A/N: This is the last chapter of the first in a series of three. Thanks for reading and for all of the wonderful replies.

Accidentally In Love - Chapter 14

"No, no," he heard Alexis call out. "You can't be gone. There's so much we have left to say to one another."

Jason wondered whom she was talking to since he was in the bathroom and the hospital bed he'd occupied was empty. For some reason, it sounded as though she was crying. Conflicting emotions battled within his gut. His heart told him to go to her; his head told him to stay put. After all, it was his argument with Alexis that prompted him to go speeding off on his motorcycle.

Once again, she spoke. "Last night, you told me you loved me and I panicked. Being in love never treated me particularly well. There was Ned who after we broke up, slept with my sister and tried to steal my daughter. And Ric, who slept with my daughter and tried to steal the daughter we had together. Then there was Sonny. I let him in deeper than any man I had before."

Jason felt his stomach tighten.

"Until you."

Suddenly, Jason could no longer feel the pain from his three broken ribs. He was uncertain whether the light-headedness he felt was attributable to his concussion or the happiness he felt inside.

"Yes, I loved Sonny once. The funny thing is I've only ever admitted that to one other person in the world." She released a soft laugh. "As soon as I told my sister I loved Sonny, he hurt me in ways I never thought imaginable. That's not true. We hurt each other. It's a miracle we have been able to become friends again."

He took a step toward her. Private confessions were supposed to remain private. Whatever she needed to tell him about Sonny, when she told him, she should be aware he was listening. He stood behind her for another minute, listening as she talked to the empty bed.

"So when you told me you loved me, I freaked. Even though our marriage didn't start out on the most conventional grounds, it was once of the best things that ever happened to me. I couldn't risk throwing it away by telling you that I..."

"You what? What couldn't you say?"

For a moment, she looked as though she had seen a ghost. Jason watched her eyes; he always watched her eyes. Her two brown orbs scanned his body. He knew the moment she saw the bandage that surrounded his head, and the moment she saw his right arm in the sling. Finally, he watched as she processed the reality that he was standing before her.

"Jason?" She flew to his side.

Although, he could tell she tried to avoid his arm, she crushed his ribs in the process. He did his best not to grimace.

"I thought you were in surgery or dead." The tears streamed down her cheeks. She moved to strike him; instinctively, he dodged.

A moment later, he lifted his left hand to wipe the water from her cheeks. Despite the pain, he pulled her closer. "Why would you think that?"

"They wouldn't tell me where you were or what was wrong with you. The guards aren't outside the door. I didn't know what to think."

Jason knew where his men were. The guards were doing a sweep of the hospital floor. No one remained behind because as long as Jason had one good arm, he could protect himself.

Gently, he extracted her from his torso. "What were you going to say before I walked up? You said you didn't want to risk our marriage by telling me something."

He watched as she stood before him; she was naked though fully clothed. Her body trembled. Somehow, his wife, typically a pillar of strength had melted into a mass of vulnerability. His free hand skimmed her forehead before he pressed his lips to them. "It's okay if you say it, Alexis. I'm not going to hurt you if you tell me...I will never hurt you."

Bottom lip twisted beneath her teeth, she looked down at the floor until he gently lifted her chin with his finger. A large sigh came from somewhere within her. "That night and several nights before, I wanted to tell you that I love you, Jason. You are the only man who's never hurt me...even when you didn't like me. I don't know how it happened or when, but I love you."

He placed a tender kiss on her mouth then pulled back and took in her features. In his mind, he wondered how he'd missed the signs: Alexis Davis, his beautiful wife, loved him. Again, he kissed her until he was interrupted by the sound of a throat clearing. It was his mother.

Monica stood with her hands on her hips. "Jason, what are you doing out of bed? You have a concussion, broken ribs, and a broken arm."

Alexis's mouth dropped. "You have what?"

"It's not as bad as it sounds."

"In bed, now, Morgan!" Alexis slammed her hands on her hips. "And by the way, no more motorcycles. Got it?"

"Alexis..." he whined.

He looked to his mother for help. Instead, she laughed and headed out of the room.

"Come on Alexis, you know how good it feels to go for a ride."

"We all have to make sacrifices, Gorgeous." She surprised him with a playful smack on his butt while he climbed into bed. Somehow, he'd forgotten he was wearing a hospital gown.

"Alexis?" He couldn't help but blush.

"That's what you get for flashing me." Then she hit him with those dimples. It was at that moment, he knew she had him; that she'd always have him.

A few days later, he learned she was true to her word. She'd told him everyone had to make sacrifices and he heard her make hers. When she thought he was sleeping, she telephoned Sonny. After she checked on Kristina and Molly who were having a sleepover next door, she updated Sonny on his condition.

Then he heard her. "Sonny, about us working together...I don't think it's a good idea. My marriage and my girls are my priority. Jason needs me and I don't want to do anything to make him uncomfortable."

A few minutes later, he felt her climb into bed beside him. He smiled at the care she took not to hurt his ribs or his arms. One day soon, he would tell her that he didn't mind if she worked as Sonny's attorney. He trusted them both, particularly Alexis. And later, on a day not so soon, he would tell her that the accident that injured him was not an accident at all, but instead, it was a well-planned attempt on his life. He might even share that the Good Samaritan that saved him was Claudia Zaccara. Right now, he decided he wouldn't think about that. Instead, he would take in the scent of her hair and listen to the sound of her breath and think about how they managed to fall in love...accidentally.