Chapter Thirty-Eight

Jason and Liz made their way back upstairs, but the mood had changed, sexual undertones no longer thrummed through their bodies, just an abiding need to be in one another's arms.

"I meant what I said Jason, there is no way you are getting out of marrying me, you do still want to marry me, right?" Liz asked, suddenly feeling as if all the air in the room had been removed.

"Of course I want to marry you! I am just scared, it seems as if we are cursed or something, because when thing's start to go good between us, something goes wrong." He paused to kiss the single tear that had escaped her beautiful eyes.

"Think about it, back when we first started getting close, we were on the brink of a relationship and then all of a sudden, Lucky was alive and back in our lives. Then we were getting close again and contemplating taking it to the next level and Zander happened, plus you getting shot and held hostage in the crypt." He stopped once again, got more comfortable and then continued.

"Then there was Ric and you almost dying because he was feeding you birth control pills, then the faking of Sonny's death and you getting hit by a car, there was also Carly causing problems and then Courtney. Let's see, there was your reconnection with Lucky and my connection with Sam, and all the accidents that befell Lucky and now let's see, Ric and Lorenzo kidnapped you, you almost died giving birth to our son, you were beaten by a psychotic priest and now this, do you ever feel like things are massively stacked against us, like someone is trying to hint that we don't belong together, oh lest I forget, the Metro Court hostage situation as well." Jason said, looking desperate for an answer to their woes.

"I know things seem like they go wrong every time they go right, but look at where we are, we are going to be husband and wife in…" Liz looked towards the clock, mentally calculating how many hours before the nuptials.

"We have thirty-eight hours before our wedding, when I will walk down the aisle and pledge myself to you for eternity. There is not a hoodlum or a madman capable of standing in the way of my marrying you, so, if you are positive about becoming my husband, then fear not, our wedding will go off without a hitch." Liz replied, feeling more confident than she had in years.

He was right about fate seemingly always stacking the cards against them, but this time she was going to trust in love, because when it came right down to it, that was all that really mattered.

"It's interesting seeing you so positive, especially when speaking of us. There were a few times I wasn't sure we would ever find our way back to one another, I don't know who I have to thank for that, but I am eternally grateful." Jason said, taking her into his arms, showing her just what she means to him.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Max sat outside of the Morgan house. He had just switched shifts with Johnny, Sonny had called him right before his shift was to begin, alerting him to the threat and also to the fact that they were going to be keeping a tighter schedule until the letter writer was found.

Johnny had stuck around for a little while longer, but supposedly still had a hot date, at 3;30 in the morning Max found that a little dubious, but decided not to comment on it. Who knows, perhaps he did have a date.

He too was curious as to the mystery, and why his boss and Liz couldn't catch a break, if he got the chance to lay his hands on this guy who was harassing them this time, he couldn't promise something bad wouldn't befall him. He was itching to work out some frustration's and who better than the madman terrorizing his friends. His thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of his cell phone."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Jason, hey man, it's me Max, umm, I am sure you just got to bed, but you and Liz might want to come back down, I need to speak with you."

Jason looked at Liz, concern and hope momentarily flashing upon his face. "Yeah, we'll meet you downstairs in a couple."

He didn't bother to ask, what it pertained to, there really was no point, it was very obvious why Max was now bothering them, or so it seemed to him.

After getting off the phone with Jason, Max made a quick call to Milo, getting him to cover his shift while he was busy inside. He didn't feel badly for waking his baby brother, seeing as how it was his job to harass the younger sibling.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

He didn't want to be the one to tell Jason this little tidbit of information, but it had come to him, so he was going to have to be the one to relay it, but he didn't have to like it.

He stood in the living room, not really looking at anything, he stood guard, waiting to break the news.

Liz and Jason slowly walked down the stairs, the last time they made this journey the news was not good, he only hoped now it would be, but he highly doubted it, seeing as Max wanted to speak to them in person.

"Max, what information do you have?" Jason asked, taking Liz's hand as they took a seat on the couch. Offering Max a seat with the wave of his hand.

"It has nothing to do with the letter you received tonight! But it does have to do with Sam, you asked us to find her, well we found her, of course we never thought to look in the hospital, otherwise we would have had information for you, before this." Max said, glancing at Elizabeth from the corner of his eye.

"Why is she in the hospital Max?" Jason asked, understanding that he may have caused himself more problems, because he had yet to relay to Liz that he was searching for his ex.

"Jason, why are you looking for Sam, especially after everything she had done?" Liz questioned, before Max could say anything, a worm of fear trying to grasp hold in her heart.

Max looked beseechingly at Jason and tried to convey his apologies for letting the cat out of the proverbial bag.

"I had thought I was in love with her for quite a long time, and even though she betrayed everyone, I wanted to make sure she was okay. Also I didn't really trust her, I had a creeping sensation that she could have been behind your attack, so I wanted to speak to her." Jason explained, hoping Liz wouldn't read more into it.

