PART FIVE
Jason woke up in the hospital bed, then touched his chest with his hand. It hadn't been a dream, Elizabeth had truly been there talking to him. He didn't have any more answers than the day before but he finally felt like he was on the right track.
Hearing the door open, he grimaced at the man standing there.
"In most societies, it should be me that is angry," said Jack coming in and checking his vitals. "However, these are extraordinary circumstances."
Looking at the man, Jason wanted to hate him. "Do you love Elizabeth?"
"Yes." Not adding it was as a friend. "She and the boys are a joy. Every day is an adventure."
With a sad sigh, Jason said: "Thank you."
Jack went from feeling sorry for the man to anger at that one. "Thank you? For what? Doing what you should have done? For being the man you should have been?"
"Yes." With that, Jason turned his back on the doctor, not able to deal with the truth, that he had lost all he had loved as Jason Morgan.
Mac was barely asleep when his phone rang. Looking bleary-eyed at his clock, he saw it was three-thirty in the morning. "Scorpio."
"Mac, Olivia Falconari called from Corinthos' place. He was left by what she described as force." said Lucky. "Dante as well. She is also convinced the Giambetti's had something to do with it, they didn't fire a single shot at the vehicle."
"I'm on my way," he said then while getting dressed called Alexis who said she was on her way as well. Ten minutes later, Mac had to deal with a hysterical call from the DA. "Mac, the girls, oh my god, they grabbed my girls as well. They aren't here."
Calling Harper he ordered him to take charge of the Corinthos investigation then drove out to the Lake House. Seeing Sam there, he turned to Alexis and asked: "When was the last time you spoke to the girls."
"Last night at dinner," she said. "They were quiet, I think they were tired because they went up to bed before dessert."
Mac went up to their rooms and then asked Alexis "Do their rooms usually look this way?"
"No, I did that while looking for clues." said Sam leaning against the wall.
Mac looked at her and said, "Go back downstairs, make a list of your sister's friends."
"I don't know their friends, do I look like a kid?" she stated. Then she smiled and said, "Oh, I know how to do this."
"Alexis, I need to know what time you had dinner and where were the girls yesterday?"
"They were home most of the day, Kristina had been working on some sort of project, then Jax took them bowling. They returned about five then we had dinner with Sam."
"Sam was here for dinner, what did they discuss with their sister?" he asked.
"Nothing like I said, they were tired. Sam did most of the talking."
"Alexis, I saw the girls last night, around nine, at GH. They told me they were on their way home to bed. Are you certain they made it? Did you come up here and check on them?"
Flushing, Alexis admitted she hadn't. Mac called the number listed for Kristina and put it on speakerphone. "Sir, is everything okay?"
Kristina smiled at Molly from the upper bunk bed. She was right, her mother hadn't noticed they were missing for hours, maybe things would work out. Looking across the room, she saw the keys to the old penthouse which she had stolen from her father's intending to have a party here.
"Miss Corinthos, where are you? Your mother was worried you were kidnapped," he added.
"I'm surprised she noticed we were missing. We will be in school and come home later until then we are going back to sleep." said the brunette as she hung up.
"Kristina is Mommy mad at us?" asked Molly tears in her eyes.
"No, she isn't mad at you. Now go to sleep, or we won't be able to go to Kelly's for breakfast in the morning." said her big sister.
Alexis was angry but mainly at herself for not noticing her girls leaving or that they hadn't been here the night before. Going downstairs, they heard Sam talking and both of them groaned.
"Well, Carly, Sonny was kidnapped and the girls were grabbed too. Mac Scorpio authorized me to find the girls..."
Alexis ripped the phone away from her and said to Carly "The girls are fine, we don't think it was an actual kidnapping since Max didn't fire a shot at the fleeing car."
Carly was sitting up, leaning on Jax. "Sounds like an impromptu 'business' meeting. I am glad the girls are okay. Why did Sam think they were kidnapped?"
"Long story. I have to go out to Sonny's," said Alexis hanging up. Ignoring Sam she asked, "Has anyone talked to Morgan?"
"Jason was at GH all night. I saw him brought in when I was there investigating a child abuse case, then at midnight Cruz crashed his patrol car and I was visiting him." Mac didn't add that the detective had been following John Zachara who was in town.
Sam slipped in through the side doors, seeing Epiphany, she hid in the computer room looking for Jason's room number. Getting nothing for Morgan she tried Quartermaine, yet again nothing. Leaving she heard the head nurse talking to Leo Julian. "So how is he doing?"
"Same as before. What on earth would possess Morgan to take those drugs? You know him better than I do."
"No idea. Losing Elizabeth would be my guess, but still why take them so long?" she added. "The answers are locked up in Jason's mind and since the few memories that have returned of Morgan have involved Elizabeth, my guess is he figures it out eventually."
"I hope it's soon, I can't take another night like tonight. So what do you think of Griffin?"
"Brilliant, scary but brilliant. He is rich enough not to give a crap to the nonsense and will stand up for himself." Epiphany said then seeing Sam entering the hospital, pushed the silent alarm. When security arrived, she told them to arrest the woman when they found her.
Looking at the doors, Sam went through the names, Matheson, Wiley, Moore, Silva, Augsburg, nothing she was familiar with until she saw Monica slipping into a room. When the doctor left, Sam ducked back into the room she had been hiding in and picked up a white lab coat.
Stripping, she put her heeled boots back on and buttoned the coat before entering Jason's room. Without looking up she unbuttoned the coat and said: "I have a surprise for you."
"Sam, what are you doing?" asked the hoarse sounding middle-aged man in the bed.
With a loud shout, Sam covered herself and said: "Mike, what are you doing here?"
