Chapter 2

Harborview Towers Lobby – finally.

After jumping in the marina to reach Elizabeth, both Jason and her now stood back on the pier, soaking wet and absolutely freezing. Jason instantly thinking that they need to stop by the hospital to get her checked out, she seemed so pale and fragile.

"Jason, I don't need a doctor. I need a hot shower, some dry clothes and sit in front of fire with a cup of hot chocolate. Can we call Cody to come pick us up and take me to my car at the park?"

"No phones. We just climbed out of the marina. Between the fact that we were in the water and how cold the water is, I think it is safe to say the phones are useless."

"Can you walk me to my studio, its not far from here?"

"Not going to happen. Your studio doesn't have good heating system,"

"But,"

"And the afghan you have on your lumpy couch wouldn't keep Cameron warm, let alone you. You will come to the Penthouse and get cleaned up there and you can go home tomorrow morning."

"Just walk me back to the park and I can take my car home."

"Elizabeth, look down at the ground."

"Yeah, what about it?"

"Do you not even notice that we are standing on one of the main roads to take you home? It is covered in snow and ice and I will be damned if you think that I am going to let you attempt to drive yourself home in this kind of weather. You are coming home with me, end of discussion. Lets go, it cold as shit out here and being soaking wet is not helping matters."

Jason was right about one thing, it was so cold and being wet was not making her feel...strange. Between the bickering about where Elizabeth was going to stay for the night, she couldn't believe she was missing the signs. She hadn't been sleeping at all, not eating enough to satisfy Jake and with the frigid temperatures of the weather and the temperature of the water..she couldn't possibly beginning to show signs of hypothermia. It was too soon. Elizabeth, wake up woman, you are a nurse. There are no time frames on how quickly a person could slip into hypothermia. She shrugged it off as just being cold. She would go to Jason's Penthouse, take a shower and wrap herself in a blanket on Jason's couch and go to sleep.

Jason had thought it was strange how quiet Elizabeth had become on the walk home. He would casually glance back at her, never completely noticing that she just appeared to be going through the motions of what she was doing. Jason just shrugged it off as she was tired and probably trying to not focus on how cold it was. When they finally made it Harborview Towers and stood in the Lobby, Jason went to push the button on the elevator and saw the sign that had cursed him earlier in the day. "Out of Service."

"Shit, you have got to be fucking kidding me."

"Wha.. what's wrong?" Elizabeth almost seemed to struggle to get her question out of her mouth.

"The elevator is out of service, we are going to have to take the stairs." Jason stops when he notices that Elizabeth is obviously not ok. "ELIZABETH! Are you ok, what's wrong? Can you hear me."

"Jason I – I don't know. I think I just want to lay down, I'm so sleepy. What is taking the elevator so long?"

"Eliz – the elevator is broken, we have to take the stairs. Can you handle that? Do you need me to carry you?"

"No, I can handle the stairs," weakly she squeaked, "It isn't my first time to walk up to your Penthouse." Neither of them noticed the slight smile that crept on each of their faces after Elizabeth's comment.

As Jason and Elizabeth started the trek up the many flights of stairs to his home, she thought. The last time Elizabeth Webber had walked the fifteen flights of stairs to Jason Morgan's Penthouse, she was Elizabeth Spencer. A woman whose world had seemly just crashed and burned. If things weren't bad enough with Lucky being addicted to pills and booze, she had just walked in on Lucky and Maxie, together, in her bed... AGAIN. Sure, she was over it now and her and Lucky were friends and co-parenting the boys, she even excepted Sam in Lucky and the boys life, but that night she was broken. That night she went on a journey – a journey that led to one night. That night led to the beginning, to an end, to...Jake. Jason and Elizabeth leaned on each that night. As she took each step, feeling herself getting weaker with each floor, she tried to stay coherent. Just get up stairs and get warm, everything will be ok. But how could everything be ok when she ached for this man that she couldn't have. When all she wanted was to fall into his arms and never leave. Raise the boys together as the family they had tried so tirelessly tried to create. Always at their fingertips and selfishly ripped from their grasp. Why did everyone get to be happy but them?

Jason and Elizabeth managed to make it to his Penthouse. Jason offers the shower to Elizabeth first. She seems so far away as Jason talks to her.

"Elizabeth, did you hear what I said? Go upstairs to my bathroom and take a shower so you can get warm. I will get a fire started and get some blankets. Elizabeth?"

"Jason?" With a dead stare and a weak voice she forces on, "I can't take a shower, I think I am su-suffering from hypothermia. Normally you would need to get me to the hospital, but given the conditions outside, that isn't going to happen. So.. so you ne-need to listen to me. Aah, no showwers, no alc-alc, no booze, no heating elements. I need to get out of these clothes. Warm blankets, hot tea, need body h..."

