Chapter Ten

Elizabeth looked over at Robin and Brenda and giggled. "You can't be serious! Why would you agree to meet with Carly, Brenda? You know how insane she can be?"

"She said that she wanted to have a nice civilized conversation." Brenda shrugged her shoulders. "I am willing to see what she wants. My curiosity is piqued."

"I think you have just lost your mind," Robin commented with a scowl. "She has an agenda. Carly always does."

"Probably, but I am more than able to hold my own with the blonde banshee." Brenda looked over and groaned when the door to Kelly's opened and Sam walked in with Maxie. "Trouble just walked in, Liz."

Glancing over her shoulder, Elizabeth saw the twosome and frowned with trepidation. "Just perfect." Seeing Jagger's eyes narrow as he observed the woman, she offered a reassuring smile.

Robin held up a hand as her cousin opened her mouth. "Maxie, we are enjoying a nice lunch. If you can't be nice, please just walk away. Elizabeth and Brenda are not in the mood to listen to your rant and neither am I."

The small blonde glared at Elizabeth before turning to Robin. "I just wanted to say hi. I never see you anymore except for at the hospital. After all, I am your family, not little Miss Perfect. Who is now hanging around with another mobster. Guess the bad boys excite her, huh!"

"At least I am past the whiney drug addict stage," Elizabeth snarked as she lifted her water glass. "Have you spoken to Lucky lately, Maxie? He is upset with me. He might let you supply him again."

"What have you done now? He is a good man."

With disbelief Brenda snorted. "You really are warped, Maxie. Go away!"

When she started to protest Sam grabbed her arm and pulled her to an empty table. Robin shook her head and frowned. "I really worry about her sometimes. How her and Georgie are sisters is beyound me."

"Maybe one was switched at birth," Brenda joked as she looked over at the other table. "I still don't understand why she hates you for her affair with your husband, Elizabeth. It makes no sense."

"It never has but I stopped caring a long time ago."

Robin looked at her watch and sighed. "I have to get back to the hospital. My lunch is almost over. When are you on again, Liz?"

"Tomorrow. I switched with Nadine."

Brenda and Elizabeth watched as the doctor rushed from the diner. Picking at her brownie and catching Sam watching her, Elizabeth shook her head at the other woman. Noticing that her friend's attention was focused on the other two women, Brenda snapped her fingers in the younger woman's face. "What is up? You are spacing out."

"Nothing really. It just seems like Sam is way too interested in what I am doing lately."

"She is something else. She reminds of me of a more sly Carly."

Both women jumped when Jagger moved beside Elizabeth, blocking the newly arrived Claudia from getting too close. "Ms. Zacchara, what do you want?"

Eying the handsome guard, Claudia chuckled. "I just wanted to speak to my brother's little toy real quick. After all, we hardly know one another."

"What did you need, Claudia? It is ok, Jagger."

He shook his head. "Sorry, Liz, but John made it plan to keep his family away. He doesn't trust them, and with good reason too."

Claudia placed a well manicured hand on his chest. "I am harmless," she purred softly. "What could I possibly do to hurt the little nurse? She doesn't even have the little kiddies here for me to meet."

"No. If you want to talk with her, then you need to contact John."

"Jagger, it is fine. Claudia, did you need to say something?"

"I just wanted to say hi and maybe join you for lunch. My brother is sure keeping you under lock and key. Makes me wonder what is so special about you. After all, you are not exactly unknown to this world considering your past."

Hearing enough of Claudia's cloaked comments, Jagger pulled Elizabeth up and started to nod at Brenda to get up when he felt Elizabeth sway. As her hand clutched at the table to steady her, he slipped an arm around her waist and looked over at her as she took a gulp of breath. "Liz, are you ok? You look like you are going to pass out."

Struggling to battle the nausea and dizziness back, she closed her eyes for a second. "I am fine. It's nothing." Reopening her eyes she met Claudia's narrowed ones. "I am just tired, Jagger. Let's go."

"Tired again?" Sam asked with mock concern. When everyone's attention turned to her, she offered a sly smile. "I think I was right the other night at Jake's. Don't you?"

Tossing her a quick look, Elizabeth only turned back to Claudia. "Have a nice day. Brenda, let's go. I need to relieve Georgie. She has an afternoon class."

Watching the trio leave, Claudia turned and looked at the con woman that was smirking. "What do you know?"

Sam laughed. "The bitch is pregnant again. They may not have said it, but all the sympoms are there. You are going to be an auntie. I think that she only got herself knocked up because Jason and I are pregnant too." Seeing the flash of anger in the other woman's cold eyes, Sam nodded happily. She knew that there was no way that Claudia would allow that baby to be born. She was more power hungry than Sonny. Now Sam just needed to make sure that Sonny himself found out. He would see it as the ultimate betrayal for Elizabeth to have the child of his and Jason's enemy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~b~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Johnny stood at the site were one of his storage warehouses used to stand. The fire department had finally got all the flames out and now the arson investigators were sifting throught the ashes. Shaking his head, he turned and eyed the foreman. "I want this place cleared as soon as possible. I want the warehouse rebuilt and extra protection on the shipment that is due in tonight."