"Mild cardiac infarction was what Dr. Quartermaine called it." Seeing her confusion he said "Heart Attack."
"Oh, I have to go, I was looking for Jason." Walking out, she never saw him shake his head then wonder where his son was.
Sam ran straight into security who had her taken to the police station where she was ticketed and sent home with a warning about stalking.
Mac and Alexis listened to Olivia then asked Lucky to bring in Max and Milo who had a newly arrived Diane with them. "Why are my clients in cuffs?"
"Because they stood by and watched their boss get kidnapped." snarled Lucky. Too bad they hadn't gotten Morgan as well.
"Miss Falconari misunderstood what happened." said Max, Hearing the sound of Sonny's voice, he said, "What did I tell you?"
Sonny entered the room, furious. What was Olivia thinking? Calling the cops?
Dante was being hugged by his mother as Sonny emptied the room of the PCPD then asked Max "Did you get the money?"
"Taken care of boss. The police were here too quickly for me to get it out of my trunk though."
Looking at Olivia, Sonny said, "I told you if I am grabbed, you rely on Dante or Max, not to go to the police."
"If you want to endanger your own life that way, fine. But you are not going to get my son killed. Not for these macho games you play. Do you hear me?" she shouted as she left the room.
Max brought in the bag, then drove Miss Falconeri to her cousin's house. Once they were inside, Max used his spare phone to call Miami. Roy turned to Johnny and said "It worked. Sonny now has the money and the little surprise you had placed in the box."
"Good, now at noon we sink the ship. Are you sure the crew can swim to shore?" he asked.
Roy nodded then asked, "When are you heading back?"
"Tomorrow. After the police have had no choice to arrest him."
Elizabeth was at the Quartermaines, needing to talk to Edward when Luke entered the room. "Well hello, darlin'. You seem to have landed on your feet. A doctor with a title, quite a little coup after my luckless son and the flabby prince of Spoon Island."
"Luke." was all she said.
"I do have to ask, are you going to mess with the boys' minds, or are you going to leave it alone this time." he added coolly.
Looking at him, Elizabeth said "They aren't boys. You should be talking to Rebecca. She was the one sleeping with Ethan and Nik at the same time, you can now add Lucky to the mix."
Hearing footsteps, they saw Lulu entering, her eyes narrowing as she saw Elizabeth. "When are you going to let my brother visit his sons?"
"Lulu, the day I left town, Lucky sighed away all rights to Jake and he never had any to Cam. You might want to ask him why he was so eager to do that before attacking me again."
"Those boys are Spencers." she stated hotly.
"No, thankfully they are not," said Edward as he entered the room. "Elizabeth, my dear, shall we head over to the study?"
Lulu didn't have the brains to keep her mouth shut and snapped. "Let me guess, now that Jason isn't Jason you are playing the heir game with Edward."
Turning around, Elizabeth said "I am not here about any of that. But Lulu, you would be better off helping your father keep your brothers from killing each other over Rebecca Shaw."
"What is she talking about?" asked Lulu.
In the library, Edward looked at the trust papers and said: "Do you have a candidate for this year's scholarship?"
"Yes, but I know there has to be a vetting process, but don't have the faintest idea of how to go about it." She was honored by what her biological uncle had done, but she wasn't sure she was the best person to be making choices.
"We can set that up for the school and GH. What about Nurse of the Year?"
"We start at the top, Epiphany Johnson," she said. "Or would that be favoritism?"
"Not for the first award, after this, you need to establish criteria," he said. When Alice entered, Edward thanked her for the tea. "Mr. Q."
Elizabeth felt her eyebrows raising at the tone.
"Jason and she got into it after I dropped tea and was cleaning it up myself while she was visiting with Luke," he told the woman. He added. "Jason pointed out she worked for Monica, not Luke and things have been tense ever since."
She had always wondered about the maid and her attitude regarding the Spencers. Why had they kept her on as long as they had and why would someone act like that around their employers?
As Elizabeth was leaving, Jason and Monica entered. "Oh, hello," she said awkwardly. "I see you are feeling better."
"Do you have a minute. I can get you those letters," he said shyly.
"WAIT! You should keep the ones for the boys, okay?" she said. Nodding he went up to the room and picked up the letter and after hesitating the letter he had found not sure that it was a good idea but he did it anyhow.
Taking the letter, she said No to the letter to Sam.
"Please, just read it. It explains a lot," he said quietly.
"Jason, I wouldn't want her reading my letter so I won't read hers," she said politely. She was amused to see Sam's was half a page though and hers was rather thick. "You should give that to her."
"Maybe later," he said. "I know this is bad timing, but can I meet the boys at some point?"
Getting ready to say the no that her brain was shouting, Elizabeth saw his expression the fear mixed with the hope and said: "I will think about it."
Diane went to the office, then called Jason telling him that she had to see him. Arriving at the mansion, she saw the Maserati being driven by Elizabeth and was hopeful when she entered the mansion. "Was that Miss Webber leaving?"
"Yes, what is going on?" He asked sitting down still feeling a little light-headed from being around Elizabeth.
"Mr. Jacks made a counteroffer today. About two million less than we were asking."
"Take it, I don't want to be bothered with it. I called a real estate agent, she is looking for property for me, how do I access my funds when she finds me something?"
Giving him the account numbers she added "Sonny was missing for a while today. Just a heads up in case Lucky Spencer decides to do something stupid like arrest you."
Having heard about Spencer/Elizabeth/Morgan, Jason got it but said "I would dearly love to have something to hold over that jerks head. He has been going around town saying Elizabeth is a gold digger who went to England looking for the main chance. I overheard his father yesterday talking about it."
