A/N – Thanks for the comments! Lol toyshellme – It's a slow burn.

Chapter 23

It took everything for Patrick not to laugh at Liz's expression. "Not in the biblical sense. You are so bad."

She rolled her eyes.

"I watched her sleep most of the night. I memorized her face and held her hand. She's my best friend and I would do anything for her."

"I know. She feels the same way. Let it out. You need too."

His head lowered to her shoulder and he cried as she rubbed his back. After a few minutes, she pulled back. "Feel better?"

"No."

She kissed his forehead. "Patrick, can I ask you something?"

"Yeah."

"Do you love Epiphany more than friends?"

He closed his eyes. "We've always blurred the lines. I just can't go there right now. I need to focus."

"Okay, but just know that you can talk about that with me. I won't tell anyone. I'm going to go find her."

"Thank you."

She left and Amelia walked in and sat next to him. "I'm going to need a drink after all this is over."

"You and me both." He looked up and then smirked. "I think even Jesus might need a shot."

She grinned. "I think he would understand. He did like wine."

"True. Are you ready for this?"

"I was born ready."

"Good answer. I am really sorry for giving you the cold shoulder at first."

"All will be forgiven when you buy me the first round."

"Deal. Let's go talk some strategy."

She stood and held out her hand and he took it as she pulled him up.

IiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiI

Alan brought Jason in through the garage. Monica carried his crutches and they parked him in the living room where Lila was waiting.

"I'll race you later."

Jason smiled. "You probably know all the short cuts."

"I do and Alice put a little something extra in my engine."

"I'll have to talk to her about hooking me up."

Lila winked. "Stick with me and you'll be going fast in no time."

"Monica took away her driving license twice last week."

"She almost took me out in the foyer."

Lila chuckled. "In my defense, I did yell get out of the way when I came around the corner."

Monica shook her head.

"I liked some of the cars in the garage."

"Edward enjoys collecting them. Back in the day, he was quite the playboy."

"Really?"

Lila nodded. "Don't let his age fool you."

"I won't."

Alan and Monica sat on the couch and watched as Lila and Jason chatted. She squeezed his hand, knowing how happy he was that Jason had agreed to come home.

Tracy walked in and clicked her tongue. "Well look who it is, did you decide to come freeload for a while?"

Jason and Tracy's eyes met in a stare down.

"Tracy, Jason is our guest. If you don't like it, you can leave," Monica said.

"There is no way in hell I'm going to let him wander around here unchecked. If he is anything like—"

Alan stood. "If you say one more word, I swear to God I will kill you and gladly go to jail for it."

Tracy's lips pursed and then she turned on her heel and walked out.

"I don't need you to defend me, but thanks," Jason said.

Alan's shoulder's relaxed a little. "Tracy can be a bit of a—"

"—Bitch," Monica quipped making Jason smirk.

"There is no need for name calling. I will speak to her," Lila said. She knew how to handle her daughter.

Jason's jaw clenched and he squeezed his eyes shut.

"Jason?" Alan said.

Monica moved to his side and waited for him to relax. "Are you okay?"

"I had another memory of my mom."

"Are you recalling your memories more frequently?"

"Yes."

Alan looked away. The only reason his son was with them was because he didn't remember. What would happen when he did? He knew that Jason deserved to remember his mother, but he was still nervous about the implications.

"Perhaps you should lay down. You look a little pale," Lila suggested.

Alan moved forward. "We put an elevator in a few years ago when Lila had initially hurt her hip. It's small, but does the trick."

Alan led him through the foyer. There was a door that looked like a closet. He pressed the button. "I have a room set up for you. If you don't like it, we can move you."

"I'm sure it will be fine."

"I'm scared you're going to remember and then won't want anything to do with us again."

The doors opened and they got in. Jason pushed the second floor button and they were quickly transported upstairs and then he followed his dad down a hallway.

"This is it."

Jason made his way inside. "It's fine." It was plain and just had two dressers, a t.v., a bed, and a small couch.

"The bathroom is right over there."

"Thanks. I can't really tell you how I will react when I get my memory back."

"I know."

"You don't want me to remember, do you?"

"It's not that exactly. You just don't know how much it means to me that you are here right now. It means everything."

Jason was quiet.

"If it's too much, please say something."

"Okay."

Alan helped him out of the chair and got him settled. "Just rest."

Jason shut his eyes. A part of him didn't want to be there and another part him felt he should. It was like a battle going on inside and he had no idea how to handle it.

IiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiI

Elizabeth squeezed Epiphany's hand one last time before she was pushed away. When she went to the waiting room, she was shocked to see Johnny. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah. I overheard some nurses talking at Kelly's. How are you?"

She looked away and to her surprise, he hugged her.

It was hard for Johnny to be close to her, but he really liked Epiphany and knew how important she was to Elizabeth. Despite the break up, he wanted to be there for her.

"I meant it when I said you could call me."

"I thought that maybe it was too soon."

"If I couldn't handle it, I wouldn't have come. I'm not completely over you yet, but it just seemed like the right thing to do." That was the truth. He still cared about her.

She started to cry. Between feeling guilty for pushing him away to worrying about Epiphany, she couldn't hold back.

He lightly rubbed her back. "It's going to be okay."

"I'm so sorry for falling apart.

He moved her over to a chair and they sat. "I understand." He held her hand while she said several prayers for her friend.

IiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiI

Patrick took a deep breath as he walked into the operating room with Amelia following close behind him. Soft classical music permeated the room as they began. They worked together to expose the area where the tumor resided. Patrick was looking through a high-powered surgical telescope as his hands maneuvered below. It was delicate work, but there were some time limitations. Epiphany was asleep, but would be awakened before the tumor was removed and then she would be sedated again for the rest of the procedure.

"Get in, get out," Patrick muttered as he began using his instruments to open her skull and then find the tumor. It was a delicate processed and took a lot of time.

Amelia watched his hands as Patrick peered into the microscope. Once they were at a stopping point, the neuroanesthesiologist stopped the sedation. Epiphany wouldn't feel a thing because her scalp had been numbed.

"Epiphany?" Amelia said.

"Yeah."

"You're doing really well. Can you move your fingers?" She watched carefully as Piph moved them. "Great job."

"Was Steven late this morning?" Epiphany asked.

The speech pathologist smiled. "This is Ann. I think he was on time."

"Miracle."

Patrick slightly smiled.

"Don't scramble brain."

"He's doing a great job," Amelia said. "Can you move your arm?"

Piph slightly lifted it.

"Good job. You can put it back down," a nurse said.

"Epiphany, what is you favorite thing to do when you are off?"

"I like to sing."

"What's your favorite song?"

"His Eye is on the Sparrow."

"That's a great song," Ann said.

"The best."

Epiphany began talking about singing and when she slightly slurred, Patrick stopped and waited a few beats until her speech went back to the normal. It was a tough area he was working in and he would have to be extra careful or he could do permanent damage.

Because she was awake for part of it, her hospital stay would actually be shorter.

They kept her talking and after about a half hour, Patrick carefully pulled the tumor out.

"I got it out," he said.

Epiphany smiled. "Thank you God and Patrick."

Amelia encouraged Epiphany to keep moving her fingers as Patrick did some cleanup and soaked the area with hydrogen peroxide gauze balls to help kill any bacteria. Once he was done, he breathed a sigh of relief.

"You can go back to sleep now."

"Love you."

"I love you too."

She was put back under and Patrick started to suture the area. Once he was done, Amelia stepped in and finished the process.

"You did a good job," Ann said.

"Thanks."

He was so overwhelmed. His job was done, so he went into the next room where he had scrubbed in and sat down on a chair after disposing of his second pair of gloves. After a few minutes of staring at the wall, he broke and that is how Amelia found him. She stood in front of him and hugged him. "She's doing very well."

"I know."

"Then why are you upset?"

"I just—I'm relieved and I keep thinking about how this could have turned out all wrong."

"But it didn't."

He sighed. "Thank God."

"I have a feeling she'll be dragging you into church again."

"I will go willingly. In fact, I'll even drive."

"Maybe I'll join you."

He pulled back. "Thanks for the assist."

"Let's go check on your girl."

IiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiI

When Patrick walked into the waiting room, you could hear a pin drop.

Elizabeth could tell he had cried and her heart sunk as she gripped Johnny's hand. "Patrick?"

He slowly smiled. "She's in recovery and doing well."

She clasped her hand over her heart. "Thank God."

He opened his arms as she rushed towards him and hugged him. Everyone was clapping and patting Patrick on the back.

Amelia walked towards them and Patrick grabbed her and twirled her around as she laughed.

"I couldn't have done it without you."

"Thank you for saying that."

Elizabeth gave her a hug. "Thank you."

Amelia wasn't used to all the love, but she accepted it readily.

