Chapter 9
His light blue shirt clung to him as sweat dripped down his back. His attempts to tug at the bottom of the shirt hoping to release it from sculpting to his body were futile. No matter how many times he tugged, it went right back to clinging to his sweaty body, sculpting to his chest and torso. Little drops of water full with salt continued to drip into his eyes making them burn. His jeans were acting as his legs personal sauna as they trapped in the heat making the hairs on his legs singe.
It was a hot day.
Walking towards the coffee warehouse, Jason wanted nothing more than to drop the ten pound coffee bag that was hoisted over his shoulder just so that he could rip his shirt off and have some relief from the heat of the day. His strides became larger as he felt a drop of sweat slide from his hairline, through each crevice of his scrunched forehead, and land right on an eyelash, just waiting to spill into his eye. Finally making it to his destination, Jason scrubbed at his face wiping away the sheen of moister that developed during his last trip from the coffee crate to the warehouse.
As he turned around to survey his surrounding area he felt a wave of relief wash over him as he noticed there was only one more bag of coffee to unload from that morning's shipment. Lifting the bottom of his shirt he looked for a dry spot but finding none. Shrugging one shoulder, Jason lifted the shirt to his face and scrubbed.
He had been working at the Corinthos-Morgan Coffee Warehouse for the past four days. Sonny had wanted him to work in the building, doing paperwork and having his own office, but Jason had refused. He didn't want to be cramped up in an office with black letters spelling "Morgan" on the glass window of his door. He wanted to work. Sonny had just suggested it but once he saw the look in Jason's eyes he knew that it was no use.
Jason could tell that Sonny was trying his best to regain his friendship. For the past four days since he started working, Sonny had shown up everyday making sure everything was ok. At first Jason thought it was normal for the owner to make an appearance everyday, but when he heard two other men discussing how off it was to see their boss everyday he knew that Sonny was checking up on him. It didn't bother Jason as much as he thought it would have. He didn't mind their talks and was starting to realize that Sonny was not as bad as he first thought.
It had been four days since he started to work at the warehouse and start a small friendship with his former best friend. And it had been four days since he saw Elizabeth. Shaking his head as he lifted the last bag over his shoulder and began his short trip back to the warehouse, he let his mind wander to the woman who invaded his thoughts for the past four days.
The last time he saw her was the night they went to the bridge where she told him about a time in their past, where he almost kissed her. He would have thought that she was avoiding him, but he knew that was not true. She had called Jakes the next night and left a message for him to give her a call whenever he got a chance. After finally getting a new phone where only Sonny knew the number, he called her giving the number to her also. They only talked for a brief moment where she told him that she was going to be swamped for the next couple of days with work. She called him again the night before checking up on him. She also let him know how disappointed she was that he broke his promise to her that he would go to the hospital and let his doctors know that he was experiencing harsh headaches. Although he felt guilty at breaking his promise to her, he couldn't help but smile at the fact that she was checking up on him and was worried about him. It made him feel good to know she cared about him. He was quick to reassure her that he hadn't had any headaches in the past couple of days and that he would talk to his doctors when he had to go in for another treatment in two days.
Even though his days were occupied with working and his nights were spent playing pool or riding his bike, Jason realized that he had missed her. The two phone calls they shared over the past four days were a comfort to him but it didn't put out the urge he had to see her. It still confused him that after only spending two days with her he started to rely on her so much. But he did, and even though he couldn't explain it, he wanted to see Elizabeth as much as he could.
Dropping the coffee bag, Jason was pulled from his thoughts when a familiar voice spoke from behind him, "Jason."
Turning around to face his visitor, Jason had to hide an amused smile at the sight of Sonny Corinthos standing out in the warehouse full of sweaty men wearing jeans and shirts while he wore his expensive suit and shinny shoes.
"Hey."
"I uh… I have some more information on Manny Ruiz."
Sonny looked nervous approaching Jason. He felt bad that the older man felt so uneasy around him but once he mentioned the man who had approached Elizabeth all thoughts of easing his friends nerves left Jason's mind. The morning after his ride with Elizabeth, Jason called Sonny and told him about the events of the day. Sonny had explained to him that because of the threat that Manny posed on him he had been watching the man since his arrival at Port Charles. Sonny had never seen him around Elizabeth but could only guess his interest in her was because of her fiancé Lucky.
