Just a quick chapter. Let me know what you think. I have sooo many ideas and trying to incorporate them all as tastefully as I can. Happy New Year's to everyone!

Chapter 7

Jason looked around the small safe house for answers that he knew he wouldn't find. He had been there a few times after their break up, but this was the first time since he had gotten back from Mexico. He didn't know what was going on with him but he knew something had to have happened in Mexico but he was starting to feel like himself again and he was going to make some changes. The last few days the fog had lifted from his head and there were things that he was remembering that he seemed to have forgotten but he didn't know how he could have forgotten them. How could he have forgotten about Elizabeth, Cam and Jake? How could he have forgotten what Sam and even Lucky did to his family? He knew there was no way that Elizabeth would ever forgive him but he would make sure she knew he loved her and he has always wanted her and the boys to be safe and happy. If she didn't know that then he didn't know what he would do. He also needed to talk Sam, something happened in Mexico and he needed to know what. The last few days without her around had been eye opening and peaceful. He couldn't think of the last time Sam had not been around him. Seemed like everywhere he turned there she was. He was concerned where she had been but was thankful it was not near him. How could he have been with someone for so long that he didn't even want to be around? Jason looked around the safe house one more time and remembered the times he had spent with Elizabeth; the love and hope they shared. Jason looked up to the sky as he walked out the door.

"I was never good enough for her, Emily. She deserved so much more from me. I had the best thing in my life and I pushed her and my children away. I never fought for her once. Maybe I do deserve the life I have but I don't want it. My head is clearer now and I promise Emily I will make this right somehow."

Jason stepped off the porch and headed to his bike determined to find the answers he needed.

As Robin and Brenda played with the boys in the living room, Elizabeth walked out on the front porch to make a call.

"Patrick?"

"Elizabeth, is something wrong?"

"No, not really. I know you have Emma but I was wondering if you could bring her over to the house. I need to talk to you."

"Sure. I will be over in a few minutes."

"Thank you, Patrick. See you soon." Elizabeth hung up the phone determined that this would help her friends as well. Patrick was not on her list but she still needed to talk to him about what happened with him and Robin. She didn't want to but in because it was their business but she wanted to let Patrick no how big of an idiot he was but regardless they were both her friends and she needed them as much as she hoped they needed her. A few minutes after speaking with him on the phone, Elizabeth saw Patrick walking with Emma up the driveway.

"Hi, Patrick. Hi Emma."

"Hi Elizabeth. Emma say hi to Elizabeth." Patrick spoke as we walked up onto the porch.

"Hi, Lizbit." Elizabeth and Patrick chuckled as Emma tried to say Elizabeth's name.

"Do you want to go inside and play with Cam and Jake? Mommy and Aunt Brenda are inside?"

"What? Elizabeth I don't know if me being here is a good idea then." Patrick spoke nervously.

"It's ok. We are going to stay on the porch. I'll take Emma in."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." Elizabeth spoke as she took Emma from Patrick and disappeared through the door. Patrick tried to peek through the door to see Robin but knew she did not want to see him and he understood why and hated himself for that.

"Ok. Emma was so excited to see Jake. I think we may have to watch them in a few years." Elizabeth laughed but Patrick just had a worried look on his face which made Elizabeth laugh even more.

"It is good to hear you laugh again even if it is at my expense."

"It is good to laugh again. Do you want to sit down?" Elizabeth and Patrick sat down on the porch swing.

"So what did you need to talk to me about?"

"Well first of all I want to tell you how big of an idiot you are but I have a feeling you already know that and are feeling it times ten. Patrick, you are one of my closest friends and you never judged me through everything with Lucky and Nikolas. I am sure you thought I was an idiot too. But you were just there for me and I want you to know that I am here for you as I am for Robin. I believe you will both get through this but it will be a long road. Don't push Robin. She loves you but her heart has been broken and her trust destroyed. I know Lisa is not helping the matter but you need to put her in her place and Robin needs to see it. She needs to know that what happened with you and Lisa is over and will never happen again. Robin cannot move forward with you in any way until she knows the reason you are part is out of your personal life. I don't mean to butt in; I actually think I said more than I should have. But I want you both to be happy and I believe in time it will be with each other and if not then so be it."

"Elizabeth, thank you. You have not said too much. I have actually wanted to talk to you for a while but knew you had too much on your plate. You are a great friend. I won't push Robin but I want her to know I love her and I know how big of a mistake I made."

"She knows and that is what makes it even harder for her; that you love her and still slept with Lisa."

"I'm such an idiot."

"I know."

"How could have thrown everything away? For what? A glimpse at my bachelor days when I didn't have anything to live for. Now that I have everything to live for I have thrown them away. I can understand if Robin never forgives me but I am holding on to the hope she does."

