Hey guys, you are probably wondering what happened to me. I didn't stop writing or anything like that, or rather permanently; I came down with a nasty flu and was sick for over two and a half weeks, I couldn't eat or anything, talk about a crash diet, lol. While I am still not completely over it after four weeks, I am feeling better and wanted to let you know that I am still here and plan on finishing these stories. But I also wanted to give you guys a chapter, because you have all been so kind and generous. This chapter isn't long, but I hope you enjoy it nonetheless!

Chapter Fifty-Eight

Sonny knew that Max was going to have to be reprimanded, perhaps even fired. His type of business didn't work, if the people who worked for him continuously disregarded his request that really was nothing but a demand. Jason not answering his phone was understandable, not tolerated but understood nonetheless. Max ignoring him and his demand, well that wasn't understandable. If Alexis had not been sitting beside him, he might very well have hurled something, or more than one something at the wall… However, he liked her, and didn't want to scare her off before he even got a chance to see if they had a chance.

So left with no other choice, Sonny made a simple phone call, which in actuality was anything but. While he understood the chief of police's job and knew that Scorpio was a good man, if that was you weren't reportedly at Mob Boss. But he could put aside his animosity, at least temporarily, especially since, he still didn't have a clue as to why Jason wouldn't answer his phone or call him back.

Mac Scorpio thought he was kidding when he had phoned, and even gone so far as to laugh out loud.

"I'm serious Mac, I haven't heard from Jason since they left here. Things were very tense. I am sure things are fine, but as the chief of police, are you not suppose to look into things of a questionable nature?" Sonny asked.

"While that may be true, the line of work you are in, does not mean you have the PCPD at your beck and call, just because one of your men is supposedly missing! My job is to protect the people of Port Charles and as it has happened on more than one occasion, I have had to protect them from you and your acquaintances…" Mac said, allowing his sentence to trail off, figuring that Sonny could assume all he wanted. There was protocol to follow, and one didn't rush out and search for a person who had yet to be missing even half a day.

"I get that Mac, and while you may find me insincere, I understand that you have a job to do, you owe me no favors, but you like Elizabeth Webber, she is a good woman, who just happens to be pregnant. Could you in good conscious do nothing when Some Thing, could be wrong. All I am asking is for you to head to the penthouse, check the garage, please?" Sonny requested, hating the feeling of being weak, but seeing no way around it. If he worked how he normally did and demanded that the Chief did his job, he would get no where.

"I must be an idiot, but I'll check it out. Don't thank me, because I am not doing this for you. I am doing it for Elizabeth, the person Jason could have been had you not walked into his life and ruined it and their innocent child." Mac replied, disgusted with how easily he caved.

"Wait a minute, how do you know that Jason and Elizabeth are expecting. Everyone in Port Charles believes Lucky to be the father?" Sonny said, slightly shaken and very suspicious.

"The child could very well be Lucky's, but I have seen the way Elizabeth looks at Jason, and while other's may be slow on the uptake, there is no way she is so far along. She is a beanpole, two, maybe three months along, but no more. Hence, not Lucky's." Mac said.

"I won't bother lying or trying to change your mind, so… I'll say thank you and leave it at that. Have a good night Mac and should you find Jason, can you please tell him to call me, it is very important." Sonny replied.

"I don't need to know about your dirty dealings, so please, skip the details. But I will tell Jason to call you, right after he and Elizabeth give their statements about what really happened down there. Goodbye." Mac said, unwittingly slamming the phone harder than he meant to.

Sonny looked at the phone in his hand and shook his head. He and Mac were never going to be friends, but Sonny couldn't help but respect the man and all he had to put up with…

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Elizabeth looked around the vehicle for their clothing, hoping that there would be something within easy reach, but as she felt behind her seat with her outstretched hands, she realized, there was nothing there.

Jason rolled the window down just enough so Mac would be able to hear him, all the while keeping his eyes locked on Elizabeth. This was not something she should have to go through, not after everything else. But as he broke eye contact with her, he took notice of the cadet who was ogling his fiancé.

