Valentine's Day means some time with my favorite never was, but should have been, GH couple. ::Sigh:: Brazen, the little we had of you was soooo good.
Thanks for reading guys!
Jason Morgan arrived back at the Quartermaine's at 7am, despite the fact that he hadn't left until nearly midnight as he'd helped Brenda and Alice move all of Charlie's gifts upstairs and helped assemble the few the staff hadn't gotten around to. Brenda's neighbor had shipped over everything that had made it to Italy and Alice had managed to stop the Q's order just before it was to go out. Even Edward arrived downstairs with a smile as the living room was over taken with gifts.
"Is that?" Edward questioned looking perplexed, then delighted at the large box blocking the entire set of French doors and blocking out nearly half of the light.
"I called when I found out Brenda was coming, and they agreed to include it and bill you for it later, I knew how much you liked it," Alice confirmed.
"I don't give you enough credit Alice," Edward pointed at her, "Charlie's going to love it." He ran his hand over the Santa Claus cover box.
"Breakfast Jason? Cook has set up finger foods, so Christmas doesn't need to be delayed," she pointed at the buffet.
"Say thank you, Jason and take the god damn plate and actually act like a member of this family for once," Edward sniped as Jason had been about to refuse. Who knew how many more Christmases he had left? Who knew how many of them any of them had left? He would have done anything for another Christmas with Jason, but this one would have to do.
Jason's jaw twitched.
"I think I hear Charlie," Alice said thanking god the little boy was up.
"Charlie, don't you dare run down those stairs," Brenda could be heard threatening.
Jason was quick to the door with Edward on his heels, they were controlled enough to not let out a sigh of relief as Charlie had indeed slowed and was taking the stairs at a normal pace.
Brenda was rolling her eyes to Monica as Monica chuckled as she patted her on the back.
"He found me right?" Charlie said as he once more started to run as he hit the bottom step.
"Go look for yourself," Jason replied with a smile.
"Woah," was all Charlie could be heard saying as he entered the room.
"Did he get a good haul?" Monica asked with a smile as she reached her son.
"I've seen toy stores with less," Jason admitted.
The women both laughed.
"Wow," his mother was heard saying as she entered the room.
"Nice pajamas," he held in the chuckle over the bright red flannel pajama set covered in candy canes.
"Yea" Brenda rolled her eyes, "this is what Lois sends from Paris."
"Still better than your normal pajamas," he laughed.
She hit him as they walked into the room.
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"What on earth is going on in here?" Tracy asked walking into the room.
"Santa's workshop explode?" Luke questioned with a sneer. "Hey Brenda," Luke cheered up considerably considering his wife had put a foot to his back and shoved him out of bed this morning.
"What's he doing here?" Tracy made a puckered face at Jason, who had just been handed Brenda's plate.
Brenda rewarded Tracy with an evil look as she flung herself towards Luke, "Merry Christmas Luke."
"Merry Christmas to you too doll face, this is a nice surprise. I would have gotten up if you told me Brenda was here."
Tracy loudly sighed, "Obviously I didn't know they were here. I'm assuming that's your child underneath all that wrapping paper?"
"Hey I got another microscope!"
"Don't be surprised if you get one more," Monica chuckled knowing hers and Edward's hadn't been opened yet.
"Charlie come stand and say hi to Tracy and Luke," Brenda ordered.
"K," he flung himself off the floor grabbing a pastry from Jason's plate as he walked by. He realized his mistake afterwards as he approached them with a full mouth and looked up at his mother in confusion, "Mer-"
"Chew and swallow," she said ruffling his light brown hair, "they'll wait."
Tracy rolled her eyes. She looked down a moment later with a blatantly fake smile on her face, just as he looked up, "Merry Christmas. I'm Charlie," the pastry was passed over to his left as he extended his right.
"Mer-" the word caught in Tracy's throat, she cleared it, "Merry Christmas Charlie, I'm Tracy," she said composing herself.
"Haha, really?" Luke chuckled, "this kid came from you?"
Brenda rolled her eyes.
"Merry Christmas Charlie," Luke said suddenly leaning over and scooping the kid up, "I'm Luke. Try not to be so formal in the house or you'll make Edward happy and we can't have that, can we old man?" He finished his question by returning the boy to the floor and looking over at Edward.
