She didn't deserve this. As Jason drove along the dark streets of Port Charles with Carly quietly sitting beside him in the passenger seat, that was the only thought that was on his mind. He had lied to Carly for months, keeping the biggest secret of his life from the person that had loved him through everything without any reservation or judgment. In the course of 24 hours, she had given up her entire life for the one that she wanted them to have together. Leaving her husband and alienating Sonny had been an automatic reaction to hearing his admission once she had gotten over the initial anger and shock. She had instantly made room in her home for him and his son to live so that Jake would know Jason's family as his own.
"Thank you," he whispered into the dark. Carly didn't reply as she slid her hand across the console to grasp his calloused fingers. He could say more but no words would ever do justice to the incredible gift she had given him. Over and over again, she had given him his family. "Car, I know that I've said it a million times, but I am so sorry that I didn't tell you the truth. I wasted almost an entire year of my son's life, a time when he should have been getting to know you and the boys as well as me. I can't get that back."
"Pull over," she insisted. Jason looked at her skeptically, but she twisted the steering wheel to force him to the shoulder of the road. Pulling beneath a pale streetlight, he took a moment to enjoy her strength and beauty in the amber glow. Many men had fallen in love with Carly, but few had seen every side of her. In fact, he knew that there was a part that she reserved only for him. It was something that they had in common. "Jase, you cannot keep apologizing to me for this. It happened, it's over. The only way you can make this up to me is to be the amazing father I know you to be. Let me be in your little boy's life and trust me enough to never shut me out again."
Leaning across the seat, he wrapped his arms around her as best as he could. "I promise you that I will never lie to you again, whether I think it's to save your feelings or not. I understand now that a lie only hurts you more in the end."
Carly smiled tenderly. Even if his accident had been more than ten years ago, there were still simple things that Jason was learning. He didn't operate in the same way as most people, but she loved that about him. "Mercedes is home with the boys, so we don't have to head back to the cottage quite yet. There's somewhere I want you to take me."
He didn't even have to ask where she wanted to go. Instead, he pulled back onto the road and drove automatically to their place across town. Over the years, they had shared many special moments in their little bar – from their first night together to the pool game when he found out that he was sick. Whenever things got too rough, Carly would return to the sanctuary. She felt safe inside the rundown walls of Jake's. It was foolish to believe that nothing bad could ever happen their considering it was a bar mostly frequented by Port Charles' most questionable characters. However, on the rare occasion that Jason needed to escape his own thoughts, she knew that she could always find him behind a pool table. Her first memory of his was holding a cue stick in one hand and a bottle of beer in the other.
Jason jumped out of the car first, jogging quickly around the massive SUV to guide Carly from the passenger seat. Few people would describe him as chivalrous or soft, but that was how he had always treated Carly when they were alone. He could yell at her when she was being crazy because he knew that it was the only way to get through to her. After that, he would always hold her in his arms and reassure her that he was only trying to keep her safe. As he palmed the small of her back and led her into the smoky bar, he was showing that side to her again. "Do you remember that first dance?" he whispered into her ear as they slid into their usual table. Situated perfectly between a pool table and the bar, they had rendezvoused over and over again in those same two chairs. "I lost that game of pool on purpose. You were the most beautiful girl I'd ever seen, and I knew that I had to have you."
Looking at him across the table, she knew that there was simply too much distance between them. She temporarily flirted with the idea of throwing herself into his lap. The gossip mills of Port Charles were probably already churning, and her public display of affection would only throw more fuel on the fire. Instead, she extended her tanned arm across the table and took his hand. It was small but it was enough. "I had never won anything in my life, but I wanted to win that game so badly. You look at me with these startling blue eyes and my heart just about stopped."
"I knew that I was playing with fire, but I was too young or too numb to care about getting burned. I was determined to take as many risks as I could to spite my family," he remembered. "Going to work with Sonny and riding my motorcycle through the mansion was nothing compared to getting wrapped up in the likes of you. Nothing has defined my life more than the relationship that we've built."
"Well, what about a repeat performance?" she propositioned. "There's an empty table over there. I can have Coleman send over a couple bottles of beer while we play a game. If you win, I'll give you $20. If I win, I get a dance with the hottest guy I've still ever seen. What do you say?"