Nik sat down and said to Jack Griffin "What about surgery for Spencer?"
"It can't be done until he is older. His body could change, it sometimes happens in these cases."
"My grandmother finds this out, she will kill my son. You have to help me," he said beseeching both Kelly Lee and Griffin.
"Right now it is barely noticeable, the only reason your pediatrician noticed it was the rash." Kelly pointed out.
"Genetic tests say this is hereditary, that means it can go away on its own, so for now, let it be for his sake." said Jack.
Shaking, Nik said, "I don't think you understand, my grandmother is..."
"A psychotic killer with delusions of grandeur, yes I got that." said the doctor. "Elizabeth told me all about her. Look, if you are doing this because YOU are embarrassed..."
"No, I am only worried about my son," he said. "You said this can be genetic?"
"Yes, usually on the mother's side," added Kelly. "I am pulling Courtney's files but thanks to the fire, I am having to rely on the backups we kept elsewhere. I have also called the clinic in New Jersey where she was treated before moving here."
"We also need your permission to approach her father and brother on the subject." added Jack.
"NO! I won't have Helena..."
"I think you need to make a decision, helping your son or dealing with your grandmother learning the truth." snapped the Brit. "It would help if you could remember, did his mother have any of the same characteristics?"
"Fine, talk to Mike." with that the Prince walked out not wanting to answer the question and went to get his son. His son... turns out that might not be the case after all. Seeing Rebecca leaving the area, he called out her name only to see the pamphlets in her hands. "You're pregnant? Who is the father?"
He couldn't help recalling he had had sex with her a little over two months before and was worried. "Your brother," she stated then turned to go.
"Are you sure?" he asked.
Rebecca was but didn't want the Prince to know that. She had slept with both of the Spencer brothers and Nik within the time period in question but had only had unprotected sex with Lucky. "Yes."
Mac was in his office when he got the call. "Sir, a Corinthos ship is sinking in the harbor."
Mac was on the Coast Guard cutter when there was a sudden creaking then an explosion as a white powder filled the air. Harper touched his hair then stuck it on his tongue. "Flour, sir."
Annoyed that he couldn't bust Sonny for something they were on their way back to shore when he saw a shadow down by the old Cannery. Seeing a man leaving discreetly, he ordered the cutter to move in closer in time to see two men gathering crates labeled King Flour.
The men were soon arrested as Mac looked closer at the shipping labels and ordered them opened. Mac found a shipment of weapons inside the first and bullets in the second.
As more and more boxes floated by, Mac looked at Harper who seemed stunned. "Sir, is it really going to be this easy?"
"Apparently so, I just loathe the telephone call I am going to get." he said sighing.
"What, congratulations on a job well done. Maybe a citation for having great eyesight," he said looking at his boss with a grin.
"No, more like I told you so from a smug Scott Baldwin. He has insisted for years the way take down the mob was to take down Sonny, not Jason."
"I'll take that I told you so. Do you want me to tell Max Giambetti he was seen or do I get the pleasure?"
"You do it. I am sure he is heading straight to Sonny's. I will call the State Troopers, I want more than us involved with this raid." Mac called the ADA and had her get the warrant, not sure what side Alexis would fall on. A half hour later, they pulled up to the grandiose house that Sonny had built and arrested the mobster who was still insisting the shipment wasn't his.
When the executed search warrant turned up a bag with a large sum of money, guns, and invoices that matched the shipment, Mac said: "How long are you going to keep proclaiming your innocence."
Olivia had come over from Kate's just as her son was arrested along with his father. Crying as she watched, she felt Kate slip her arms around her and drew her away. "C'mon, let's call them an attorney."
Edward was watching the news while waiting for Monica and Jason to join him. Hearing about Sonny Corinthos he smirked then placed a call. "Miss Miller would you be interested in working for ELQ?"
With a soft chuckle, she said "Not yet, I have a few things to take care of."
Calling Max and Milo's father, the man made the arrangements agreed to with John Zachara and within hours his sons were on the first plane to Italy. They would never be able to return to the states but they would live. John hadn't been happy at first, but he knew that the order to kill Claudia had come from Sonny, that was who he wanted to take down.
Sonny was waiting for Diane while Alexis was dealing with the press who were asking if she was going to turn over the prosecution to the feds considering her past with Corinthos. "Yes, we have agreed to step back and allow the Federal Prosecutor to bring charges against Mr. Corinthos."
When Diane arrived, she sat down with Sonny and said "I received an interesting call from my accountant today. Seems like you haven't been paying your retainer, you need to hire a new attorney."
Bernie called Johnny and told him Diane was out, now what?
"That only leaves Spinelli, he had to have been the one to track my sister down for him. I will deal with him when I return. Any luck with Morgan's memory?"
"No. He is still missing Morgan's past. Were you behind..."
"No, but it was his accident that cleared a few things up. What about McCall is she still around?"
When Jack arrived home that evening he found the house quiet. Elizabeth was sitting on the floor in the master bedroom holding a thick letter while debating whether or not to read it. She was at a good place and didn't want to return to the maelstrom of sadness she had been living in before.
"Read this, please!" she said holding it out to him.
Sitting next to her, he closed his hand over hers and said gently "No. You don't need to read that right now or even this week. When you are ready it will still be here."
"I have to know what it says, but I cannot do it. I can't open it up to read it. I am scared at what I will find."
"Then don't," he said. Turning on the news, they soon heard about Sonny, his son, and the guns. Elizabeth watched as the man she had once cared about was hauled into the station looking lost.
Shaking her head, she reached for the remote and said: "I can't watch this."
"I have an idea, change into some jeans, we are going to the basement." he said.