Liz walked back to Johnny. "I owe you another one."

"No you don't. I'm really thankful that she is going to be okay. Tell her I was here."

"I will. Thank you."

He slightly smiled and left.

Felix grabbed Elizabeth and lifted her up in a hug. "Our girl is going to be okay."

She couldn't stop smiling.

IiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiI

After seeing Epiphany with her own eyes, she went to the Quartermaine mansion.

Alice led her to the dining room where everyone was already eating dinner.

"Elizabeth, have you eaten?" Monica asked.

"No."

"Well, you have a seat right next to me," Lila said."

Liz smiled. "Thanks."

Jason was happy to see her. "How is Epiphany?" he asked.

"It was so scary, but she is in the ICU. Patrick said that she'll fine."

"Thank God," Monica said.

"Amelia said Patrick was a rock star."

Alan smirked. "I'm sure he was loving the attention."

"Oh yeah. He had lipstick marks on both cheeks."

Edward chuckled. "That man is an incurable flirt."

"And he is just ridiculous with Epiphany."

"She's a great woman and we're going to miss her while she recovers. I was thinking of recording her saying a few things so I can make the nurses jump a little higher," Monica said.

Liz grinned. "She would love that. Who is going to take over for her?"

"Bobby will."

Emily walked in. "Hello everyone."

"Where have you been?" Alan said.

"I watched the surgery from the observatory room. Epiphany did very well." She sat on the other side of Jason.

"I'm meeting your brother at Jake's later on."

Liz's brow went up. "Really?"

Emily frowned. "Is that a bad thing?"

"No, but he rivals Patrick in the flirting category."

Emily shrugged. "I can handle it."

Liz slightly smirked. Maybe Emily would be the one who finally slayed her brother.

Luckily, Tracy didn't come home for dinner, so the meal was quiet. Jason didn't talk much, but Elizabeth thought that maybe it was because he was still getting used to being there.

"Elizabeth, you should come out with us tonight. When was the last time you had some fun?"

She made a face and Monica smiled.

"You should go," Monica said.

"I don't know….."

"I wish I could," Jason said.

"That would be fun. We'll make it happen when you can get around better," Emily said. He was still having seizures, so a trip to Jake's was out of the question.

"Okay."

"So, we'll stop by your place so you can change and then we'll go."

"I didn't say yes yet."

Emily grinned. "Yet?"

"Fine. I'll go."

"Yes!"

Monica chuckled. "You are relentless."

"I learned it from Edward."

Edward grinned. "That's my girl."

Jason watched them, wondering why he still felt so separate from everyone. It just didn't feel right and he really wished he hadn't of left Liz's apartment.

Emily leaned over and whispered," Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

"Liar."

His face softened. "Go have fun. You deserve it."

"I will, but part of me would rather stay here with you."

"And be bored to death?"

"I like spending time with you."

"Why?"

"Because you listen to me ramble and crack me up with your faces, but mainly because I almost lost you and it's hard to let you out of my sight."

"Thank you," Jason said.

"For what?"

"Caring."

"Always."

Lila slightly smiled at their exchange. "I guess that means you will miss the races?"

Emily frowned. "What races?"

"The ones I'm going to win while you're gone."

Jason wiped his mouth. "That's because you cheat."

Lila's mouth dropped open. "You are just jealous because my ride is better than yours."

"That's what you think."

"What does Brooklyn say?"

Alan smirked. "Bring it."

"Bring it!" Lila said making Jason grin.

Liz decided that she loved his smiled. His eyes lit up and it was good seeing him look happy.

"Who's Brooklyn?"

"Tracy's granddaughter. She's Elizabeth's administrative assistant," Monica said.

Edward was carefully watching Jason and those interacting with him. He noticed that his grandson seemed to find any excuse to stare at Liz and he thought he also saw Liz looking a little interested in him as well. He shook his head. He would bet money that they'd probably end up together. He exchanged a knowing look with his wife who looked pleased as punch.

"Come on, you can come help me pick out something to wear," Emily said to Liz.

They left and Jason talked to Lila for a few more minutes before going to his room.

About a half hour later, Liz gave Emily two thumbs up on her outfit.

"I'm going to finish my make-up."

"Okay. I'm going to go say goodbye to your brother."

"Later."

A/N – I want you to know that I watched a brain surgery with the person awake and my stomach was a little sick lol. I'm not sure why, cause usually I can watch stuff like that, but I really wanted to be accurate.