[quote author=ecompassion board=inspireus thread=2028 post=63657 time=1305296530][b]Chapter 5[/b]

Packing up the picnic, amused to see they had missed eating the brownies, she shook out the blanket just as Jason returned. "Thank you, this was nice."

"I wanted to give us some time out as a family but someplace that meant a lot to me. To us." he said then picked up the basket. Elizabeth was a bit disappointed not to be kissed, but that changed the moment Jason closed the tailgate and then encircled her waist.

The kiss was wonderful, Elizabeth found herself forgetting the recent past as her mind went back to a rather unconventional meeting all those years ago. When they pulled back, Jason held her close then said "I love you, I have always loved you. And I am so sorry that it took what it did for me to get my head out of ass."

Blue eyes met watering blue eyes as she said "I love you to and I am so sorry for my part in our mess. For not trusting you like I should have."

"No, there was a reason for that lack of trust." he said his mind on the past. Then holding her hand, walked her to the passenger side, kissing her again, he said. "It may take some time, but I am going nowhere."

Five years later

Jason was laughing as Cam was chasing after his sister. Aurora was a handful at three. Hearing Jake and Aidan talking to Elizabeth, he was less than amused when they came over and announced they had asked Uncle Steven to play catch with them.

"Okay." he said feeling slightly hurt but joining Elizabeth at the picnic pavilion, he said "What is going on?"

Pulling Jason down, she said "Jake is plotting with Emma, Maxie is here and they are playing matchmaker for Maxie and Steven."

Shuddering at that idea, he asked "Why is our son doing this?"

"Emma. She is her mother all over again." Elizabeth said leaning back against Jason as they watched their children. Slowly the family gathered to watch the fireworks, while her mind went back to the last five years.

Aidan's birth mark leading to them finding out that Sam wasn't Alexis' child but that Aidan was her grandson had almost been a relief that Elizabeth hadn't known she needed until the truth had come out.

Alexis' real daughter had been located by Dante who had promptly ended his engagement to Lulu upon meeting the very smart and quiet woman. Molly and Kristina had found in Jennifer the sister they had always wanted.

Jennifer had found the family she had always longed for when the DNA tests and birth mark had confirmed the truth. It had shaken her to find out about Aidan but had surprised everyone when she announced that she wasn't really the mothering sort so she was glad Aidan had a good mom.

Helena had lied, wanting Sam to be Alexis' to hurt Kristen's daughter. Same with Elizabeth having what Helena had wanted her to believe was her enemy's child.

Lucky and Siobhan had stayed in New Zealand, turns out that the deposit in the sperm bank had been timely since his drug abuse had rendered his sperm sterile. Lulu had left town, moving down under after the humiliation of her fiancée leaving her for an older woman.

Carly had stuck around, but had stayed away certain things would go back to normal. But she was still an outcast in her own family. Ironically, the three women she had treated worst in the world, Robin, Brenda and Elizabeth were the only ones who spoke to her.

Her children were growing up with Jax as a father and to everyone's surprise, especially Carly's, Sarah Webber as a mother. It was why Elizabeth had felt compassion, after one stunt to many the courts had revoked Carly's parental rights and she had no contact with her kids.

Morgan was quiet and studious on the surface but up to a big prank without warning. Michael had created waves when he had gone off to school. When he had returned, he had walked into Jake's and accidentally hit on Scott Baldwin's daughter Christina Collins.

They were now dating and other than being teased by his sister and Molly he had taken the complaints with good nature. The Corinthos kids still heard from Sonny now known as Brother Michael, the man having settled into his new life with aplomb.

As for Sam, she had been found dead in a cell at Pentonville after hitting on a guard who was already having sex with another inmate. The sad part had been finding out she was pregnant when she was killed.

Edward Quartermaine was on a walker now, watched over by the faithful Alice like Reginald had once watched over the man's late wife, Lila. Monica had gone on a few dates over the years at her family's urging but nothing had come of it. She still missed her Alan. Tracy had the moment her divorce from Luke had been finalized had moved on to a wealthy and faithful attorney from New York.

Luke had shown up, thinking he was free and clear, that the statue of limitations had run out on his accident only to be tossed in jail. Brenda had faced him in court told him how she had never been able to hold her son. The sobs of the former model had more than likely been the cause of a few extra years being added on.

Elizabeth heard Jason asking what she was thinking so hard about.

"The last five years. What we have gained and lost." she said with smile as her oldest son ooohhhed and aaaahhhed the fireworks. "I am so glad we made it, but I won't be sending Johnny any thank you notes."

They had been shocked that their wedding hadn't been legal. The entire thing had been a mirage created by the mobster. The wedding video, the taped calls to her sister, everything had been done by computer graphics.

He hadn't bothered to tell them until mere weeks before their daughter had been due. The couple had slipped off and quietly gotten married and vowed to get the cheeky former gangster back.

Johnny though had had a good excuse; he had left, moved to Europe the moment the dust had settled. They would hear from him via post cards from various cities but he still hadn't settled down.

"So, I was wondering... are you up for a ride tonight?" he asked. "We have a babysitter, a full moon, so Mrs. Morgan, would you like a ride on the bike tonight?"

"Only if I can drive." she said before kissing him to the disgust of her boys. Aurora just pushed her way between them and said "Me want kisses too."

The Morgan family was a messy pile as the boys tried to avoid kisses and their blond curly haired little sister went around demanding they kiss her. The grand finale came, the family went home and later after changing, the roar of the bike was heard in the distance. Cam was sitting at the window, his mind on the wish he had made all those years ago about getting his brother back and a new family just as a new star twinkled over head.

"I wish I may, I wish I might get the wish I wish tonight. May we always live happily ever after."

[b][center]The End.[/center][/b]

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