Seeing the table she said, "I don't like to play pool." It reminded her too much of Jason.
"This is snooker, don't insult the noble game by calling it pool. That is something you play in a bar, this is the game of blue bloods." he said raising his nose in pretension. "My father plays snooker, my brother plays pool."
"Actually Ned is worse at it than I am," she confessed as he explained why the balls were red and then about the longer sticks. An hour and a half later, Elizabeth was beating him to his astonishment. "What are you, a ringer. Minnesota Slim?"
Hearing a phone ringing, she grabbed the house phone and said Griffin/Webber residence.
Jack went to figure out how he had just been beat while Elizabeth groaned, "Thanks for the heads up Jax. I will take care of it if it happens."
"What latest disaster is coming our way now?" he said with a wink.
"Try a hurricane and a tightly wound DA angry their kids were breathing my air yesterday," she said when the doorbell rang then rang again as someone leaned on it hard. "That would be them."
"Wait." Jack reached out and undid the buttons on her top, then messed her hair. "Bite your lips." Taking his shirt off, he tossed it on the chair then kicked off his shoes while urging her out of hers. When the guard called he pretended to be annoyed as they rushed up the stairs like he was still buttoning up his jeans. "Ladies, what may we do for you?"
Jack slipped his t-shirt over his head, never seeing Alexis' eyes following his hands. Carly found it hard to look away thinking that Elizabeth was very, very lucky. "Ahem, ladies, why are you here?"
"Uh...I... the girls... bowling... here." Elizabeth softly giggled as the woman tried to gain control as Jack distracted them from their anger.
"Yes, Molly and Kristina were here yesterday, bowling with my boys and Carly's," she said. Jack added, "Do you want to see the bowling alley?"
Walking off, the two women followed Jack like lemmings over a cliff. Elizabeth stood in the hallway then looked at Romport who had seen the whole thing. Shrugging, she said, "The man has that effect on all women."
"I know," Elizabeth said walking down the stairs to hear Jack saying that they had been playing when the doorbell rang. "Alexis, Carly why are you here?"
"Did you have anything to do with the little rebellion my daughters staged." queried Alexis. "How dare you?"
"I have no idea what you are talking about, but if they are rebelling maybe it might have something to do with your obsessive protection of their sister. I do have to ask, why are you here?"
Carly was leaning against the pool table watching quietly as Alexis seemed to puff up and start to talk. Stopping her, the blond said "We aren't here about Sam, Alexis. Stay on point."
"I know, but ..." She saw the look on Carly's face and said "Since when are you so friendly with our kids? What kind of game are you playing?"
"I was asked by Michael, he pointed out that the kids are all related to one another. I agreed to host it here since I don't want my boys out without me."
Carly thought about what Jax had told her then said "I will deal with Michael later. I want you to understand something; I don't like the lies and deceit. I already told Jax that, now I am telling you. Don't lie to me, I am his mother, I deserved to know what he is doing at all times.." She was in Elizabeth's face pointing her finger at her while Elizabeth debating being childish and biting it.
"Carly, you may have that right in regards to Michael. But you of all people don't get to come here and lecture me. I don't have any reason to be polite to you, never did really but I was for Bobbie's sake, for Jason's. But you have been rude to me for years, stuck your nose in my business because you felt you had the right when you didn't. Go home and lecture Jax, tell your son to stay away from his cousin, after all isn't that what you do, ignore relatives you don't like. Please, don't stop on our account."
"Michael and Jake are cousins, they would be bro-"
Jack looked at the blond and said "Pretty convenient isn't it, now that Morgan is exploring his Quartermaine side, you are accepting of that family. And Michael isn't Jason's son, Carly. No matter how much you would like to believe it to be so. He is AJ's son, the blood of his blood. Ned was right about you, you manipulate everything to get your way."
Carly wondered about the attack but that was nothing compared to what Alexis got. "You, Madam Barrister, your daughters were here yesterday because they are desperate for adult approval and attention. How about spending more time with them and less with the whore. Molly loathes her big sister but thinks if she pretends to like her, kisses up to Sam, her mommy might ACTUALLY pay some attention to her."
"You don't know a think about me or m-"
"Alexis Davis, Eddie's Angel. Ned Ashton, Lord Ashton. Does any of this sound familiar?" he asked. Then saw the moment she realized he did know things. "He said you were obsessive-compulsive, but this is taking it to extremes. Get some help, see a head shrink, do something before your younger daughters have as fucked up priorities as your oldest."
Elizabeth buzzed for a guard and asked him to escort them out. "Please call before visiting again. Oh and Carly to answer the question you are really dying to ask. Yes, I have seen Jason, no, unlike you, he hasn't banned me from his life."
Heading up the stairs, Elizabeth told Jack good night then picked up the letter from Jason and locked it away in the safe. Now wasn't the time to read this.
Sonny heard the sound of footsteps and saw one of the guards releasing Dante. "What about my father?"
"He was refused bail. I am to take you to the property clerk." Dante followed the man, only to see his mother standing there with tears in her eyes. Once they were outside the building, she said: "I have something you need to see."
Arriving at Sonny's, she led him into the living room where Don Roma sat. "Mom?"
"Your mother can't help you now. Sit down and clean out your ears." Roma looked at the kid and said "You are new to this, so you are getting a pass but your father is going to face charges. Be glad I am letting you go, he went to the Feds, asked for an offer. Here, listen."
Dante listened as his father offered him up, saying the shipment was his. With an angry snort, Dante thought back on the papers, his name was on the transfers, not Sonny's. His father had claimed it was a sign of trust.
When they asked why they should believe him, why he would offer up his son that way, he looked around the room his father had trashed. "Because he is not my son. I have two sons and a daughter. Morgan, Kristina and my first born Michael."
