Wow, the feedback is amazing! Thank you all! I know you are all waiting for Carly's reaction. You'll catch a snippet in a flashback in an upcoming chapter, either the next chap or the following. It will still be at least a few chapters before she makes an appearance in this fic.

Chapter 9

Two weeks later

Elizabeth looked at her watch, he was five minutes late. For the last ten minutes that she'd been sitting there waiting for him, Sam had walked by three times… obviously checking to see if he had arrived yet. The days where they both worked were hard. Elizabeth would catch Sam looking at her, maybe it was jealousy or anger, probably both. Since she was working mostly day shifts, Sam was there most of the time she was. Unfortunately, every time a patient checked out or was moved to another floor, the files needed to be given to Sam for filing. Sam would make comments like, "Is there anything I can do for you?" or "I'm glad I can help" which normally would be polite replies, but coming from Sam they were surely sarcastic.

Her presence irritated Elizabeth and she was sure that the feeling was mutual. The problem is that Elizabeth was originally making an effort to be cordial to Sam but she was just making it so difficult. Now Elizabeth just did everything she could to avoid her. It is amazing how small the hospital could seem when you are trying to avoid one person.

"Well good afternoon Ms. Webber."

Elizabeth tensed when she recognized the accent.

"Twice in one week, and might I say that it is all my pleasure."

Elizabeth forced a smile and looked up at Lorenzo Alcazar, "Hi."

"Waiting for someone?" he asked. She nodded and he stepped forward, "Mind if I sit for a few minutes? I have a board meeting and am a little early. I can't think of a better way to pass the time then to sit with a beautiful woman."

"Uh, sure." She nervously answered. It was obvious that he knew about her pregnancy when she had seen him earlier in the week. The way he was looking at her she could also tell that he knew the baby was Jason's.

He nodded to her stomach, "May I ask when you are due?"

"Late spring." She simply answered.

He smiled at her smugly, "You don't like me do you?"

"I don't personally know you and would not presume to judge." She said looking at her watch again.

"Well we could get to know each other so you can form an opinion… spend some time together."

Elizabeth shrugged, "I'm sorry, I just went through a divorce, with my son and this pregnancy, I don't really have the time."

"Mr. Morgan." Lorenzo said, looking past Elizabeth. Her head quickly shot up and she found a dark eyed, tense Jason standing beside her. "I was just keeping your… Ms. Webber company for a few minutes. I did not know that it was you that she was waiting for." It was a lie but Elizabeth had no clue how Lorenzo knew.

"Come on Elizabeth, we are late." He growled. She quickly stood up and he followed her to the elevator. Once they were inside and the doors closed his body did not become any less tense.

"Jason, I'm sorry… he…"

"No, I'm sorry. It's my fault that he bothered you." He whispered and his eyes slightly softened when he looked over at her. "And I will deal with him… he won't bother you anymore."

She shrugged, "I can handle him."

"H-has he bothered you before?"

"He was here earlier in the week. I guess he is on the hospital board but he never paid me any attention before…" she trailed off. "Anyway, I can deal with him."

He shook his head. HE would deal with Alcazar. "Sorry I'm late."

"It's fine." She offered him a smile.

Elizabeth was overwhelmed. "I can't believe I'm a homeowner." She mumbled.

Diane offered her a smile, "Jason, can I talk to you?" she said and pointed at the door to her office.

Jason nodded and followed her into the hallway, "What is it?"

"Without overstepping any boundaries… I feel the need to give you some advice." Diane voiced and Jason looked at her confused. "I don't know Elizabeth very well but I know your situation with her. I know that you are doing A LOT for her. I will not presume to know the exact status of your relationship with her, however, she is a pregnant, single mother. She is a sweet girl… just don't lead her on."

Jason narrowed her eyes, "What are you saying Diane?"

"I'm saying that I think that woman is fragile and the way she looks at you… just be careful." She said then turned around and walked back in her office. "It looks like we are done here." She extended her hand to Elizabeth, "It has been a pleasure Elizabeth. If you need any further legal work please let me know."

Elizabeth took her hand, "I will definitely remember that. Thank you for rushing everything, I cant believe it only took two weeks to get everything settled with the house."

"Jason pays me well." She released Elizabeth's hand and reached for her purse. "Speaking of which, I think I have earned myself a new pair of shoes… perhaps a jazzy new red pair."

"Well you definitely deserve them." Elizabeth added.

After pulling on her wool coat, Elizabeth followed Jason out to his waiting SUV. He quickly drove to the now empty home he just bought her. Once inside, she walked around the perimeter of the Livingroom taking in the moment, "I… I don't know what to say. Thank you just doesn't seem like it is enough."