Jason didn't need to hear anything anymore. Instinctively and without hesitation, he scooped Elizabeth up in his arms and carried her quickly up to his room. He sat her on his bed and tells her to get out of her clothes while he changes into sweats and a t-shirt and grabs towels and blankets. After a few minutes of rushing from his bathroom to the linen closet and runs to the kitchen to make her tea. When he comes back to his room, he finds Elizabeth still on his bed wearing only her panties and bra.

"Elizabeth, is something else wrong? Are you hurt?"

Elizabeth says nothing, just stares off into the far unknown. Jason kneels in front of her and tilts her chin in his direction. Her eyes are empty, her gaze unending. Jason quickly panics as she is not responding to anything he says or does. Quickly, he runs through everything she told him. No wet clothes, warm blankets, hot tea.

"Elizabeth, I'm going to take the rest of your wet clothes off and put you into one of my t-shirts, ok?"

Carefully he removed her ice cold soaking wet bra and panties and threw them into the pile of clothes next to the bed. He grabbed one of his t-shirts out of his drawer and slipped it over her pale and tiny frame. He dried her hair the best he could, not wanting to startle her and always keeping watch of her to make sure she did not slip into unconsciousness. Next, Jason picked up Elizabeth's frail body and laid her down in his bed and covered her up in warm blankets.

"Ok, what was next? Hot tea. Shit, she can't drink it now. Elizabeth, can you hear me sweetie, what do I do now? Think Morgan, what else did she say – no wet clothes, warm blankets, hot tea, body heat." He gulped. " B-B-Body heat?!"

Jason shook the thoughts that should not be entering his head as he climbed into bed with Elizabeth and took her into her arms. Her shivering did not seem to be subsiding. Why was this not working. Her body was still so cold to the touch. Then he realizedwhat was wrong. Body heat. They needed to be – to be naked. Jason groaned once again as he thought things not appropriate for this situation.

"Elizabeth, um, I'm going to take your shirt off and I am going to take,my uh clothes off as well. When you wake up, please try not to panic since we will both be naked...in my bed...in each others arms."

Was this payback or something. Not only was the woman he loves and craves more than anything suffering from acute hypothermia, which was killing him on its own. But now, she was laying in his bed, naked as was he. If this situation wasn't as terrifying, this scenario might be funny. But as he crawled in bed next to her and gathered her shivering frame chest-to-chest, his heart broke. His love was fighting to come back from where ever she was. As he held her, he could feel her tremors of intense cold rock against his body. Slowly, her breathing returned to normal, the shivering subsided. Her body was warming to his and the color was returning to her cheeks. She snuggles closer to him, causing him to stiffen, in more ways than one. Jason's body was fighting with him on what he needed to do versus what he wanted to do. Laying this close to Elizabeth was creating this intense heat between them He could feel the sweat begin to bead on his forehead. How could he ignore the feeling of her skin – so smooth and virtually warming at his every touch. Her intoxicating smell of lavender and lilacs, which was surprising considered hours before he fished her out of the marina. As he studied her face, he could tell she was asleep, which calmed his fears, slightly. He could not help but stare – how peaceful and angelic she looked when she was sleeping, her cheeks flush with color, her lips plump and pink, pursed together and she laid in his arms. The way they stared at him, begging to be kissed. Without thought of what he was doing, he gently kissed her, whispered "I love you" and let himself drift off to sleep with her so delicately sleeping his arms. Naked.

The next morning Jason woke in a panic. Not knowing what time it was or how long he had been sleeping. He rolled over to check on Elizabeth only to find an empty bed. His panic increased, where was she and what time is it? At that moment as if on cue, Elizabeth walked into Jason's bedroom wearing his t-shirt from last night and a faint smile as the eyes caught each other. She carried in with her two cups of coffee which he suddenly was very grateful for.

"Morning. How -how are you feeling? You look so much better. Where did you run off to? What time is it?"

"Thanks. Its about 7 I guess. I guess I feel better, most of last night is a bit of a blur at the moment. I got up to get dressed and noticed that all my clothes were still wet. So I went downstairs to throw them in the washing machine because not only were they still wet, but god they smelled horrible. Who new the marina could smell nasty in the winter." Jason chuckled at that comment cause she was rambling, which meant she was nervous about something. "Anyway, I called Grams to let her know that I would be by to pick up the boys in a couple of hours. She then asked me if I had not yet turned on the t.v or even looked outside my own window. I didn't dare tell her where I was at. So I casually mentioned that I hadn't as of yet and proceeded to ask why."

"Well Dear, if you had bothered to, you would know that Port Charles was hit with a nasty blizzard last night. They estimated 8 inches of snow of the ground and at least another 3 inches before the day was done. The streets are closed. There is no way you could possibly come pick up the boys today. Don't you worry, Cameron and Jake are fine and they can just stay here with me again until the roads open back up tomorrow. Dear, you have had just a harrowing couple of weeks. Take this time to rest and relax. Oh, and dear.. Happy New Year."

"Thanks Grams. Happy New Year to you too. Kiss the boys for me and tell them I love them and I will see them tomorrow. Bye."