Olivia was furious but knew that Dante had to hear the whole thing. When Sonny kept talking, blaming him for the shooting on Pier 17 as well as the shipment the police had intercepted a couple of weeks earlier, he said: "Turn it off."
"You are to leave the country, never to return. We are offering your father's territory up to the Zachara heir. He is done and so are you. Thank you mother, she is why you are still alive." with that, he left the room while Dante looked at his mother and said "You were right about him. He did betray me."
"Let's get packed, you can say goodbye to your friends, but we only have twenty-four hours."
Calling over to talk to Lulu as dawn broke, Dante went to see his siblings. Jax brought in Morgan explaining that Michael had already left for school. Doing the same thing with Molly, he went to the high school and visited the other two, not telling them why.
Michael told him good luck, while Kristina hugged him and said "Don't be a stranger. Whatever happened and no matter what my dad did, we are family."
Getting ready to leave, Dante looked back and said: "If you ever need me..."
An hour later, Dante and Olivia were on the road, while Kate promised to join them as soon as possible. Hearing someone at the outer door, she let in Jax telling him that Sonny had sold out his son.
Stunned, Jax sat down and said "Why? I may not like the man but it doesn't make sense."
"I only know what I was told. Dante was given help getting away and told not to return."
Jax went home and saw Kristina talking softly with Michael then saw the two of them slip upstairs to his room while Molly and Morgan played video games. Finding Carly in the kitchen, he made a joke about her cooking and she didn't even laugh.
"What is going on?" Hearing what Elizabeth had said, Jax winced. She hadn't been kidding about the gloves being off, asking his wife how she felt about it, he saw the tears and prepared himself for a long drawn out explanation involving Jason Morgan. Instead, he got a question he wasn't expecting.
"Was I really that much of a bitch to her?"
Looking for a long moment, Jax sat her down and said "Yes. You were. Now is the time to change. Elizabeth wasn't the enemy, and I had thought at one point you knew that."
"I did, but then she let him walk away, instead of fighting for him. When Jake was returned instead of realizing that others were just as at fault, she let him go."
"No, she just stopped fighting, there is a difference, Carly," he said gently. "Do you want to know what I saw all these years between them?"
"What?" she asked wanting an answer.
"Two people, both of them afraid to fight for one another, because of outside influences. You, Sonny, her family. But at the heart of the matter, Morgan loved her. He just was afraid he would lose her, same for her. Ask your mother some time about the Webbers, about Liz's rape, I did research when we asked her to be a surrogate, there is a side to Elizabeth Webber you never wanted to see. One that is badly damaged in childhood as your was."
Sniffing, she said, "Oh please, even I know her parents had money-"
"Carly, that is part of your problem, you equate money with happiness," he said. Hearing a knock on the door, he let in Alexis who had Sam with her. "Your daughter is not to come in."
Stunned, Alexis was embarrassed her best friend was treating her daughter this way. "What is going on with you?"
"That should be my question. Sam, wait in the car, better yet, go home while I talk to your mother." Jax said then frowned as something occurred to him. Calling for the girls, he made sure to watch their expressions as they heard Sam was waiting in the car. Molly did pretend to be happy while Kristina looked a little too happy.
Carly had been watching as well and knew that someone had to point that out to Alexis but for now, she was going to hold her tongue. Jax kissed her slightly distracted then said: "I will be back later, could you tell Michael our decision about working at the hotel."
Sonny was sinking into depression, Olivia had come to tell him she was taking their son and leaving town. "I should have never let you near him. Now he has no future if he stays here. Once again, Sonny Corinthos ruins lives."
Kate waited until Olivia was out of the station then had Mac let her see Sonny. "I have your pills."
Looking up hopefully, Kate saw his mind spinning as he tried to spin this to charm her some way. "Forget about it, Sonny. I am here to say I have waited for this day since the moment I found out you married Claudia. Karma real bit you on the butt didn't it."
"Your pit bull, Morgan is no more and his new persona loathes you. Claudia took you for everything you had and even your loyal guards are gone. You are nothing, have nothing and are little more than the street rat you were all those years ago when I left. The powerful and corrupt Sonny Corinthos left to rot in a cell wearing an orange jumpsuit exactly where I thought you would end up, all those years ago when I chose to leave on my own. Goodbye, Sonny." He could hear her light laughter as she walked away.
Once at the penthouse, Jax knocked on the door and when Spinelli let him in, said "We need to talk. I want to hire you but you can't tell your partner about the investigation."
"We share everything." Jax couldn't help wondering just what was everything but then said "You claim not to be behind the computer crash at Crimson, this is your chance to prove it. Here, these are the specifics."
Leaving a bit later, he stopped at the Quartermaines and asked to speak to "Morg-Jason."
In the library, Jax sat down then said "Last year, you came to me, looking for a file. Said it was about Micheal's shooting. A few days later, Jake was kidnapped. I think that is what led to this current mess."
Jason looked at the blond then debated for a few minutes. Going upstairs, he returned and handed over the letter to Sam. "Here, read."
Jax dropped the note and said, "You don't think you might want to share this with someone?"
"Not yet. I am watching, I have a damn good idea who made the file disappear, I am looking for whether or not it was done on purpose," he said grimly. "I think I took the drugs looking for the memory at first."
"Then why keep taking them." asked Jax.
"To make the pain go away," he said sighing. "I found the research Morgan did, I don't think he had the geek gather it, but if he did... Spinelli is going to wish I were still Morgan. It would be less painful."
"I have to tell you something." Jax proceeded to tell him his thoughts from earlier and that he had hired the kid. "If I get the truth, I will know he isn't involved but if it is whitewashed..."