"Give it time, Patrick. You never know what tomorrow will bring but you have a little girl that needs you both now."

"I know and I will do everything to make it up to Emma too. Thank you."

They sat on the swing silence as Patrick thought about where his life was a year ago and where it was now. After a few minutes, Patrick spoke again.

"Was there something else you needed to talk to me about it?"

"Yes. I met Brenda a few days ago and since then she has made it a point to help me, which I am very grateful for. She has helped me come to terms with some things and try to face things in my life. As I am about to do this, I wanted my closest friends by my side. I want you and Robin to be there with me. I have already spoken to Robin about this. I told her that I would need you with me too because you are one of my closest friends. She said she would ok with you being around. Now I am asking you the same question. Will you be ok being around Robin?"

"Of course. I just don't want her to feel uncomfortable around me. I will be here to support you through anything but I don't want to put Robin through anymore pain."

"I know and I understand that. I know you will support me and I don't want to cause any pain for Robin either. And if you can't be around I understand that."

"I will be around but if it upsets Robin, I will leave. Deal?"

"Deal."

"But maybe in some ways this will help us. At least I can hope."

"Maybe. Do you want to come in and see everyone?"

"Sure."

"Thank you, Patrick. I appreciate this more than you know."

"And I appreciate this too. Now what big things do we have to face?"

"Let's go inside and I will tell you all at once."

Patrick got up and opened the door for Elizabeth as they both walked into the house. Robin was the first to notice Patrick walk in and felt the butterflies in her stomach flutter. She didn't know what the future held for them but she knew that she still loved him and hoped that with time some how they would get through this, for better or worse.

"Hey, boys. Look who I found."

"Uncle Patrick!" The boys screamed as they ran to hug Patrick with Emma following behind yelling "Daddy!"

"Hey guys." Patrick said as he knelt down to hug the boys and his little girl. "Have you been racing cars?"

"Yea, do you want to play?"

"I'd love to." Patrick said as he looked over Cam's shoulder to Robin who gave him a reassuring nod."

"Come on." The boys said as they tugged on Patrick's arm.

"Boys, before you pull Patrick away, can mommy talk to him, Robin and Brenda first?"

Cam spoke. "Yes but hurry I don't know how long Uncle Patrick can play. Brenda said he was in trouble and being punished." The adults all looked at Brenda.

"What? It's the truth." Brenda said innocently.

"I'll be quick, so Uncle Patrick can play."

"Thank you, mommy." Cam said as the kids ran off to play and the adults headed to the kitchen.

Everyone sat down around the table as Elizabeth began to speak.

"As you know, I have a list of people I am going to talk to and I will in time but I need you guys to know something I started even before this. I am looking for Helena with Spinelli's help. I know how dangerous she is but I need answers from her. I know you all think I am crazy for doing this but I need to do this. I need to know why. I can't go any further in my life until I know why she chose to rip a child out of my hands the way she did."

"Elizabeth, this is not what I meant when I said confronting people. Helena is a dangerous woman. She could hurt you or the boys."

"Brenda, I had this set in my mind before I even met you the other day. I need to know. There is something wrong with this whole scenario. Helena wouldn't do this to just hurt me. Or even to give Nikolas Emily's child. There is something else behind her reasoning and I need to know why she chose me for this game."

"Elizabeth, what if she comes after the boys?" Patrick asked concerned for his friend.

"She won't. She has never had any desire for Jake or Cameron or even me as long as we did not risk Nikolas being the Prince. We are not royalty and unworthy of her precious Nikolas."

"What do you plan on doing?" Robin asked puzzled.

"I don't know. I will know more when Spinelli locates her."

"Elizabeth, this is risky. I know and if I even suspect that she will come after the boys I will not do anything. I don't see that happening but if I do I won't endanger their lives. Danger is the whole reason they do not know their father and I won't let him down like that."

"What?" Patrick asked.

"Jason is Jake's father and he wanted to adopt Cameron. We even had Diane draw up the papers. Jason never got to sign them and we never got to file them."

"That makes so much sense now. I always saw something, nothing like what I saw with you and Lucky or even Nikolas."

Elizabeth smiled as she remembered the way Jason could make her feel with just a look but quickly shook it off. He's not yours, she thought.

"Why did you never sign and file the papers for Cam?" Brenda asked.

"Jake was kidnapped and we broke it off. I know Diane still has them, I signed them a month after we broke up. I told Diane that if Jason ever wanted to adopt Cam to sign them and file them. I wouldn't refuse it. As far as I know he never did though."

"How do you know?" Robin asked.

"Diane never called me, so I assumed he never did."

"And what if I told you he did?"

"What?"

"I don't know but I think he did."

"Why do you think that?"

