Chapter 1 - For Every Action

It was just past seven-thirty when Jason ran down the stairs in the apartment. Stopping at the desk to check the messages on his machine forwarded from the office by his secretary, he adjusted his tie.

He hated ties.

They reminded him too much of nooses.

Listening to the messages, he silently scolded himself. He was Jason Quartermaine now. Jason Q wore ties and suits to work, Dockers in the evening and jeans, occasionally, on the weekends. Jason Quartermaine went over business reports, took high-powered meetings with other companies, and raided other companies bringing them under the ELQ umbrella. Jason Quartermaine had year-round opera seats and tickets to the best operas to grace a London stage.

Jason Quartermaine was solid and dependable. He was also intelligent and ambitious, but an all-around bore.

However, being Jason Q had one of the best perks.

Walking into the kitchen, blinded briefly by the sheer bright sunlight coming through the wall window, his eyes landed on the best perk seated at the kitchen table, eating toast, drinking coffee and reading the New York Times.

Bending down, he kissed the top of Lucinda's head. "And how is my favorite CEO this morning?" Lucinda asked as she looked up into his eyes. She tilted her head and puckered her lips slightly.

Jason took the cue and bent to kiss her properly as his hand snaked the piece of toast from her. She glared at him before breaking out into a smile.

"Good," he answered honestly. "How about you?"

Sitting down across from her, his thoughts drifted briefly when he thought about the picture they made. Two professional adults with a growing life and relationship enjoying time together… even something as trivial and yuppie as eating breakfast. Another benefit of being Jason Q… enjoying the simple things in life… and not as a countenance to the violence.

"My shoulder's a little sore, but other than that I'm okay."

"What's wrong with your shoulder?" Jason asked though his hand had already reached over to massage her through the sheer fabric of her blouse.

"You tossed and turned all night and bumped into me a couple of times." To the worried look on his face she said, "It's no big deal. It's the prefect excuse to buy that bigger bed I've had my eye on though." She pinned him with a lethal smile.

Jason laughed softly. "You're always redecorating. The place looks fine, Lu," he told her and she made a face at him. "How professional of you, Dr. Knight," he joked.

"You keep up touching me that way and the good doctor will call in sick," she told him, a suggestive hint in her voice to match the glint in her eyes.

Jason's face split into a wide grin. He let his hand slide down from her shoulder to her collar, feeling the satiny sensitive skin underneath his fingertips. He stopped just above the swelling of her breasts, though his fingers ached to go lower. He had to stop himself. If he didn't, they'd never leave the house today.

"Maybe I could entice the good doctor to meet me for lunch today?"

"Entice away."

Always eager, Jason moved from his seat, breakfast forgotten, to stand behind her. Bending down, his lips met the sensitive skin behind her ear as his hand slipped underneath her blouse. Lucinda closed her eyes, lifted a hand to fist in his hair, and bit her lip to suppress a moan. His fingers massaged and teased her breasts and the last thing on her mind right now was work…, lunch…, or anything else for that matter but him.

"I have one session this morning that ends at noon. I could meet you at your office at, say, twelve-thirty?" she choked out between gasps as Jason's teeth nipped at her flesh.

"I'll be out of the office until one and I have a conference call coming in at two," Jason informed her. "When is your afternoon session?" He pulled her up out of the chair and sat down, then brought her down to straddle his lap as his hand roamed the flesh of her upper thigh.

"Three," she whispered in between placing kisses against his collarbone, vaguely aware of the sound of her own voice against the pulsating blood in her veins. "I'll meet you in your office at one."

"Great," Jason whispered against her throat. He pulled back with a groan and cupped her face in his hands. She was, by far, the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. With the sunlight against her back and her black hair falling down around her face and shoulders, she truly reminded him of an angel. Her cheeks and lips flushed, her chest heaving with the rapid intake of air, those emerald eyes, and that breathtaking smile.

She was everything to him.

Jason Quartermaine may be a bore… but he wouldn't trade this life for the world.

Ten minutes later, after they'd quieted the fire and readjusted themselves, they prepared to leave their apartment together, eagerly anticipating their lunch date.

Gathering files from his desk, he came across a note. Written on a single piece of crisp white stationary in handwriting that he didn't recognize were the words: I've found you.

Jason's heart immediately skipped a dozen beats, but he tried not to panic. It could be something Lucinda dropped from one of her files. Something one of her patients wrote. That idea didn't sit well with him though. Lucinda was meticulous about her files and the work she brought home. She was also more than cautious about keeping their files separate, as her case-files were confidential and private.

Jason had a bad feeling.

"Lu?" he called, trying his hardest to keep his voice on an even keel.

"Yeah, babe?" she answered as she came out of her office behind him, briefcase in tow.

"You know what this is?" He showed her the note, though it was against his better judgment. He was being paranoid. He was out of the life. Out of Port Charles, out of the States and out of danger.

Lucinda shook her head dismissively. "No, it was pushed under the door when I came in last night."

Several alarms sounded in Jason's mind but he tried his hardest to ignore them. She is not in any danger, he thought to himself as Lucinda pulled on her suit jacket. She was safe. He was safe.

"Ready, Jase?"

"Yeah," he answered after a moment, grabbing his briefcase and suit jacket. Crumbling the note, he tossed it in the wastebasket on their way out the door.

No one had found him…

No one could find him…

Jason Morgan no longer existed.