"If it is, we go to the police, tell them. I just don't get if it was true, why would Morgan cross the line and sleep with her?"
"There is something you need to know." Jax hadn't been sure on this part, but Quartermaine didn't have any loyalty to Carly or Sonny so he was only taking a small gamble. "Then this Claudia hired your brother to come after me?"
"No the kids, but you were hurt badly but parts of what you told Carly were missing huge chunks. I don't think Morgan remembered all of it, combined with those drugs you were on."
"What would they gain?" he asked.
"Jerry would have wanted money, no matter what it was the be all end all of his life. Sam would have wanted to hurt Elizabeth, she has a lot of rage built up and even now blames her for losing Morgan."
Jason thought about his memories, he had a small handful of memories of Morgan's life outside of the very vivid ones of Elizabeth, he could recall saving her life a few times and had now come to see a few of Robin and the mess with Carly.
Looking at those through having his past memories made him realize that Morgan had been hurt by the Q's and when he didn't have the knowledge of how to express it, it had come out as rebellion and rage. Egged on by Sonny and then Carly.
Time had built things up and those around him had had a vested interest in keeping him away from his true family. Now that he was reconnecting he regretted all the people he had lost. He kept thinking he would see Grandmother in the hallway or Emily bouncing into his room to ask his help with school.
He had gone to the basement one day for Alice and had a flashback to the day he had been locked in the wine cellar by Katherine Belle and how AJ had freed him in spite of knowing Jason was going to a meeting to shut down his pet project at work. That he had in fact driven him so that Jason could rehearse his speech.
They had arrived to hear their father speaking for him in his absence and knew that it had hurt AJ's feelings but at the end of the day they had still been brothers, to know that he had had a major part in losing that, hurt.
"Mor-Jason, are you okay?" asked Jax as the man in front of him seemed to lose focus.
Getting control of his memories, Jason said: "Yes, I am-"
Jax's phone rang and he agreed to meet Nik at the hotel. "I have to go, but I do want to ask how are things with Elizabeth?"
Seeing Jason looking at him in surprise, Jax said "I have always liked her, she is a classy woman who had to deal with a lot of crap from people, Morgan included. He never had the courage to go for what he wanted but anyone without an agenda could see they belonged together."
"She and I have had a few … uh... conversations," he said blushing. "I do have a few memories of her."
Seeing the redness, Jax hid his smile, then said "I can't believe I am saying this, but don't give up hope. Things aren't always what they seem."
When Jason looked at him like he wanted to know, Jax said: "Let's just say that I think anger and fear are why she is engaged to Jack Griffin."
"No, they love each other, I have seen them together." he added wincing at how jealous he sounded.
"There is love and then there is love." was all the Aussie said. On his way to the hotel, he couldn't help thinking about a discussion he had once had with Brenda which he had recalled earlier that day when he had called her about Sonny. All about Ned and his very hot and very homosexual brother. He wouldn't bust them, he was enjoying the way the women in town reacted to the man.
Seeing Nik and hearing his request, Jax led them to a random hotel room and said: "What is going on?"
Sitting down, Nik was white under the skin as he said: "Do you remember sleeping with Courtney."
With a dangerous tone of voice, Jax said: "Since we were married when you started your affair with her..."
"Look, get over that, this is important." His hands shaking he said "Spencer had a rash last month, his pediatrician took some x-rays since it was an unusual sort of redness. Oh god, my little boy..."
"Nik, what is wrong with Spencer?" he asked urgently. "Why does it involve Courtney?"
Nik seemingly changed subjects saying "She tried, bless her she did try but Courtney wasn't exactly the most feminine of builds, was she."
Shaking his head, Jax was debating calling for a doctor as snot dripped out of the Greeks nose while tears flew down his face.
"He inherited it from her, but I never wanted to see it, at least not really. I mean how did Morgan miss it, AJ, hell any of us she slept with."
"WHAT?!" he asked getting annoyed.
"Courtney, she had a rare condition, one which Spencer inherited."
Seeing his confusion, Nik explained what the doctors had told him. "They can't operate until he is older, what am I going to do? My grandmother finds out, she will kill him."
Jax was still trying to wrap his mind around things, he had heard of people like that, but hadn't had any idea he knew someone personally, though it certainly explained a few things about Courtney. The build, the various other little inconsistencies.
"Nik, why are you telling me this?" he asked bluntly. "What do you want from me?"
"Your help, protecting my son. Dr. Griffin won't perform the surgery, he says Spencer is too young. You found a doctor for Michael, help Spencer, please."
Jax called Griffin and ignoring the Cassadine prince's anger that he was using a public phone asked Jack about Courtney and said: "Nik is with me."
Listening and then after getting a reluctant Nik to give permission for the Brit to tell him what was going on, Jax asked him what could be done. Hanging up, Jax said, "Why don't you take Spencer to the Island, stay hidden there until he is old enough for the surgery."
"But I can't just disappear, I am the Cassadine Prince." he protested.
"You are a father first, Nik. Why can't you act like it for once." he snapped. "Grow some balls."
"You don't understand Greek culture." he said stiffly only for Jax to stand and walk over to him.
"You are a terrible father, you should be worried about your son, not what people think of you," he said in disgust as he walked to the door. "By the way, if you try to force this surgery on Spencer, I will sue you in court for custody, or did you forget I was still married to Courtney at the time of her death."
Cursing slightly, Nik slammed out of the room as he went home to spend time figuring this out. Seeing Lucky on his way to his car, he snarled congratulations on the baby.
"What are you talking about?" he asked whirling around to follow his brother.