Neither of them even waited for a response as they resumed their usual routine at the pool table. Carly racked the balls while Jason chalked his cue. After signaling Coleman for two bottles of their favorite pale ale, he struck his stick against the white cue ball and expertly sunk two solids in the first shot. "Looks like I'm off to a good start."
"We both know that you don't want to win this game," she smiled. "Besides, like you told Sonny, you've already won. If you get to dance with me, we'll both win again."
He admired her confidence in knowing exactly what they both wanted. "Why are we even bothering with a game of pool then?" he asked, dropping on the cue to drag her to a bare spot on the floor. He barely noticed the bluesy rock song playing in the background as Carly pressed her body into his. His hands drifted down her back to rest on her hips. Hers locked behind his back to bring him as close to her as possible. "I'm happy that you're here with me."
Pulling back slightly, she bit her bottom lip in anticipation. She knew the hungry glint in his eyes well enough to know what was coming next. His hands moved back up to the back of her neck, guiding her face toward his. Running his thumb over her bottom lip, he smiled against her mouth before devouring her full lips. It was the type of kiss capable of stealing breath. Carly turned her head in just in time to deepen the kiss, involuntarily moaning in pleasure as he invaded her. "You taste the same," she muttered. "It's kind of like coffee and mint. It shouldn't taste good, but on you, it's an aphrodisiac."
They enjoyed each other for a few more minutes until the final bars of the song faded into the background. When the music stopped, Jason regretfully pulled back. Carly covered her swollen lips in astonishment, trying to remember the last time she had made out like a teenager in a public place. It had never been Jason's thing at all.
"Is it wrong that I kind of wish the boys were with Sonny again tonight?" he asked.
"I'm glad that the boys will be there when we get home. But we don't have to go home yet. I have a surprise for you," she told him. Carly outstretched her hand opened her palm to reveal a single silver key.
Jason took it and looked at it confusedly. "There's no way."
"Oh, but there is," she argued. Taking his hand, she dropped a ten dollar bill on the table and led him toward the back staircase. The first time she had climbed these stairs, there had been promises of no names and no promises. This time, they knew each other inside and out and had just pledged to have a family together. Once they reached his old room, Carly nudged him forward. Jason slid the key in the knob and waited for the familiar click of the lock. He went into the room first, leaving her in the doorway to watch behind him. Jason looked around the room, amazed at how little had changed. There were more expensive linens on the sheets, but the walls were still just as bare. The only other change was a trio of sterling silver picture frames on the nightstand. Smiling images of Michael and Morgan looked back at him in two of the photographs.
The other photo was of Carly and Jason together at her wedding to Jax. If he didn't know better, he could have mistaken it for their wedding. "How did you do this so quickly?"
"I guess that you're not the only one with a secret," she confessed. "When Sonny and I got divorced the first time, I took part of my settlement and bought this room. Coleman tried to tell me that it wasn't for sale, but like everything, it had its price. I just wanted to have this place as a haven in case my life ever got turned upside down again. I've come here a few times over the years when I needed to get away. When you would leave or I'd fight with Sonny, I would come here just to remember."
"I always thought that you might show up here if you needed to escape," she continued. "When you disappeared the first time, after I slept with Sonny, I came here praying that you would show up. I think I knew that you wouldn't, but I wanted it so desperately. After that, I never wanted to feel that disconnected from you again. I promised myself that if I ever got the chance, I would take this as our own. It belongs to us, Jase. I had to have it."
"Just when I think I know everything about you…" he trailed off. Carly came into the room, striding saucily across the wooden floor toward him. He made a move to kiss her but she turned her head at the last minute. Resting her face against his chest, she allowed him to hold her tightly. "We have Jake tomorrow."
"I don't want to stay here tonight either," she assured him, reading his mind. "The boys weren't home last night. I hate to be away from them for more than a day. I didn't bring you up here to do anything. I just wanted you to know that it was here."
Hand in hand, they locked the door to their haven with the happy knowledge that they could return any time they needed. Slipping past wandering eyes in the bar, they waited at the door just long enough for one of the guards to bring the SUV around. "That was awfully fast," Coleman called as they exited the building.
Jason started to turn around and teach him a lesson in manners when Carly grabbed his wrist. "Wouldn't you like to know?" she taunted before leaning on her tiptoes to kiss Jason sensually. With a cocky smile, she pushed the door open and pulled him through.
"Hey, where are you two going?" Coleman asked.
This time, Jason got to answer. "We're going home."