During their phone conversation that morning, Sonny had assured Jason that he would have someone keep an eye out for Elizabeth and that he would let him know if anything happened. Every time he saw Sonny the other man never mentioned anything about Ruiz but now that he was coming to him with information on the man, Jason's mind began to race. Crossing his arms over his sweaty shirt, Jason waited for the other man to continue on.
"We should take this in my office."
Not needing any further explanation, Jason followed Sonny as he led him into the building and up the stairs that led to the two offices. Shutting the door behind him as they entered Sonny's office, Jason crossed his arms again and looked at his boss waiting for the news.
Sonny sat down at his desk with a heavy sigh. As he looked up at his friend and former enforcer he couldn't help but recognize the look in Jason's eyes. It was the same look he always used when the two of them discussed business. Sonny didn't want to get his hopes up but he couldn't hold back the small glimmer that appeared when he thought that maybe Jason wasn't as done with the business as he had thought.
"I've had more men watching every move that Manny Ruiz has made. Over the past couple of days he has been seen at Lorenzo Alcazars house numerous times. Apparently Alcazar is the reason that Ruiz is even in Port Charles." Sonny's temper was rising with aggravation of the thought of Alcazar bringing in the newest threat. Sonny was sure that Alcazar brought in the Ruiz family as a way to bring him down and away from Carly.
Jason recognized the name Alcazar as the same man Sonny had discussed with him several nights before, but he couldn't figure out why Sonny was telling him this. "What does this have to do with Manny approaching Elizabeth?"
"I haven't been able to have someone place a bug in Alcazars place. His security is too tight. But one of my men was able to hear a conversation on the docks between Manny and Alcazar. He didn't hear much, but they were discussing Lucky Spencer-"
"Elizabeth's fiancé."
Rubbing his chin, Sonny studied Jason for a moment before he continued on, ignoring the bitterness that had just appeared in Jason's voice as he spoke. "Yeah." Sighing, Sonny stood up and walked around his desk. He leaned against it as he tilted his head to the side, "Lucky is the key witness to the shoot out that happened at my house a week ago. Tito was shot because of Lucky and he is facing prison time if Lucky is able to testify. Manny is most likely using Elizabeth to scare Lucky off. But because of you that didn't work, so now he is probably planning something bigger with Alcazar."
Hooking his hand behind his neck, Jason dipped his head as he took in all of what Sonny was saying. Lifting his head to the ceiling, he shook it and closed his eyes for a moment as he thought about what could happen. Dropping his hand as he stared straight at Sonny he asked, "Do you think he will come after Elizabeth again?"
"I'm not sure. Manny is a sick bastard. There is no telling what he will do."
"I'm going to talk to Elizabeth about what happened. Maybe…" Trailing off, Jason thought about how to approach the subject. He had nothing to do with the life, yet all of his instincts were telling him that he was right. He needed to go with his gut feeling. "Maybe you could have one of your people guard Elizabeth until you figure out what to do with Manny."
The little glimmer of hope that was building up inside of Sonny at the beginning of their discussion began to grow with each passing second he discussed Ruiz and Alcazar with Jason. He didn't want to push it but he said it anyway, "Why don't you guard her."
Sonny didn't know if he had pushed too hard, but once he saw that Jason was actually considering the idea, he knew that he didn't. Holding his breath until Jason spoke, he let it out trying to hide his disappointment when Jason spoke.
"I don't think that is a good idea."
"Alright, I'll put someone on her as a permanent guard. Do you want her to know she is being guarded?"
Jason looked at the older man with confusion behind his eyes before he really thought about it. He really didn't know if Elizabeth would want a guard but he didn't feel safe with her being alone most of the time while Manny was out there causing trouble. "I'll talk to her about it and then I'll let you know. Until you hear from me just uh… just make sure her guard keeps out of sight."
"Ok man, I'll do that." Taking in the younger mans sweaty and tired appearance Sonny asked as he jutted his chin out, "You done for the day?"
Nodding his head, Jason placed his hands on his hips, "Thank you... for everything."
As Jason turned to walk out of his office Sonny placed his hand over his jaw as he looked to the floor and nodded.
Elizabeth was beat. She didn't think that she had any energy left in her body. For the past four days she practically lived at the hospital. She worked her very first double shift and then after only four hours of sleep she found herself right back at the hospital starting another shift. When she had signed on to become a nurse she really had no idea that she would be signing over her life.