"Rebecca, she said you were the father." he snapped then left while a stunned Lucky got in his car to head to Kelly's. Knocking on the door until Rebecca answered he asked: "When were you going to tell me."
"What about?" she asked defensively as she swayed then went to lie down.
"The baby, Nik just told me it's mine." he said then it hit him, he was going to be a father and this time no one could take it away from him.
"So, what? Did you think I was going to have it?" she asked scornfully. "Not in this lifetime. I'm not Elizabeth, I have no urge to be lugging around a kid. Go find someone else to be an incubator. I have an appointment for the morning if you want to help me with some money."
Leaning in closer, he said menacingly "I will stop this, see if I don't."
"Really how, see it could be yours, it could Nik's or it could be Ethan's. With those odds there is no way you can prevent it, now get out," she said. She was furious, she had been happy earlier that day but Ethan had ruined it and how Lucky was heaping on even more annoyance.
Once the furious cop had left, she crawled back into bed. She was still unsure what she was going to do, but maybe just maybe they would all leave her alone until she figured it out.
Lucky drove out to Alexis' house and banged on the door until she opened up. "What is it Lucky?"
"Rebecca Shaw is having a baby there is a good chance it is mine, I want you to stop her from aborting it." he said forcefully then seeing Sam in the background, he said, "Can we talk about this privately?"
Telling Sam she had to leave, Alexis sighed heavily and told Lucky to sit down. "Lucky while I understand your position, I very firmly believe in a woman's right to choose. This is Rebecca's decision, not yours."
"She is murdering my child, and yet you dare..." he was sputtering he was so angry. Slamming his way out the door, he was stopped by Sam who slithered close and said: "I will help you but there is something I want."
"What?" he asked suspiciously.
"Jason, and you knew Jason Quartermaine. How do I get him back?"
Laughing ironically, Lucky said "I truly don't give a damn what you do, but let me give you some free advice. Give it up, Morgan was willing to lay in pig slop, Quartermaine is completely out of your reach. Hell I heard my Aunt talking he cut Sonny off, he even cut Carly off, you don't stand a chance with this version, the only reason you did with the other was your lies and threats."
Stiffening she said, "You have no idea what you are talking about."
With a cruel smile Lucky looked at her and said "One thing, the police had taps on all of Jason's associates' phones since June, Sam. Ones that not even Spinelli could override. I took care of things, not for you, but to keep that bastard away from Elizabeth."
Sam tried to act what he said wasn't bothering her as she tried to recall if she had said anything incriminating on the phone, but she was certain she had been careful.
Lucky watched her sweat and then with a jeering laugh he said "Relax but thanks for proving you have something to hide, but I was talking about Morgan's connections to a certain lab tech involved in a medical experiment at down at Syracuse University. Morgan, Mr. I am better than the rest of you, was taking drugs. Mind altering drugs on purpose."
Sam laughed and said "Yeah, right. Try another one, Lucky."
"I don't need to. I may not be as computer literate as Mr. Spinelli but I used to be pretty handy with a computer and did some research. Jason was taking a drug cocktail, among its side effects is getting addicted to it quickly, the effects when you don't get your dosage is very interesting. Memory loss, hallucinations, and an overactive libido. Oh, and one other thing, you lose the ability to see reality. You see what you want to see."
With a grin, she said, "This is supposed to be bad, Jason came back to me, so he obviously lowered his guard as a result of them."
Lucky tried to keep the smile off his face but failed as he added "No, see I have seen the two of you and as someone who saw his relationship with Liz from the beginning to me it looked like he was trying to recreate what he lost with her. Once again, Sammy girl was a replacement. For Brenda, now for Liz. But then you were that once for both Morgan and me, my guess would be for Lansing as well."
Sam slapped him while a hidden Kristina was cheering Spencer on.
"I see I hit a sore spot. Oh, Sam, I also accessed hospital records, if Morgan had come back as Morgan, you still wouldn't have had his power of attorney. See Drake filed it in case that happened, he left Elizabeth in charge."
Watching Lucky leave, Kristina called Michael and said: "Did you make sure it was easy to get into Diane's office."
"She is a PI Brat, I think she can pick the lock," he said looking at Morgan who was sulking. "I have to go see what is up with Morgan, talk to you later. By the way, did you get it on film?"
"All of it, who knew I would ever be cheering on Lucky Spencer?" she said walking around the building as she heard the front door slam when Sam entered thinking she was almost ready to take over the Crimson website again.
Elizabeth was playing with her sons, enjoying the quiet time as Cam attempted to neatly finger paint while Jake just slapped his hands onto the paper shooting paint all over the tarp-covered room.
Romport watched from the doorway with a smile as Elizabeth carefully picked up Jake asking if he was trying to be another Jackson Pollack, only for Jake to touch both of her cheeks with his paint-splattered hand. The nanny laughed out loud, unable to stop her self.
Elizabeth said "Can you take care of Cam, when his picture is done, I will hang it. Cam, Mommy is going to give Jake a bath, okay?"
Laughing he said, "Mommy needs a bath too."
Then they laughed as she carefully carried Jake into the upstairs bathroom and stripped them both to their skivvy's before taking him in the shower with her. When Jake kept grabbing at her necklace, Elizabeth found herself regretting wearing it.
Soon the two of them were dressed and Cam walked up the stairs with a very big grin. "See Mommy, I didn't get paint on me."
Hugging him, she tucked them into bed and listened as Cam told her about his day. When he reached out and touched the necklace and asked her about it. Elizabeth sighed and wished that she hadn't given in last year and had the shards made into a broken heart in a moment of anger.
"A friend of mommy's gave her this," she said showing it to them. When Jake reaching out and said pwotty, Elizabeth sighed to keep from crying.