"Looked in the mirror recently Luke? Charlie come sit down and finish your Danish, you're getting crumbs on the floor," eager to have Charlie away from Luke's corrupting forces.
"Awww," Luke appeared in pain as the little boy did exactly that, going to sit next to his pops on the couch. "Brenda," Luke whined.
She laughed, "Hey I had nothing to do with that."
"So what have you been up to Miss International Supermodel," Luke said flinging his arm around Brenda as she laughed.
Tracy cleared her throat, "I'm going to see if Cook has thought to prepare something a little more nutritious than," she made a face, she extending a perfectly manicured finger at the food, "that."
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"Hey Spanky," Luke said running down the hall after his wife, "come on you can't be jealous of Brenda. I mean hell, I still remember her from when she had baby fat."
"Brenda was a teenager Luke, it was hardly baby fat," Tracy said rolling her eyes, trying to keep up the façade. She tried to turn, but Luke, held her arm.
"Don't shut me out Tracy," Luke said suddenly maturing for a split second. "Just get it out there."
She turned back with tears starting to glisten in her eyes, "He has my mother's eyes."
"What?" That statement threw Luke.
"Charlie has my mother's eyes."
"A lot of kids have blue eyes," Luke shook his head. Not that he had even noticed the kid's eyes, to compare them to Lila's.
"Not my mother's eyes Luke," she cut him off.
"T-"
"I spent more years than I am willing to acknowledge looking at my mother's eyes Luke, so don't try to tell me they aren't."
"Tracy, I think you might just be overreacting, I mean it makes sense that you'd want to see Lila today."
"Don't try to placate me Luke, I know what I saw. It never did make sense why Daddy was so nice to him." She shook her head and tried to brush it off, it was less traumatic now that she'd had a moment to deal with it, "It's Christmas let's just try to get through it."
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"Okay see this is probably the coolest gift ever and I mean ever that I've given," Brenda said, "I kind of want to take it back."
Jason's eyes remained focused on her, as always a step away from a roll. "Are you giving it to me or not?" His eyes keeping their focus.
"It's beyond awesome," she said hanging it over.
He let out a short sigh, then a grimace as he looked down at the package. Silver with large white, glittery polka dots.
She was smirking by the time he looked back up.
Sure enough even after only seconds of contact it was all over his fingertips.
"Aren't you going to open it Jason?" Charlie questioned before the sparring could commence.
"Yea," he curtly nodded, "of course."
He tried his best to ignore the glitter that would stay with him for days, pleased to at least feel a book under his fingers.
Laminated with a cover full of Brenda's silver and black swirls that he was used to seeing when she got bored and started doodling and a large title proclaiming, "The Adventures of Charlie Sawyer."
He was smiling as he looked up, "You guys made me a book?"
"It's better than a book," Charlie answered.
"It's a travel guide," Brenda knowingly smiled.
"Everywhere we've been since June," Charlie added.
"Well the interesting places," Brenda shrugged.
Jason laughed and opened the book. Each back facing page held a photograph, sometimes of them, sometimes of something from the city and a short blurb underneath about the best and worst of each location, its facing page held a drawing from Charlie based on it.
"Do you like it?" Charlie was quick to question after Jason had looked at the first pages.
He looked up in surprise, forgetful he wasn't alone, "Yea." He nodded, "Your mom was right, this actually the best gift ever."
Charlie beamed, "Cool." Then turned away.
Brenda smirked up at him, "I totally made up for the year I bought you shirts and ties."
"You earned your gift this year," Jason said with itching fingers, eager to dive back into the book. The sight of Charlie though with wide eyes and ruffled hair already opening his next gift made Jason rethink that.
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"Wow," the Spencer family said in unison as they walked into the Quartermaine's living room.
"Did a toy store explode?" Lucky questioned.
"Ha," Luke clapped his hands together, "I told you," he declared to his wife.
"Actually you said Santa's workshop, which if I didn't already know your son was more mature than you, it would be quite telling," his wife replied dryly.
"Good one Tracy," Edward said shifting around in his seat.
"You're not one to speak Edward," Jason couldn't help but reply and Monica couldn't help but snicker.
"Uh Jason," Liz said with shock in her voice, "I didn't see you down there," she referred to his spot in front of the couch, nearly hidden out of view by Edward who was sharing the couch with Tracy. Jason closest to his mother.
"Merry Christmas," Jason said as he stood.