"Stop thanking me Elizabeth." He leaned against the banister and pushed his hands into his pockets.

Elizabeth lowered herself to the floor and leaned against the wall. The house seemed so much bigger when there was no furniture in the rooms. "Jason?"

"Hmm?"

She nervously tucked her hair behind her ears, "I um, I want to talk to you about the paternity results."

He looked at her confused.

"I wanted it to be you." She whispered then cleared her throat and continued. "When I got the results and opened them in front of Sonny, I told him that it was who I expected. I expected it to be you." She sighed. "Then Sonny started going on about how it is better off that it wasn't you… you know the rest. When-when I came to you to tell you and Carly had already told you that Lucky was the father, or assumed, you already had it in your head that it was for the best. I guess I just chickened out. I didn't want you to feel obligated if you felt the situation would be better off with the results showing Lucky as the father. Am I making sense?"

Jason nodded. He stepped away from the stairs and walked across the room to where she was sitting. This conversation was a long time coming and before they could move forward, it needed to be discussed. He sat on the floor in front of her.

"I didn't plan on this happening, deceiving you I mean."

"You didn't dec-"

"I did. I could have corrected Sonny or Carly… or told you but I didn't. I let everyone's opinions pressure me into making a stupid decision." She looked down at her fingers and picked at the cuticles around her fingernails. "I would have told you though. I can't say when but I wanted to tell you so many times, I just kept chickening out. I even drove to your Penthouse one day, was standing in front of the door but after about five minutes I left. I was afraid maybe you wouldn't want this baby or, I don't know… I'm stupid."

"You aren't stupid, stop beating yourself up." He murmured and reached for her hands, halting the assault on her cuticles. He, however, did not remove his hands, he kept them clasped over hers. Her entire body felt warm under his touch.

She looked up and met his cobalt eyes, "I'm sorry Jason. I didn't mean to hurt you and I don't want you to think that I'd rather Lucky be this baby's father. I wanted, want it to be you Jason. You are such a good man and you are going to be a great father."

Her eyes filled with tears and she just let them fall down her cheeks. He struggled for the right thing to say. "I wasn't mad at you, I'm not. The first night that I found out, I guess I was a little but I know what happened. I know how meddlesome Carly, Sonny and everyone else can be." He removed one of his hands from hers and brushed the back of his fingers against her cheek to wipe away the stream of tears. Her eyes fluttered closed and she took a deep, shaky breath, obviously savoring his touch. "So there is nothing to be sorry for, Elizabeth." He whispered.

They sat quietly for a few moments. "I should get back. I have a lot to do this week." She said as she looked around the empty room.

"Has Audrey stopped giving you a hard time?"

Elizabeth shook her head, "I don't think there is any changing her mind. I'm sorry she is so hard headed Jason. But she will have to live with it. I think once I move out and there is a little distance, she will be better. I can take the silent treatment but I don't want Cameron to notice the tension." Elizabeth let out a sigh, "How about Sam?"

Jason chuckled, "Depends on the day. Most days we just avoid each other. It's just not there anymore, we aren't, the feelings aren't. I guess she just wont admit it and I don't have the patience to deal with that conversation yet. She can be exhausting."

"I'm sorry that you are going through that and that it's not working out. And I know what you mean about the exhausting part."

"Is she giving you a hard time?"

Elizabeth shrugged, "Nothing that I can't deal with… but when the baby comes…" Elizabeth trailed off.

Jason nodded in understanding, "I'll take care of her."

Elizabeth wondered if that meant he was going to break up with her or just have a talk. She hoped it was the first option. "There is one more thing that I wanted to talk to you about." She nibbled her bottom lip and Jason wondered why she seemed so nervous around him recently. "Well I know that this is farfetched but you never know what could happen. I could be hit by a bus tomorrow…"

Jason rolled his eyes and went to speak but she continued and cut him off.

"The thing is, nobody really knows this but Cameron was never adopted by Lucky and if, heaven forbid, anything happened to me, he would go live with my Grams by default. Beside the fact that she despises you, no offense, she is old and can't care for a toddler full time. Anyway, I was talking to Diane the other day when I was signing some paperwork and she suggested doing a will up and it got me thinking. If something were to happen to me, I wouldn't want my children split up and living in separate houses. Cameron adores you… and do NOT feel obligated to say yes… but I was wondering that if anything were to happen to me, would you take Cameron? I know it is a big decision and I'm not saying you have to pretend to be his father… just on paper in case. I could probably just stipulate it in my will but I worry that it could be argued and fought in court by Lucky or my Grams. I hear so many horror stories like that and I think if I make it more concrete, then the odds of that happening would be slim." She sucked in a deep breath, "So if you agree, I guess I am asking if… Will you adopt Cameron?"