"A friend?" asked Cam, "What friend? Miss Robin? Or Emily? I miss Emily." he said with a trembling lip. "Why do they always leave mommy?"
Her heart heavy, Elizabeth wish she knew the answer to that question but felt her heart harden when he said "Mommy, I saw Mr. Jason the other day, but he didn't say hello. Is he mad at us again like he was last year?"
"What do you mean last year, Cammy?" she asked in her pain slipping into his old nickname.
"I would see Mr. Jason and wave but he would go away," he said with tears. "Was he mad at me? Like Daddy Lucky was when he was sick then was no longer my daddy?"
Elizabeth was furious with herself, that her choices had hurt her sons. What had she been thinking believing last year that Jason would ever be willing to fight for them, she should have known better. Even worse she was angry at Jason but what Cam said next made her determined that someone was going to pay.
"Then the funny speaking boy and Miss Maxie told me that Mr. Jason wasn't my friend that I was just a little boy. That Daddy Lucky's friend was now Mr. Jason's friend and for me to stop asking about him. That Mr. Jason didn't like me anymore and to take my toy and go away." He said holding up his motorcycle.
Elizabeth counted to ten, then vowed no one would ever hurt her son's that way again. But Spinelli, that POS was going to pay for talking to her son that way. He thought he was ostracized now, just wait until she was finished with him as for Maxie, she was done playing nice with her.
Jason reread the letter, his mind taking comfort on what it said. Knowing that there had been an underlying reason for his having sex with the woman, gave him some comfort but not much. He did take some pleasure in not remembering it.
Walking down the stairs, he overheard Luke Spencer arguing with Aunt Tracy. Going to the door, he froze at what he heard then went to find his mother. "I overheard Tracy and Luke. Did you know that they altered Dad's will?"
Her lips thinned then Monica said "I had suspected it. Follow me."
Once downstairs she opened the door then bellowed for Alice. When the maid arrived she said "Pack up Mr. Spencer's clothes, I want him out of my house in twenty minutes. A bonus for you if you get it done in by the time I am finished talking to these two."
"But Dr. Q-" protested Alice only for Jason to turn and glare at her. Walking away, Alice regretfully went to do what she had been ordered to do.
"Spencer, I have always thought you altered Alan's will, but Jason just overheard you two arguing about it. I want the real will in the morning by nine or I go to Mac and you can get out of my house now. Tracy if you want to stay, you had better divorce him."
Luke was muttering about Jason as he went to the boat, seeing Lucky sitting in the dark he drawled pour me one while you are at it.
"What is eating you?" snapped Lucky then gave a dark laugh at the answer. "Morgan or Quartermaine he is a pain in the ass. Rebecca is pregnant, it is evidently either Ethan's, Nik's or mine."
Luke raised his head and gave a snort. "Of course it is. Eliminate your brother, I will let you in a secret I found in Helena's files a few years ago. After Spencer was born, she made sure there wasn't anyone else to fight for the title. Nik is shooting blanks."
With a snicker, Lucky said, "So that leaves either Ethan or me?"
"Apparently. What are you going to do?" he asked then listening said "Let her get rid of the kid, think about it? Do you really want to deal with a kid, you have already raised two mewling rug rats that weren't even yours."
"If it is mine, I want it," he said grimly. "I am going to stop this. No matter what."
The next morning at GH, Elizabeth saw Jason coming her way and tensed. "Did you read the letter?"
"No, I am not ready to. Look, Jason I know you aren't Jason Morgan but you look like him and right now I am not ready to deal with that, so can we try and avoid each other outside of any time I allot with Jake."
Scowling he said, "What about Cameron?"
Coming from the hub, she led him to the small side room. "Cameron isn't related to you and I don't want to confuse him. So while I will let you spend time with Jake but Cam is off limits."
Jason felt the pain but he was getting better at controlling it. "Elizabeth, since you didn't read the letter you should know that Jason considered Cam as much his son as Jake."
Swallowing her retort that he had barely considered Jake his, she just said "Your choice. Either time with Jake, not Cam or none."
Swallowing his yearning, Jason said "Then none. I see those boys equally and I can't believe you are doing this."
"Don't you dare go there." she hissed. "You weren't the one up all night when they had the croup, you weren't there when they needed you but you damn sure for everyone else in this damn town. YOU do not get to judge me. If you want a daddy fix so bad why don't you go and visit Michael and Morgan or maybe Sam's sisters, since you certainly spent time with them in spite of the 'danger'? Or go see your first love's little girl, Emma. Just don't act all self-righteous because I am trying to protect my sons from the next disappointment you force on us. I am done playing nice, Morgan."
"Quartermaine," he said quietly. "I am Jason Quartermaine, I am not the man who let you down."
"No, you are the man who is trying to use emotional blackmail to force me to let you around a little boy who has already lost so much. I don't trust you, not anymore. I would have done anything for the other you, but until I am sure that my children won't end up being roadkill when you get your memory back, no way am I doing more than I have to."
His head spinning, Jason walked away then turned to say "I will convince you, no matter what. And Elizabeth, I forgot what being a Quartermaine was when you knew me before but I fight just as dirty as they do for what I want." he said, "I will win my family back."
"Sorry, we were never your family that would be Sam, Carly, and that lot, I am sure they will be jumping for joy to have you back in their lives."
Moving closer, Jason was standing within inches when he leaned down and whispered "I am talking about Jake, I am talking Cameron and I am talking about you. Consider this your only warning, I want what I lost and I will get all three of you back. If it has to be done rolling around in the dirt, so be it. But by Jake's next birthday, we are going to be a family."
TBC