"Merry Christmas," Lucky nodded uncomfortably.
"Merry Christmas," the two boys chimed in unison, oblivious to the truth.
Liz nodded uncomfortably.
"Your presents are safe over here," Monica said standing with a smile, "we had to keep them away from the melee this morning."
"Yea," Lucky said with a nod at the mess, "it looks like you were attacked."
"Okay Cook just gave me nine million choices for hot chocolate, why would I want-" Brenda stopped her confused statement as she saw Lucky and Liz.
"Brenda?" he asked with an amused smile.
"Oh my god Lucky," she smiled then laughed as she saw the kids, "you're all grown up with kids."
He laughed and waved a hand, "yea that happens. Brenda, you remember Liz and these are our sons," he placed his hands on his sons' shoulders, "Cameron and Jake."
"Pleased to meet you guys," she nodded with a smile, "I have a little boy around your age, he's in the kitchen making sure the hot chocolate has enough whipped cream and marshmallows. Al-"
Alice cut Brenda off, "I'll make sure Cook knows to add 4 more cups and many more cookies," Alice replied with a smile.
"Thank you and tell Charlie, he's finally got people more interesting than us to play with."
Alice laughed down the hall.
"Come sit down," Monica said with a smile.
"Yea take a load off," Luke said stretching out further.
"I swear to god Luke if you go into that dinosaur…" Brenda threatened walking further into the room.
"Who the hell thinks excavating a bunch of plastic bones on Christmas is fun?" Luke rolled his eyes, then rolled his head to the side, "Hey cowboy remember that time out in Arizona and those city slickers?"
"Yea the gator bones you convinced them were a, which dinosaur was it again?"
"Phytosaur," Luke nodded with a grin.
"I think I use that on my hair," Brenda said walking in between Luke and Tracy so she could return to her spot on the floor.
"How exactly did you get gator bones in Arizona Dad?"
"Paco Flores," another nod as he was lost in his glory days.
"Yea his name was Frank Dad."
"Frank's boring, Paco now that's-"
"Is anyone actually interested in this story?" Edward deprecatingly questioned.
"I always love your stories Luke," Brenda's head titled back to look at him.
"Thank you, princess. Have I told you lately how smart you were to get out of this family?"
"Luke!" Monica's scolding quickly volleyed across the room.
"Oh right, he's your kid," he took a sip of his drink, "sorry." He frowned looking over at his own grandchildren, "Oh who's raising you?" He had no choice but to stand, "Stash of gifts in the corner and you two standing still," he shook his head, "Mr. Manners can open six before faster than you can tell him to stop."
Brenda laughed, "He is my kid Luke."
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"Oh wow," Lucky said as he started flipping through the book Jason had left on the table, "this is great."
Brenda gave Jason an, 'I told you so' look over the dinosaur they were now constructing together as the boys played dinosaurs with a different set.
"I said the same thing," Jason defended himself.
"How often do you guys travel?" He asked glancing up from the pages.
"We've been on the road since late June," Brenda answered with a smile.
"What about school?" Liz was quick to question.
"Primary school doesn't technically start for him until next year. I had him in an American school last year. We were just going to travel for the summer, but then we were having fun so..." she shrugged her shoulders.
"So he's going to transfer to a public school when you return?" Liz asked in confusion.
"Oh no, he's going back to his. I spent two years picking out that school, we're staying there," she laughed at herself.
"Aren't you worried he's going to fall behind," there were several snorts from around the room that followed Liz's question.
"They wanted him to skip this year anyway; we're breezing through his workbooks and with me as his teacher, that's impressive." She shot a deadly look at Jason.
His hands lifted, "You said it, I didn't."
"Is that Brooke and Lois in Hong Kong?" Lucky asked.
"Yea apparently she's going to be huge over there any day now," Brenda smiled thinking of her best friend and goddaughter.
"So what does this say?" Lucky asked bending down to Charlie.
Charlie looked up briefly at his drawing, "Chá ér sī."
"Is that your name in Chinese?" Lucky asked with a smile at the boy whose attention he only half held.
"Yea."
"Can you say anything else in Chinese?" Lucky was still prompting with a smile as he tried to engage the boy.
"Nǐ huì shuō yīng yǔ má," blue eyes once more lifted up to Lucky.
"What does that mean?" Lucky's lips couldn't help but once more twitch up in a smile. He already liked the kid.
