A/N: I hope you'll enjoy this update! There's a little bit of everyone in this chapter, and it's leading to the big reunion that's coming up soon I promise, anyway, here it goes!

I didn't create these great characters, just borrowing them for my little story…

Chapter 25 – Reality Check

-- Hôtel San Régis Paris, France --

"Yes Maxie, I had a great trip… I arrived and checked in at the hotel… Yes, it is right between The Champs Elysees and Avenue Montaigne… and the city is beautiful... yes I saw the Eiffel Tower; I can even see it from my hotel room… I will call you whenever I … What? Jason? I tried calling but nothing; I couldn't even leave a message which was weird… what? his voicemail box might be full? Yes, you're probably right… and I promise I will try to relax and enjoy Paris. Ok, I'll call you later."

Elizabeth hung up the phone then noticed Kate was standing at the door of her hotel room. "What's all this Jason talk? What happened now?"

"I'll tell you everything but first promise me you won't chastise me because I've already got it from my Grams, Maxie, Jason's attorney…"

"His attorney?" Kate asked puzzled.

"Long story… anyway I broke up with him."

"I figured with the whole picture debacle. What was that about?"

Elizabeth sat on her bed ready to enlighten her friend. "No, but you don't know the whole story. It was all a scam. He was never with that woman. Carly paid her to make it seem like he cheated on me with her."

"Carly? No she did not!" Kate said in shock, joining Elizabeth at her bed's foot.

"Yes she did!"

"I can't believe she went that far. But so what happened then?"

"Well Jason found me in LA and told me everything, and also that he loves me. But when he told me that I panicked and got scared thinking I wasn't strong enough to be in a relationship because of the way I reacted." She said facing Kate with worried eyes as she waited for her friend to lecture her and remind her of how stupid she had been.

"Ok, so now what?"

"What do you mean now what?" She asked puzzled. "No Elizabeth you have lost your mind, or Elizabeth you are such an idiot…"

"No, you were confused and well it happens. Now what is important is to figure out what you will do to fix this." Kate said.

"Yes, you're right… no need to keep beating myself up over my mistake, now what I need to do is figure out how I will get in touch with Jason so we can simply talk. He's in South Africa right now, that's if he's not already on his way somewhere else."

"So you tried calling?"

"I did, but like I was telling Maxie I can't get a hold of him, and I can't even leave a message because his voice mail is full or something." The designer explained.

"Have you tried emailing, to at least tell him you need to talk."

"I'll try, but all his emails go through his assistant and she hasn't been very helpful, I'm sure she'll withhold my message until he gets back to the office."

"Ok, well it looks like you might have to wait until you get back to Port Charles."

"I guess so, but I'm not even sure he wants to hear from me." Elizabeth said in a defeated tone.

"How do you know? Maybe he's been waiting for you to reach out, which would make sense after the way you parted ways." Kate remarked.

"Maybe, or maybe he finally got tired of the push and pull and I wouldn't be surprised if he finally gave up after the way I treated him." Elizabeth let out a heavy sigh. "I read that he attended the United Against AIDS Fundraiserwith Brenda Barrett."

"Oh Brenda! I'd love to have her in Crimson, I'll have to call her reps and see if we can arrange something."

"Kate you're not helping!" Elizabeth threw back at her.

"Oh come on, don't tell me you think he's moved on with her? You have been to so many events with Jax but that didn't mean you were an item."

"I know, and I didn't say that he was dating her, I know I can't believe whatever they write." Elizabeth said standing to her feet then started pacing across the hotel room. "I was just surprised to see another woman at his arm. I guess it made me realize that I could very well have lost him for good."

"Ok you know what, enough Jason talk, we're in Paris remember! So time to cheer you up with a nice little tour of this magnificent city and later we're going to John Galliano's show for Dior."

-- The Westcliff Hotel Johannesburg, South Africa --

Jason's South African trip was coming to an end and the businessman was already preparing to get to the next country he would have to visit before making it back home. Being miles away had helped him resist the temptation to call Elizabeth or fly to her grandmother's and try to convince her to change her mind. But like Diane had advised him, he would give Elizabeth her space and some time to decide what she truly wanted.