"Mac, can you tell your cadet to step away from the vehicle, his leering eyes are a little much. If you could manage to find a couple of blankets, I would be very much grateful…" Jason said, barely containing the rage he felt growing deeply within himself.

"Umm, yeah, sure." Mac replied, a little confused. The car windows were mostly fogged over, but the way Jason had barely contained his anger, it gave him pause nonetheless. If he wanted blankets, something could be wrong, but for some reason, he didn't really believe there was. Whatever the reason, he would soon find out, one way or another.

"Thanks"

Mac passed the blankets through the small crack that Jason had made in the window, having to shove a little as they wedge tightly for a moment. Stepping away from the car, Mac waited for the couple to emerge.

When they did, his voice failed him. Out of ever possibility, he had not even thought that they would emerge practically naked. Not wanting to anger the man anymore than necessary, Mac ordered his other men to return to the station. With that out of the way, Mac moved closer, and when he did, he caught sight of the ugly scars that marred Elizabeth's shoulders, the skin above her breasts. He was sure if he saw the rest of her, he would see even more of these, and knew right away, that Jason was not the cause of them. It hurt his heart, but not only that, it gave him the extra shove to want to put a stop to that kind of violence, at least try.

"If you guys want, you can go upstairs and change, and then we can head down to the station. There are many questions that need to be answered and I feel it best we get it over and done with now, while the memories are still fresh." Mac said.

"They will always be fresh Mac. A man I had loved most of my teenage years turned on me, used and abused me. Then in trying to get justice of a sort for those crimes, he tries to do it all again and by dying, he has not ended my nightmare, but only brought it back to the forefront of my life. Now it isn't a deranged lover I have to worry about, but a whacko cop who has the law on his side. Do you really think I can ever forget things like this, really?" Elizabeth asked.

Jason knew the effort with which it took for her to talk about all of it, so instead of trying to offer platitudes that would feel hollow at the moment, he used the only thing that he knew would work, his arms, securing her fully in his warm embrace.

Elizabeth snuggled deeper into his embrace, drawing strength from him, thanking a higher power once again for bringing him into her life and seeing fit to allow her the chance at happiness.

Mac felt like a voyeur, but the simplicity of the gesture tugged at his heart. While the action was nothing but comforting, there was an underlying sensuality to it.

Not for the first time, Mac longed for the type of commitment that these two shared. For so long he had been able to bury that desperate want, but now, he was fully aware of the longing once again. What started as a dull ache was now a physical entity, traversing the inner confines of his mind and heart.

Mac knew that he was losing his tentative grasp on his emotions, but instead of giving into them, he switched tactics. Focusing on the job, denying the panic rat, that wished to nibble on his collapsing composure. He had a job to do and he planned on doing just that, later at home he could succumb to the emotions that swirled within.

"Elizabeth, I understand that things have been difficult, perhaps the most difficult thing you have ever had to endure. Nevertheless, the sooner we get this mess straightened out, the sooner you can begin the healing process and putting it behind you. If you two would head upstairs and get dressed, the sooner we can get to the station." Mac said.

"Sure Mac, not a problem. We'll be right back!" Elizabeth replied, gently easing herself from Jason's embrace and head to the elevator.

Jason only nodded his head, a man of few words to most people, for he felt that Elizabeth had said all that needed to be said.

Mac watched the couple as they made their way towards the elevator, not missing the quickness with which Elizabeth removed her self from Jason's arms, nor the way she grasped his hand as she lost the contact of his arms.

He allowed himself one moment to wonder if he would ever meet a woman who would want to be so close to him, who would go out of her way to make him feel special and loved.

He couldn't be sure how long he stood there contemplating the idea, because for him, it felt like a mere moment had passed, but as he looked up and the chiming of the elevator doors, he saw Elizabeth and Jason walking towards him, fully dressed and looking quite a bit better.

Shaking his head, hoping to clear it of all the thoughts that had shanghaied him, it took several seconds to work, but finally the haze with which he had been in, finally cleared and he was once again able to think as a police chief.

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