"I understand, I only wish you would have told me, I could have tried to help. I know you cared very much for her, I would never dream of asking you to give up someone who obviously means so much to you." Liz said, that worm growing a little larger.

"I did care a great deal about her, but she is not you, please never doubt my love for you or my commitment, you are the only person I will ever give my heart to, it is yours, completely." Jason said, hoping to alleviate some of the fear from her eyes.

Liz nodded her head, but deep inside the worm had turned into a rat. Max was bring ill news, she could almost taste it, something didn't feel right, she also knew she would regret it for the rest of her life, but she asked anyway, "Okay Max, why is she in the hospital?"

Max looked between the two, unsure how to proceed, this was new territory for him, finally making up his mind, he said, "She has pneumonia." He paused for a moment, and the audible sigh of relief from Elizabeth, never went unnoticed by either man. "She's also pregnant, from the information I have gathered, it could be yours Jason or Lucky's."

This could not be happening, what was she going to do if the baby turned out to be Jason's, he would want his child in his life and she knew he would never ask Sam to give her child over to them, so what could they possibly do with this situation.

"Excuse, pregnant! Sam cannot have children, we already found that out months ago, back during the hostage crisis. And even if she did get pregnant, Dr. lee said there was no way she could carry it to full term. " Jason said, completely flabbergasted, this could not be happening to him.

"I don't know the details, all I know is that she is pregnant and they can't check paternity because of the dangers it entails." Max said, supremely hating being the bearer of bad news.

Jason let his head fall into his hands, he all of a sudden felt like the weight of the world was on his shoulders, preventing him from lifting his head, for the weight was much more than even his broad shoulders could handle. Did he ever mention, life wasn't fair, because whatever fate had in store, this was beyond bad timing, this was ridiculous.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Alexis worried her bottom lip, constantly nipping at it. She was beside herself with worry, not only was she having a child but after all the lies that had been brought into the light of day, Sam was going to find it hard to find anyone who would show her compassion.

Most days Alexis was not proud of her heritage, except if you counted Nikolas, it would seem that they were the only two normal ones to come out of that family. And while both of them knew how to take control of a situation, they also understood that their last name could sometimes get more things done in less time, for Alexis though, it was becoming vastly overrated.

Especially if you took Sam into account, she was, is a Cassadine by blood, but if she tried to use the name, it would only look and sound ridiculous. Alexis wondered not for the first time, how Sam could be here daughter. She was so weak and clingy, not what a Cassadine woman was suppose to be.

Alexis had gone home last night after seeing that Lucky was staying with Sam, in actuality she was relieved, she wanted to get back to Kristina and Molly and was happy to see her, what was Lucky to her anyway, nephew, step-nephew, who knew, it didn't really matter, she was happy nonetheless.

But now as she sat on her couch, waiting for her children to wake, she cast back through her memories, clearly wondering how she had ended up with a daughter like Sam.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Max took his leave, he had told the news, now they could do what they wished with it. Besides he knew this was a family matter, and while they all felt close to one another, the bodyguards were more family oriented around the women they protected and their kids. The boss and Jason were great, but it was their significant others who made them feel at home. So he bestowed a smile on Elizabeth and slowly retreated back to his post.

"Jason, come on, talk to me. I don't know what is going through your mind right now, but you need to talk to me, don't start bottling it up, there is too many things going on and will be going on, is this something we need to deal with and if so, no time like the present. Also if you go to see Sam, are you going to what me with you?" Liz exclaimed.

"I just don't know! I think there is no better time than now, but it is 4:30 in the morning, so perhaps we go get some sleep, and deal with this when we have clearer heads." Jason offered in supplication, truly only hoping to postpone the inevitable, he didn't want Liz hurt by this, but couldn't see a way around it.

Liz understood what he was going through, to some degree, all she truly wanted to do was to take the hurt from Jason, this was tearing him up in side and there was nothing really that she could do, except perhaps be the strong shoulder to lean on. She was not happy about Sam's pregnancy, she couldn't lie about that, but she would stand beside Jason no matter what. He deserved her support, but beyond that he deserved her loyalty and love as well. So even in her desperation, she would try to make this alright.

If that child turned out to be his, could he honestly walk away from it, or try to take him or her from its mother. Could he honestly expect Liz to raise a child that was not hers, who was the product of a doomed relationship. He had to mentally smack himself, this was Elizabeth he was talking about, she would do everything in her power to make that child feel welcome.

Jason shook his head ruefully, this night or rather morning could not get any worse, that was for sure, unless of course the world decided to stop spinning on its axis and the sun went supernova, then perhaps that would be a worse day, but for right now, this was more than enough.

For now he would settle for scooping Liz into his arms and taking her back to bed, and hopefully their dreams would be peaceful, because real life was shaping up to be anything but.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Remember feedback feeds my muse, if you want more, please feed the muse. The more feedback, the quicker I am to write and post updates, for I do need to know if you want this story to continue.