
"To talk me out of the lawsuit."
"Asshole."
"Look, I'll talk to John."
"I'm not sure that will do any good."
"You're mad and I get it."
He stood. "No, I don't think you do, but I have to go."
She watched him walk out and then whipped out her phone. Of course, John didn't pick up. "John Zacchara, I'm going to kill you!" She made a crazy sound and then ended the call and marched into Jason's room.
"That good?"
"Didn't Johnny tell you?"
"He didn't come back here after the door rang, but I could tell he was mad because he was cursing up a storm."
"John kind of filled the apartment with flowers."
"Interesting."
"I'm going to murder him in his sleep."
"Sounds like he's throwing his hat into the ring."
She groaned. "There is no ring. He doesn't even know me anymore."
"What are you going do?"
"Try to calm Johnny down the next time I see him and read John the riot act."
"Let Johnny blow off some steam. I don't think he's mad at you."
"I know. I just—he's put up with a lot lately and I'm scared that he'll bail."
"Just give him some time."
"How was your visit with Lila?"
"She's pretty funny and Alice is too."
Liz smiled. "Yeah."
"So, how did the delivery go?"
"They are all chocolate addicts. I thought Epiphany and Felix were going to tackle me. I know self-defense, but Piph is pretty fierce."
Jason chuckled. "I like her."
"I don't know what I'd do without her."
There was a knock on the door and Liz answered it.
"Hey!"
Epiphany smiled.
"Are you trying to find my stash?"
She raised her eyebrows up and down, making Liz laugh.
"I was just checking on you."
"Uh huh."
"How's Jason?"
"Ask him yourself."
She stepped inside and frowned. "Did FTD throw up in your living room?"
"That is all John's doing."
She smirked. "Your milkshake brings all the boys to the yard…"
"Don't even go there."
Piph giggled as she walked into Jason's room.
"Hey. We were just talking about you."
"I hope it was good."
"Always."
"Is Elizabeth treating you right?"
"She let me have a brownie."
Epiphany leaned over to whisper. "Do you know where she is hiding them?"
"Unfortunately no."
"If you find out, I'll leave my number."
Jason smiled. "You got it."
"Don't be trying to get him to do your bidding."
"What?"
They ventured out to the living room to talk.