Turning to head back to his car, Johnny paused at seeing Jason leaning against his car while watching him. Frustrated with the days events and getting woke up at three this morning because problems, he approached the enforcer with a frown. "Is this your handy work?"

Shaking his head, Jason looked past him at the still smoldering ashes. "No. Ours on pier 44 burnt too. I thought maybe you, but evidently not."

"Are we done then? I am having a shitty day and not in the mood for the same song and speech."

Annoyance flittered across his features. "I want you away from Elizabeth and the boys."

Rolling his eyes at the expected demand, Johnny sighed. "I can't and won't do that, Morgan. We have had this discussion multiple times already and I have not changed my mind. You and Sam are happily married and expecting a baby. You should focus on that."

"I just want them safe."

"They are safe, I made sure of that. Nothing will touch them."

"Jake is my son! You know that. I have a right to want him raised without your influence."

Tired of the same old dance, Johnny offered a malicious smile. "It's funny in a way. You hate me and I am not overly fond of you. Kind of ironic that our children will be half siblings." Seeing the hatred and shock that passed through the cold eyes, he laughed. "For once Sam was correct. Elizabeth is pregnant. Are you going to congratulate me on my impending fatherhood like I did you?"

Stepping forward and clenching his fists to keep them at his sides, Jason stared at the other man with intense hatred. "Maybe I should just take Jake. After all I am his father. I have rights."

Johnny's own eyes took on a fierce lethal flatness. "You gave your son away without looking back until I became involved with his mother. If you even attempt to take Jake, I will release every shred of proof that I have about Sam and the kidnappings and the incident in the park." Arching a brow and smiling, Johnny smirked. "I even have a tape recordered conversation of Sam talking about how you rescued Jake and convinced Elizabeth not to press charges. Wonder if you could be charged as an accessory after the fact? Don't get me wrong, Jason, I would have no issue with you being in your son's life but there is no way in hell that you will TAKE Jake from the only parent that has ever been there without fail for him. Or will I give that whore you married another chance to get rid of that precious boy." Meeting the unflinching gaze, he immediately let his smirk drop. "You might want to think carefully about your choices because I meant what I said. If you go for custody I will make sure that your bitch ends up in the pen."

Wondering what exactly Johnny had, Jason ran a hand over his face. "I don't like you near my son, Cam, or Liz. You bring danger into their lives."

"Life has danger and nothing erases it all. Only thing that you can do is protect those that matter. I'm not you, Jason. I will not leave my child or Elizabeth because of fear. You just worry about Sam, your wife." Shoving past the silent enforcer, Johnny opened his car door.

Jason quickly grabbed his arm and stopped him from getting into the vehicle. "If you hurt any of them I will kill you!"

He jerked away and laughed. "Just like you did Sam? Stop being a hypocrit, Jason. Why don't you run back to Sonny now and do your job. I am sure that he did not give you permission to care about your son. It takes away from him and his needs. Go back to your true love."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~b~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Claudia stormed into the mansion and threw her purse on across the room and flopped on the couch. Anthony stared at his daughter who was in the middle of a snit and looked over at Ric who was eying her warily.

"What happened? You were suppose to make nice and get to know the Webber woman."

"Johnny's freaking guard won't let her out of his sight! And now I know why he is so protective of the little bitch," she spat angrily.

"Well, enlighten us."

"She is pregnant. Johnny's little slut is knocked up! I will not have her giving birth to the heir of the organization. She is a nobody that deserves nothing!"

Ric sat stunned at the news while Anthony's brows winged up. It just kept getting better and better. Now he had a pawn that was guaranteed to make his son compliant with his wishes. Then after getting rid of the worthless mother and his tratior son, Anthony could groom the next head of the family. Glancing over at Ric, he nodded shortly.

"Get her away from the Cates man and take her to the house like we discussed. Make sure that she is kept healthy and unharmed, Ric! Make it happen within the next couple weeks."

"Are you kidding me!" Claudia shouted. "I want her dead. Who cares that Ric wants her. That baby will never survive! I will kill it!"

Anthony cackled as he raised the gun at his side and aimed at his daughter. "You were always a disappointment. Now I have a new chance because of this Elizabeth."

Fear ran down her back and she quickly backed away. "You can't mean that. I am your daughter!"

Firing the weapon and watching as she dropped to the floor, Anthony calmy looked over at the silent man sitting across from him. "She was a pain in the ass. Take that as your only warning not to cross me, boy. I want that baby healthy, afterward, well, you can have the mother. Just make sure that you get this right. I don't want them to have a clue until it is too late."

Ric swallowed and nodded. "Yes, Sir."

"Kill John when you take the woman. She has made him weak. Make sure that Morgan's whelp is left unharmed. He should focus on him and give you enough time to secure her." Glancing at the dead body on the floor, Anthony couldn't wait. A fresh start was an uplifting thought.