"Do you speak English," Charlie nodded, "we used that one a lot."
Lucky laughed, "That's probably a good one to know."
"I'm going to learn more before we go again. Right Mom?" He turned to look at Brenda.
"Yea next time you're in charge for when we have the genius idea of exploring the country side."
"Chinese is cool," he nodded succinctly.
"Yea I mean they've got all these cool drawings for words," Lucky sat down at the desk as he pointed at the book.
"They're characters," Charlie corrected.
"Yea they are," he stared at the boy in amazement. Suddenly the fact that they had inherited one of three spare microscopes wasn't shocking. "Are you sure you're only five Charlie?"
"I'm an old soul," he nodded simply again and went back to playing.
Brenda let out a snort.
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"I think we need to go on that," Cameron nodded outside with his nose nearly pressed up against the glass doors.
"I don't know," Jason was quick to answer. "With all the snow, I don't think it'll be that safe."
"Is my hearing playing tricks on me Monica? Or did I just hear the word safe come out of Jason's mouth."
"Oh my god Jason," Brenda shook her head, "it's a toy truck."
"UTV," he corrected her.
"Terrain Jason," she shook her head.
"It's a kid's toy Brenda," he said looking at the red monstrosity Alice had purchased on behalf of Edward once she learned Charlie would have a yard to ride it in.
"Not like they're riding it by the pool," she dryly countered.
"We'll be good," Charlie joined in from his spot next to Cameron by the door.
"Yea," Jake vehemently shook his head.
Jason physically looked pained as he realized he was going to have to dash his boy's desire, "Jake, I'm sorry you're-"
"Oh sweetie," Liz said rushing over to him, "you're still a little too young for it. I'm sorry. But look at how many great toys you have to play with here."
"Yea come on champ," Lucky nodded, "your mom and I will stay indoors and play with you."
"Does this mean I can go?" Cameron was quick to question.
"Yes," Liz nodded, "but be careful."
"Come on," Brenda said hopping to her feet with a smile, "let's go get our coats on."
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They all watched on and off as the boys played in the UTV with Brenda, Jason and Alice hovering near them. Even Lucky had snorted in laughter as Jason gave them a thorough talking to as he inspected the truck and repeatedly adjusted their seatbelts.
It was while Edward was peeking out that they got a chortle, "Oh she just got Jason right in the face with a snowball."
"Try not to take so much pleasure in it Edward," Monica dryly responded as she read the paper.
"Oh my," he exclaimed in shock.
Monica thought about it for a moment, "Oh what is it?" she gave in and asked
"He tackled her into a snow pile," laughter tricked out with the words.
"Is Brenda alright?" she automatically questioned, Brenda's hip had been a hassle for years.
"I would assume so, since they're now rolling around in the snow," the laughter faded to a serious face. "Oh Alice unhooked the boys, they're in for it now," the smile returned.
Liz walked over in time to see Jason on his back with Charlie in his grasp flying over him before being settled into the snow himself. She didn't dare look back to Jake and Lucky playing on the floor, he would see it in her eyes if she did. That could have been them. Jason could have had that family with them…Lucky chose her. Lucky chose her and her two sons above all else. She had to remember that. Lucky was real. Not Jason, not Nikolas. Lucky, her Lucky.
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"I have snow in places that shouldn't be cold," Brenda said shivering as they came in the front door.
"Yea," Jason said with wide eyes, this was uncomfortable even by his standards.
"Oh god I need to change," she fumbled trying to kick off her boots; Jason held her upright.
"Should I take the boys upstairs to get changed?" Alice asked as she got the final shoe off of Cameron.
"Yea just dig through, I'm sure something will fit Cam."
"I can't believe I'm asking this," Jason said looking down at his clothing, by the time he looked back up Brenda's eyes were sparkling, "you bought me clothing right?"
"Jason, you have pretty much complained about every single item of clothing I've even bought for you."
"Since when has me complaining about anything stopped you from doing it?"
Lips twitched up.
"Thank god."
"You're welcome," she smirked.
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"Oh stop your whining," was the final part of their bicker as Brenda walked into the living room. "Hot chocolate?" she questioned seeing 3 missing boys.
"More likely marshmallows with a dash of hot chocolate," Lucky smiled.
The room laughed.
"Thank you Alice," Jason was overheard saying just before he walked into the room as Alice took his boots to put them to dry.