The last sign of any life that she had was the bike ride that she took with Jason. After she left Jason that night she headed straight to her Grams house dreading the fight that was about to occur. As she picked Cameron up, she expected to get another lecture from her grandmother but the older woman surprised her. She asked how her talk with Lucky went and then told her goodnight as Elizabeth carried a sleeping Cameron to her car. When she had arrived home she found the apartment empty. After lying Cameron down for the night, she walked into her living room only to have Lucky enter with take-out from Eli's for the both of them.
When he greeted her with a kiss that night, Elizabeth couldn't help but frown at their embrace of lips. At one time it held so much fire and love, but when his lips descended upon hers that night, she didn't feel that spark that usually occurred.
Shaking the thought from her mind, Elizabeth stretched out further on the couch as she tried to get more comfortable. Just as her eyes closed and sleep began to take over she heard the loud wailing of her one year old son. Although her body felt so weak, the nurturing mother in her could not let her baby continue to cry for another moment. Trying to get up, she quickly realized that her growing stomach made it harder for her to sit up.
"Just a second Cam, mommy's coming."
Rolling to the side she finally managed to extract her tired body from the couch and rush towards her crying son. As she entered his room, all signs of a mid-afternoon nap where gone from his cherub face that was red and wet with his tears. Running her finger down her son's face as he looked up at her Elizabeth lost her breath as she saw her sons love for her. She would never get tired of knowing that Cameron Webber was the light of her life.
She placed her hands underneath his armpits as he raised his arms out to her from his crib. Picking him up and cradling his growing body to her, she rubbed his head with soothing stokes, hoping to calm him down. Although Cameron calmed under his mothers touch he continued to cry as he clung to her. She knew he wasn't hungry, wet, or needy. She knew this cry. When Cameron was younger, Elizabeth would always take him for walks letting him feel wind against his face as she pushed his stroller. His expressive eyes would take in everything from his surroundings as she would push his stroller along the dock, in the park, or even in the mall. Cameron was an adventurous child and he hated to be in one spot for too long. Adding a bounce to her step as she walked her son around the living room Elizabeth didn't even try to contain her smile as she thought that her son was just like his mother. She took pride in that.
"Alright honey, it's ok. I know what you want."
At the sound of his mother's soft voice, Cameron began to calm even more as Elizabeth pulled open the closet door right by the entrance to their apartment and pulled out his stroller.
They were going for a walk.
Hands stuffed into the pockets of his pants, Jason walked through the park with slow strides. After leaving work earlier that afternoon he went back to his room at Jake's to shower and change. He took a long hot shower to ease his aching muscles and then changed into a black shirt, dark jean pants, and his motorcycle boots. He tried to start a game of pool but began to feel restless.
Jason began to make his way towards the back stairs of Jake's to grab his leather jacket but remembering his earlier experience with the heat that day he turned around and headed towards the entrance of Jake's instead.
He mounted onto his bike and instead of riding for hours like he had during his previous rides he ended up at the park. As many times before in the past couple of days, he let his mind wander towards Elizabeth. After receiving the news from Sonny about Ruiz, Jason knew that he had to talk to Elizabeth about the man. He never had a chance to ask her about what Manny had wanted when he found them on the docks that morning and it was about time he asked.
He stopped in the middle of the walkway in the park and reached in his back pocket for his phone. He pressed the "ok" button once her name was high lighted on his phone and brought it to his ear. Lifting his head he removed his phone from his ear and pressed the end button when he saw her. There was no need to call Elizabeth, she was walking towards him.
"Hey you."
Her smile spread when a smile of his own graced his face, "Hey yourself."
Stopping the stroller once she reached Jason, Elizabeth looked around and then tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "I was just thinking about you. I was going to call you and see if you wanted to get some lunch or something."
Something within him tugged at his stomach when she mentioned that she was thinking of him. Looking down at the little boy who was staring straight at him, Jason crouched down in front of the stroller and took the little boys small chubby hand in his, "You must be Cameron," chuckling when Cameron squeezed his hand and let out a squeal of excitement, Jason gently rubbed the back of the boys hand with his thumb. "Hey buddy, my name's Jason."
Elizabeth looked on with a small smile across her face as Jason introduced himself to her son. She would have interrupted and let Jason know that Cameron had already met him and heard many stories about him, but looking at the smile across Jason's face she didn't have the heart to interrupt.
"I'm a friend…" looking up at Elizabeth they locked eyes before Jason looked back down at Cameron and continued "I'm a friend of your mom's." Jason studied the little boy as he spoke to him. He was amazed with how much he saw Elizabeth in her son. He had a little dent in his chin just like she did, and his nose would scrunch in the adorable way hers would every so often. His eyes were a different color, but they were open and big, full of so much emotion, just like Elizabeth's were. When Cameron reached his arms out to Jason in an attempt to have the man pick him up, his chest became tight in a way he had never experienced before. Not taking his eyes off of the little boy, he cleared his throat and asked "Can I?"