"When I was sick after Emma was born I spoke to Jason a lot. I recall him saying something about his boys once. He knew I knew about Jake. I always thought he meant Michael or Morgan but I think now he meant Cam too."

"I don't know about that, but I will call Diane and ask her. I told her I would never refuse him signing the papers but I don't know how much I trust his judgment now that he is with Sam."

"Do you really think Jason would go back to Sam willingly? It took him years to forgive me and Michael wasn't his real son and I never put his life in danger. Sam threatened your children and you. There is more going on with Jason."

"You may be right but I can't worry about him right now. He chose that life. He always said there was never a choice but there was. He could have fought for me and the boys but he chose the coward's way out and chose to leave us behind to face the world alone. And I let him; I encouraged it, fought it and then just gave in. But this isn't about him, at least not right now. Back to Helena."

"Ok, but Elizabeth, what you just said needs to be said to Jason. Plus much more. He needs to know what he did to you. Not just for you but for him too." Brenda spoke.

"In due time. One miracle at a time, didn't you say." Elizabeth said with a small smile. "I just need to know you will be here for me when I find the answers from Helena. I think the answers will rock a lot of worlds."

Robin, Patrick and Brenda all shook their heads in agreement.

Patrick spoke "I will be here but at the first sign of danger I am pulling you out. Agreed?"

"Agreed."

"Why isn't Steven here? You two have seemed so close the last few months." Patrick asked.

"We are and I will most likely speak to him about some of this but there are other things I know he won't agree with and he will fight me on it. Big brother watching out for little sister and all." Elizabeth smiled.

"I don't think I have met Steven." Brenda said.

"Oh no, Brenda cannot introduced to your brother. He will fall in love instantly." Robin laughed.

"I don't think I need any more many in my life right now."

"You wouldn't say that if you met Steven."

Patrick glared at Robin as she spoke about Steven. He was hurt, jealous and even more determined to win her back. Elizabeth saw the hurt in Patrick's eyes as Robin and Brenda continued to speak about Steven.

Elizabeth patted his hand and said "Why don't we go play with the boys and Emma?"

"That sounds great."

Patrick and Elizabeth disappeared into the living room. Elizabeth sat on the couch while Patrick and the kids played and thought about what and who was next on her list and when Spinelli would have answers for her. She was hoping soon because she needed answers to Aiden for that part of her heart to start to heal.

Across town~

Sam hurried back to her office when she spotted Jason and Elizabeth on the docks. When she saw Spinelli was not there she called Helena.

"He's not yours, my dear. You knew that from the beginning."

"What do you mean he is not mine? He was always mine. And now that I finally have him back I am not about to let him go."

"What do you mean have him back? He doesn't even know what is going on. It took him eight months to finally sleep with you and that wasn't on his own will, was it my dear?"

"He loves me Helena, he does."

"My dear, how could he really love you? You watched his son get kidnapped, you terrorized the love of his life and his children, he threatened to kill you, you have lied to him and to top it off when he finally let you back into his life on a friend's basis you started drugging him to sleep with you. He may have loved you at one time but I am sure that in a clearer state of mind Jason Morgan does not love you."

"You're wrong."

"We should ask his dear friend Robin. It took him years to forgive her. Or maybe we should ask Mr. Craig about the affects of the drug. I may be wrong about his love for you or rather you may be wrong about his hate for you but that is neither here nor there at this point, now is it?"

"What do you want from me now? I didn't think you still needed me since you obviously have an agenda of your own that you put into place without telling me. Why didn't you wait for my plan to work?"

"Because Samantha my dear it wasn't working and I needed results sooner rather than later. And Miss Webber, well she gets the job done. Don't worry I do not plan to blow your plan out of the water. Have all the fun you want with Mr. Morgan but remember you are working for me. Understood?"

"Yes, I understand. Why can't we get rid of Elizabeth now? She gave you the Quartermaine/Cassadine Heir that you desired. Why didn't you kill her?"

"Because if I did that how would I keep you in line, Samantha. She keeps you on your toes."

"What do you need from me now?"

If she did not help Helena, she would rat her out to Jason and even if she continued to help Helena Jason could still find out and most likely sooner rather than later. Was the little time she had left with Jason worth her life? She knew that somewhere Jason still loved her but it was taking a lot longer for him to realize that without the drugs and if he kept bumping into Elizabeth that would never happen. She had stopped drugging him a few days ago but as soon as the drugs were out of his system she saw him with Elizabeth. And she knew he remembered his time with Elizabeth. On the bright side, she didn't seem to want anything to do with Jason now that she had lost Aiden as well. Maybe after their harsh encounter today, Jason will forget about her. Maybe he really does love me, but will he forgive me for drugging him? He had to; she was only doing what was best for them. Sam continued to rationalize her decisions in her mind as Helena told her what she needed done.

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