Dark blue jeans, a grey cashmere v-neck sweater, his feet encased in only a pair of black socks.
"I think we're experiencing a Christmas miracle," Edward said looking at his youngest grandson.
Brenda laughed and tossed her own grey sweater and jean covered body into a chair.
Jason glared at Brenda and wondered how much longer he had to stay.
Monica and Liz couldn't help, but study the two former spouses. Brenda's entire outfit form fitting, a skinny tight grey sweater with white peeking out from the bottom both of which curved onto the dark skinny jeans. Jason's sweater was darker and had a black tee shirt peeking out of the v-neck. There was something about the two that was intriguing. Their apparent contrasts, his fair to her dark, her short to his tall, her ease and fluidity in movements to his stiff and them in slightly matching outfits.
"Where'd you get the clothing from?" Liz asked with a smile, the pair of them together made her uncomfortable, but she knew them, she knew Jason, nothing would ever happen between the two.
":Brenda has a shopping addiction," he said settling himself into a chair.
"Hey don't knock it, otherwise you'd be in Edward's pajamas right now," she pointed a finger at him.
"I have no complaints, now that it's not my money you're spending, what you spend it on is your thing."
"So would this be a bad time to tell you I need money?" she questioned with a straight face.
He simply remained staring at her.
Her lips twitched up.
Monica couldn't help, but laugh with a hand covering her mouth. She cleared her throat to interrupt the silent standoff, "Well Jason, I think you look wonderful. You made excellent purchases this year Brenda."
"Thank you," she said adjusting in the chair, she turned back to Jason, "you should try being grateful."
"We're not having this conversation here," he said doing his best to ignore her.
"You know most people would be happy to not sit around in wet underwear."
Lucky chortled, "She bought you underwear?" There was something incredibly oddly perverse about that. Jason Morgan, enforcer for Sonny Corinthos, more often than not a cold blooded statue, despite the fact that he had not only slept with Lucky's wife, but fathered his son. Something so ordinary and mundane as having underwear purchased for him.
Monica's hand went up again as she tried to stifle the laugh.
Brenda doubled over laughing.
Liz looked at them oddly and wished Luke and Tracy hadn't wandered out of the room, they would have been sure to put a stop to this.
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Liz was grateful when the children returned and stopped the Brenda and Jason show, that quickly passed though as Luke and Tracy were summoned to the room by Edward and Alice was called in to take a picture as Edward muttered under his breath about Jason finally looking like an adult. After several group shots were taken with Ethan walking into the living room for the very last one, they broke down into smaller groups for pictures. She watched as Jason looked away as Jake took his obligatory pictures with their family. Then she felt her heart seize as she watched Jason and Brenda pose with Charlie in between them, she felt that knife twist as Edward and Monica joined them on the couch.
By the time Charlie had climbed into Jason's lap and let out a yawn, she had been ready to scream, 'That's not your son, your son is over here, he's with me.'
She didn't though. She remembered that Brenda would be gone soon. She had lain with him in Brenda's bed. Then she remembered Brenda's room, perfectly kept for her, despite all the years she had been gone.
Then she realized there was a minor squabble emerging between the two and despite herself, she felt joy.
"Oh come on," Brenda's voice grew louder.
"No, it's Christmas," Jason quickly vetoed her idea again.
"Exactly, I have gifts and Carly has to be nice," she smiled as she shrugged, it was almost cute Jason thought he could win.
He remained silent.
"Oh come on, I just want to see the baby, soft baby skin and baby smell," she wistfully sighed. "Then hear the hellish cry and remember why I don't want a baby," she smirked.
"No babies," Charlie vehemently agreed.
Jason laughed.
"Come on, ten minutes Jason," she nearly pouted.
"Charlie's half asleep."
"No I'm not," he was quick to sit up.
"Whatever he can nap at Robin's, it's not like he's going to want to play with Emma."
"Babies aren't fun," Charlie nodded.
"Ten minutes," Jason prompted.
She smiled.
"And you'll be ready to go in five?"
"But-"
"I'm leaving in five minutes," Jason didn't budge.
She frowned, then hopped off the couch.
"Five minutes," he yelled after her.
"That was just mean Jason," Monica told her smirking son.
Edward repeatedly tried to clear his throat, hiding his amusement, rather than let his grandson know, for a brief second he was almost proud of him.