"Of course you can." She moved to the front of the stroller trying to free Cameron from his straps so that Jason could pull him free. But as she went to place her hands on his strap, Jason's were already there unfastening it. Their hands brushed and their eyes locked when Elizabeth realized how close they were bending over Cameron's light blue toddler stroller.
Backing away once her gaze fell to his lips, she nervously bit her own tucking her bangs behind her ear. "Looks like you have it."
He lifted the boy with little effort and smiled as Cameron touched his cheek studying him for a moment before he tucked his head in the crook of Jason's neck. Walking over to the park bench, the both of them sat down as Jason rubbed soothing circles on Cameron's back feeling the soft material of his dark blue shirt that was matched with a pair of dark blue baby jeans. Jason looked down at the little boy in his arms and ran his finger down his plump cheek when he saw that the boy's eyes were closed.
"How is everything Jason?"
Tearing his attention away from the little boy in his arms he looked at the woman to his right and saw the concern in her expressive eyes. "Fine."
When she titled her head to the side and raised one shapely eyebrow, he sighed, shook his head once, and looked at her face, softening his own when he continued. "I haven't had any headaches." Her head lost its stubborn tilt as her hand found its way to his thigh.
Giving it an involuntary squeeze, not realizing what she was doing, she regarded him with concern. "I was worried about you."
He was looking down at her small hand on his jean clad thigh. When a runner past them, he looked up and realized how intimate they looked. To anyone who didn't know any better, they looked like a family with her hand lying comfortably on his thigh while he held her son. That tightness in his chest began to grow with that thought.
When Cameron stirred in his arms, hugging Jason tighter with his chubby arms, he closed his eyes and willed the unknowing feeling to leave. Swallowing thickly he looked back at Elizabeth and all thoughts of looking like a family left his mind when he remembered why he wanted to see her that afternoon before he accidentally ran into her and Cameron. "When I found you on the docks the other day with Manny Ruiz, what was going on?"
Removing her hand from his thigh as if she finally realized that she was gently stroking her thumb back and forth as he rubbed her sons back, she felt like a bucket of ice water had been dumped on the moment. "I…" Licking her lips in a nervous habit, Elizabeth thought of the question and closed her eyes at her own stupidity when she remembered that she still hadn't even told Lucky about the encounter with the mobster. Ending her personal berating session, she let out a slow breath and scrunched her forehead. "I'm not sure. I was walking along the docks on my way to Kelly's when he called out my name. He said that he wanted me to give a message to Lucky and when I went to walk away he grabbed my arm. When he got in my face you showed up. I don't know what he wanted me to say to Lucky." She looked back at Jason and recognized the look he had in his eyes. He was concentrating hard on something. When he looked back at her the look he had in his eyes flashed her back to a time when she was living in Jason's penthouse and he was dealing with the Alcazar issue. His eyes where set into a determined look and she knew that his mind was racing.
When he spoke, his vice was laced with the determination that his eyes were full of. "Manny is a dangerous man. He was trying to use you as a way to get to Lucky. I don't know if he will try anything else, but the next time he might use a different approach."
"Next time?"
His eyes softened when he saw the fear in her eyes. He hadn't meant to scare her, but when she confirmed that Manny approached her about Lucky something inside of him clicked and he voiced his thoughts. "I'm not trying to scare you." His reassurance did little to ease the fear in her eyes. "I talked to Sonny. Would you…" His chest rose as he prepared to ask his next question. Letting all of the air out of his lungs in one long breath, he placed his arm along the back of the bench turning his body more towards hers while he still cradled Cameron's sleeping form to his chest. "Would you let me put a guard on you?"
Elizabeth pressed her fingertips to her forehead as she closed her eyes and thought about what Jason had just told her. Dropping her hand she opened her mouth several times trying to think of something to say. Tipping her head back slightly and looking up at the sky she licked her lips and then answered. "I don't know. I need to talk to Lucky first. I haven't even told him about what happened."
"What? Why?" His hand had molded to her shoulder and just like she had before with his thigh, his thumb began to rub her shoulder from her neck to the curve of her shoulder and back again.
"I haven't really seen him. I have been at the hospital so much these past couple of days and when I am home I am either taking care of Cameron while he is at work, or I am trying to fit in as much sleep as possible."
