Disclaimer: Please see previous six chapters!

A/N: Some Jason/Liz/Cam interaction- the next chapter will be more about Jason and Liz, I promise- this is just sort of to tie things together.

--Chapter Seven--

--Jason and Elizabeth's Penthouse Apartment--

Elizabeth entered the apartment she and Cameron shared with Jason, giggling like a giddy schoolgirl. After Brenda's surprising return to Port Charles had left both Drake men staggering around for a gigantic bottle of aspirin, she had gone about her work. She'd chatted happily with patients, doctors, and other nurses- she was pretty sure she'd even made Epiphany smile, though she was certain the nosy and entirely too stubborn woman would never admit it.

"Jase! Cam! You guys home?" she called out, though she had already asked the guards if Jason was home. It had been his turn to pick Cam up from daycare today. It never ceased to amaze her that she and Jason could so easily fall back into a routine- even if it was a completely different routine than before. She wanted to be a part of Jason's life and make things easier for him in any way she could, and Jason was the same, so they naturally tended to do things that helped each other out- granted, both fought the other's help quite frequently, but she knew that Jason just wanted her happy, and Jason knew that's all she really wanted for him, too.

"Mommy!" Two-year-old Cam screeched as he came "flying" down the stairs in Jason's arms. The little boy had his arms out to his sides as though they were the wings of an airplane and an innocent grin of pure happiness that seemed to only grace the faces of small children was plastered on his cherubic little face. "Daddy, Mommy's home!"

It still made Elizabeth's heart jump every time she heard her little boy call Jason his daddy- he didn't remember the hell that Lucky had put them both through so many months before and she was thankful that her son was once again in a stable and loving environment. She and Lucky had finally reached the place where they could both be civil to one another, though she wasn't sure they would ever be friends again. But she'd moved on- found a way to get past the hurt and start again with Jason.

Jason- the man that had always been her rock. The man that had shown her the wind. The man that had rescued her and protected her so many times. The man that truly loved her, without question. He accepted her as she was and had no wish to change her- he simply loved her. And she, in turn, loved him the same way. The man standing before her in his wonderfully familiar attire of blue jeans, a black t-shirt, and black motorcycle boots and holding the little boy he had accepted as his own and loved as his own- that man was a part of her past, her present, and her future. He'd been her best friend for so long- the person she could go to with anything without fear because she knew that he wouldn't judge her or place blame on her or find fault with her- he would simply hold her and listen to her and help her in any way that he could.

Jason instantly recognized the look in his girlfriend's eyes- he knew she was thinking about him and all that they had gone through. Her eyes would glaze over a little, but not enough to hide the glint of happiness. There were traces of sadness and pain, but joy and love were most prominent. He smiled in return as he waited for her to acknowledge his and Cam's presence- he knew it wouldn't take long; it never did. But he liked seeing that look in her eyes- it reminded him of everything that had led them to this point and served as proof to him that, no matter what, he and Elizabeth Imogene Webber would be able to make it through anything as long as they had each other.

"Hello, there, handsome," Liz cried as she kissed the top of her son's curly head before standing on tip-toe to kiss Jason as well. "How was your day?" she asked Cam, knowing she'd get a much more specific explanation out of the little bundle of energy that was her son than she would out of her boyfriend, who had never been terribly comfortable with long conversations.

As Cam launched into a highly detailed list of the numerous activities in which he had participated at daycare. His mother listened intently to her babbling toddler as she moved about the apartment, mindlessly stacking books here or putting Cam's toys in the toy box kept against the wall by the pool table. She commented on some of his remarks as she picked up the books scattered about his bedroom floor- the apartment had four bedrooms and Jason had helped her decorate one of the rooms for Cam with minimal amounts of good-natured complaining.

When the two came back downstairs, they found Jason sitting on the sofa, dinner on the coffee table. Cam was thrilled to see the chicken nuggets on his plate- they were one of his favorite things to eat. They also had some mashed potatoes and green beans- and, while the vegetable had never been one of Cam's favorites before, the simple fact that Jason ate them was enough to get him to do so, as well.

"Cam, Mommy has something to tell you, okay?" Elizabeth said, sitting down between Cam and Jason on the floor around the coffee table. Jason knew what she was going to say and smiled, taking it as a sign that things had gone well today- he'd wanted to ask earlier, but hadn't had the chance with Cam's recap of his day. He knew he would get the details after dinner, so he wasn't concerned- he was just glad to know that things had worked out.

"Otay, Mommy," the little boy said, biting into one of his chicken nuggets.

"How would you like to meet Mommy's daddy and big brother- your uncle Patrick and Grandpa Noah?" she asked with the same goofy grin she'd had on her face after her talk with Noah and Patrick earlier that day.