"So that's that Mr. Morgan. Seems we aren't going anywhere today. Speaking of rest, I think last night was probably the best nights sleep I have had in .. I don't remember when. When I woke up, I felt safe. You are always saving me."

"Elizabeth. I didn't do anything. Just what you told me to."

Elizabeth's thoughts drifted to when she woke up this morning. Stunned at first as Jason's face was mere inches from hers. He breathing was hypnotizing as he slept. It almost lulled her back to sleep. She noticed his face, so smooth and relaxed while he slept and she never tired looking at his mouth. She found herself licking her own lips as she thought about all the kisses she has shared with him and the way his lips feel when they are pressed against hers. Slowly her gaze fell to his muscular frame, her fingertips ever so lightly gliding across his chiseled chest across to his arms; arms designed to hold someone so close and never letting go. Elizabeth seemed to get lost in his smell and the feel of his skin before she realized that neither of them were wearing any clothes. Quickly blushing and moving away from Jason, she tried to wrap her mind around what happened. She was in Jason's bed – naked. Jason was in his bed – naked. A smile crept across her face before she peeked under the blankets to vastly reacquaint herself with this perfectly naked body before her. Jason was not hard to look at on any accounts. The man could were a pair of jeans like no other and his t-shirts just covered his frame in every perfect way. But when this man was naked, it just made you want to thank someone. After her gazing of his naked form sleeping next to her, the events of the previous night came flooding back. The pier or falling off the pier, the arguing with Jason about where she was going, the stairs – go no wondered her legs ached, the hypothermia.

"Oh my goodness!" She whispered. Now realizing why she was indeed lying naked next to Jason, who was naked. She eased out of bed as quietly as she could hoping to not to disturb Jason. All she wanted to do was get dressed and go back to the park, pick up the boys and forget that this night ever happened. God, she smelled, could she take a shower without waking him? She grabbed the black t-shirt at the end of the bed and inhaled his scent before slipping it over her tiny frame. She saw that her clothes were in a pile in the corner of the room.

"Gross – there still wet and damn, what is that smell? Looks like I'm not going anywhere anytime soon. I have Jason's shirt but I need something underneath."

Elizabeth searched through Jason's drawer and pulled out a pair of boxers. Obviously these weren't going to stay up on there own, so she improvised. As she slipped them on, she giggled quietly. "What would Jason think if he new I was walking around in his boxer shorts?" As she attempted to stifle her giggles she rolled the waistband of the boxer shorts until she was confident they would stay on her small hips. She gathered her wet clothes crept down the stairs in hopes she wouldn't wake Jason or Spinelli. God what was she going to say if she ran into Spinelli. Everyone new that Jason and her had stopped seeing each other. True this was a very strange situation. Then it clicked – he is at Maxie's. I remember from his chat with Spinelli yesterday. So while the laundry was going, she walked into the kitchen to make some coffee. While the coffee was brewing, she took the time to call Grams about coming to get the boys only to be told that wasn't happening. She hung up the phone and turned her attention to the direction up the stairs.

"We are stuck here for the day?! This should be interesting. Well at least that means no one will be showing up here today."

Liz poured two cups of coffee and headed up stairs to face the music.

"Elizabeth. Elizabeth. Where did you go? Are you ok? Can I have that cup of coffee or were you planning on drinking both of them?"

"Jeez. I'm sorry Jason. I must have dazed off. I think I'm still a little out of it from yesterday."

"Are you sure you are ok. Do you want to go to General Hospital and get checked out?"

"Nah. I'm fine, I promise. Thank you once again for taking care of me again last night the way you did." And at that moment Elizabeth could not contain the grin that crept across her face and she infectiously began to giggle, not to mention she was now bright red.

"What are you giggling about over there brat." Jason taking a pillow throwing it at her head in hopes of stopping her giggling.

"Jason, um, I know we are kind of stuck here for the day and everything, but, you aren't wearing any clothes."

Now it was Jason's turn to blush and giggle. He turned to Elizabeth's attention a caught her wiggling her eyebrow at his embarrassment.

"Um. Showers. We need showers. How about you jump in first. I need to call Bernie and the guys and make sure everything is ok."

Both of them didn't move from their positions. Neither sure of what was to come next. Could they possibly go all day without outside interruptions. What would they do? What could they possibly talk about. Elizabeth jumped off the bed and ran into the bathroom slamming the door behind her. She slid down the door trying not to hyperventilate. The man she absolutely adored was sitting on the other side of this door, naked. There would be no getting away from him today. After tomorrow, she would pick up the pieces of her life with the boys and without Jason and move forward in the new year. But that was tomorrow, what was she going to do today? She was going to ignore everything and think with her heart. She opened the door to the bathroom and immediately stopped breathing. Apparently Jason had decided at that moment to stand up and put a pair of sweatpants on. Jason was staring at Elizabeth like a deer in the headlights. He had no clothes on, they were in his hand. Why God could he not move and put his pants on?

"Join me?"