He studied her as she rambled on. When she mentioned that she wasn't getting much sleep he took in the dark circles under her eyes and the painless of her skin. He berated himself for not realizing it earlier with the slowness of her movements. Standing up he took a hold of her hand and tugged her to her feet.
"What?" Looking around to see what caused Jason's sudden movements, she was pulled from her sweep of the park when he tugged her behind him, prompting her to follow him.
Easing Cameron into his stroller as to not wake him, Jason whispered in a soothing voice, "You need to get home, you look tired."
She was staring at him with questioning lingering in her eyes. She narrowed her eyes and then shrugged her shoulders as she placed her hands on Cameron's stroller, ready to part ways with Jason. When she opened her mouth to say goodbye he surprised her by moving away from the front of the stroller to her side where he placed his hand on the small of her back. "I'll walk you home."
Nothing else was said between them as they walked towards the entrance of the park and away from the lone figure that was hiding behind the trees far enough away that she couldn't hear anything between the two of them, but close enough that she could see every move they made. Every move that made them look like the perfect family she longed to have with Jason.
Wiping her cheeks that were wet with her tears, Sam walked in the opposite direction that Jason and Elizabeth had left from. Walking with brisk angry steps, Sam's face turned from a look of desperation to a look of pure hatred. As she left the park she had one destination in mind.
The entire walk home, Cameron remained soundly asleep. When they pushed through the front door of her apartment Elizabeth wanted to release of sigh of pleasure when she looked at her couch. It wasn't the most comfortable couch, but she was so tired that it looked like heaven.
Jason closed the door behind them as Elizabeth sat on her couch removing her shoes. A smirk reached his face when he heard a little mew of happiness escape her lips when her feet were free. He looked around her apartment that she shared with Lucky and even though he couldn't remember what it felt like, Elizabeth's home revealed a warmth to its visitor. It was small and full of baby toys, but it still felt like a home. His eyes traveled back to her when she stood up and walked towards him and the stroller that carried her sleeping baby.
When she walked towards him, she placed her hands behind her back pressing at her lower back. The movement caused her shirt to cling to her stomach and for the first time that day, Jason noticed the growing lump in her belly that revealed the child forming in her. On their walk home the tightness that pulled at his chest vanished, but when he took in her warm home and the sight of her growing stomach as she looked down at her son, it reappeared with a force he hadn't felt before.
Placing his hand over his chest while he rubbed at it softly he spoke up when she went to pick up her son. "I'll get him. Go sit on the couch and I'll be right back."
At the mention of her couch Elizabeth looked up at Jason and gave him an appreciative smile. Cameron weighed nothing, but her body was so weak she couldn't even lift up her own arms. "His room is right there." Pointing to the door behind Jason she continued with a smile, "You can try to put his blanket over him, but he will just kick it off once you turn around." She finished her sentence as she eased herself onto her couch.
Lifting Cameron from his stroller he walked towards the only room in the small apartment. Gently Jason lowered the boy into his crib. Placing the small blanket over his small body, Jason placed his large hand over the boy's small head and rubbed gently. Turning around and stepping quietly out of his room and into the living room, Jason eyes lit up with humor as he looked at a slumbering Elizabeth.
Her head was dropped to her side with her ear touching her shoulder. One hand was placed protectively over her expanding stomach while her other arm hung limply at her side. Jason walked over to her and picked her feet up positioning her body across the couch fully. Taking the yellow knitted afghan off the back of the couch he draped it across her body. Standing over her, one of his hands ran through her soft hair removing it from her face. When her full face came to view, Jason had to bring his hand back to his chest as he gazed upon her full lips that were formed into a pout. Lips he had almost kissed the other night on the bridge. Jason had to wonder if he had ever kissed those lips.
He walked to the front door of her apartment, ready to leave when a loud wail came from Cameron's room. His eyes quickly turned to Elizabeth as she stirred on the couch. Decision made in that moment, Jason quickly walked towards Cameron's room and picked the boy up in his arms. Cameron quieted down immediately and clung to Jason tight.
He walked the boy out of his room and into the living room trying to hold back a smile when he looked at Elizabeth and saw that she kicked the afghan off of her.
Jason sat down on the floor with Cameron in his lap and chuckled when the boy quickly removed himself from Jason's lap and crawled to the coffee table they sat in front of. When Cameron pulled himself up on his small chubby legs and looked at Jason with victory across his face both boys smiled when Jason said "Look's like it's just you and me for a while."