Cam was too young to understand what all had taken place in the course of the day and, for that, Elizabeth and Jason were both grateful. He'd heard about both Noah and Patrick before, so the names weren't completely unfamiliar to him. He didn't question the his mother's idea, simply replied with a lopsided little grin that she knew he'd picked up from Jason and exuberantly exclaimed, "Yeah!"

The little family continued to eat their dinner and, when they were done, Elizabeth and Jason both stood to clear the dishes. The battle of who got to do dishes was one usually won by Elizabeth, since Jason usually cooked because he was almost always home before she herself was. Tonight, however, Jason simply quirked an eyebrow and pointed at her still-flat stomach. Under normal circumstances, she would have argued and told him something like, "I'm pregnant, not an invalid," but she knew Jason's concern was coming from the previous miscarriages she'd suffered. He was going to be even more over-protective than usual, and that was something she could handle- to a degree, of course- because this was about more than just her independence. It was about his concern for the safety of both the woman he loved and their unborn child.

So, she nodded her agreement and gave him one of her we-will-talk-about-how-far-I-am-going-to-let-you-carry-this-caveman-thing-later looks, making him smile and shake his head a little as he walked off into the kitchen with the dishes. She and Cam made their way up the stairs, where she gave Cam a bath. Once he was in his pajamas and had brushed his tiny little teeth with the tiny little toothbrush that always looked so adorable sitting next to hers and Jason's larger ones, she led him into his room where Jason was already waiting with a book about Italy- it was a book that Jason had given her years ago and one she'd been reading to Cam since he was a baby. She clearly remembered the mixture of emotions that had crossed Jason's face the first time Cam had pulled the book off of the bookshelf in his room and handed it to him to read. He'd been so surprised- in a good way, though. She'd seen the happiness in his baby blue eyes as he'd read about the faraway country she'd always dreamed of visiting to the little boy that had so quickly burrowed his way into his heart.

Jason lifted a now very sleepy Cam up and put him in the car-shaped bed he loved the tyke loved so much and lovingly tucked him in before he began to read. Not ten minutes later, Jason's soothing voice had lulled Cam into a peaceful sleep and both Jason and Elizabeth tenderly kissed the little boy's forehead and wished him sweet dreams before silently exiting the room, turning out the light and turning on the little nightlight and pulling the door most of the way closed before they crept back downstairs.

"So, things went well with Patrick and Noah, I see," Jason said with his signature smirk as he sat down on the sofa and pulled Elizabeth onto his lap.

Elizabeth nodded and wrapped one arm around Jason's neck as she told him how she'd explained about Sarah and the Webbers to her father and brother and told them that she was really the daughter of Mattie and Noah Drake. She told him how they'd all cried and laughed together and teased one another. She told him about the look that had always crossed Noah's face before when Patrick had called her Izzy- and why that was- and about how, the rest of the day, the look had been replaced by one of pure joy and love each time Noah had heard Patrick use it. Finally, out of breath and with tears of happiness once again filling her eyes, she sat quietly, waiting for Jason's response.

"I'm glad things worked out so well, Beth" he told her, sincerely thankful that the Drake men were so happy with the news.

"The amazing thing is," Elizabeth told him, "that things didn't really change- there's always been a connection between Patrick and I, from the moment we met, and he and Noah have both made me feel like a real part of their family, you know? It's just… now we know why that connection is there and not to take it for granted."

Jason nodded, fully understanding what she was saying. He'd witnessed how they interacted together- Patrick and Elizabeth together often reminded him of the bickering siblings they really were. Patrick had warned Jason about hurting his "little sister" and told him to take care of her when he and Elizabeth had gotten together, and Jason had respected him for caring so much about Elizabeth's well-being and had said as much.

"Anything else happen today?" he asked, figuring he'd hear about a patient or two she'd taken a liking to, or even one that had irritated her. She was always full of amusing stories about Epiphany putting one of the nurses or doctors in their place- which, apparently, happened on a daily basis. He wasn't surprised- he'd met the woman on a few occasions, but it had only taken about a minute before he'd decided he didn't want her for an enemy.

When Elizabeth worriedly tugged her bottom lip between her teeth, he knew she was going to say something he didn't want to hear. He patiently waited for her to speak again, knowing that she'd tell him when she was ready. "Brenda's back."

Two little words- that was it. Just two little words- but those two little words were enough to have Jason throwing his head back on the couch and groaning as though he were in serious agony. Not only did he dislike Brenda a great deal- and the feeling, he knew, was completely mutual- but his mind immediately brought forth images of past Carly vs. Brenda moments.