He was packing and waiting for his friend Brenda, who he had unexpectedly met at the high profile event he attended a few nights back. The young woman had been touring the world in accordance to various endorsement deals she carried as a very famous figure in the modeling industry. Because of their mutually busy schedules, the pair was very rarely able to spend time together and it had rejoiced Jason to see her and her large sense of humor again.

Right as he was thinking about her, Brenda Barrett loudly knocked on his hotel room door, that he quickly opened, and then barged in holding an opened magazine in her hand. "Have your read this? They think we're dating now, what a joke those tabloids, they should know I like my men a way less grumpy than you."

"Well thank you." Jason said walking towards the newly arrived woman. "Let me take a look." Jason asked grabbing the magazine from her. He very rarely paid attention to the gossips but since they had been instrumental to the demise of his relationship with Elizabeth, the young man had decided to pay more attention to what was said about him out there.

"Well great. Now if Elizabeth reads this she'll think I am moving on when I had no idea you were even supposed to be here."

"Oh come on, everyone knows that they always blow things out of proportion, but what I don't understand is why you were cited first in this article and not me." Brenda said, taking the magazine back from Jason and flipping more pages to check if anything more had been published about her.

"Brenda! What does it matter?"

"It matters! I'll have my publicist give them a call."

"You're actually happy they write stuff about you." Jason realized.

The young woman closed the magazine and threw it on a nearby side table. "Of course I am! It keeps people talking about me. Anyway, you shouldn't worry too much about your girlfriend who I still haven't met by the way."

"Well I don't think it will happen any time soon." Jason said dropping on a large sofa that was standing in his suite.

"Why is that?" Brenda asked unaware of his delicate situation with Elizabeth.

"Because of those damn tabloids." The man said pointing at the magazine.

"What happened? They ran a funky rumor about you and what? It was all fake anyway right?" The young woman guessed.

"Yes but it still cost me my relationship with Elizabeth. Well actually I shouldn't blame it on the tabloids, it was all Carly."

"Oh oh, what has she done this time?" She said, making Jason realize it was always the first thing everyone asked. "I told you that harpy wasn't to be trusted."

"I know, I made a mistake letting Carly close to me but I learned my lesson. Now I even had to change phone number because she's damn too stubborn to let go."

"So where do you stand with the girlfriend now?"

"Right now, things are not looking good and as much as I am hoping she changes her mind and decides to get back together I'm not sure it will happen. She told me she wasn't ready for a relationship and right now all I can do is respect her decision and give her some space." Jason explained.

"Well that sucks! But you'll see things will get better." Brenda said tapping her friend's back. "But you've got to start by retiring the miserable face or people are going to start thinking I'm a boring friend to be around."

"Well you kind of are…" Jason joked.

"Shut up! Anyway… are we still on for what you promised me? Don't you even think about changing your mind!" Brenda asked.

"Yeah, sure…" Jason reassured his friend.

"Great… then I'll see you in a few days!" She added before leaving his suite to get back to her hotel, where she would pack before leaving South Africa for Europe.

-- Metro Court Hotel, Jax's office --

After she received a message from her business partner and ex husband, Carly rushed to meet him in his office, but not before making sure her makeup was still on point. She knew it was just a matter of time until he decided that this divorce was a horrible mistake and that he simply couldn't live without her. A mischievous grin took over her lips as she thought about Jason and how he would assuredly be next in line to come back thanking her for ridding him of goodie two shoes Elizabeth. It was always the same story with the men in her life who often damned her for taking charge and making decisions for them and in the end couldn't resist her.

Carly pushed Jax's door confidently, and with every intention of playing hard to get. "You called me?"

"Yes I did Carly… and no need for that smug look on your face we're not getting back together." The man said, knowing the woman's tricks by heart.

"Jax! I know we're divorced as of right now but I also know that the last time you called me in your office like that it ended in hot steamy sex so sorry if I assumed."

Carly managed to forge a nostalgic smirk on the man's lips, but the memories were not pleasant enough to make him forget her betrayal with her personal trainer. "I called you to let you know that Jason just sold his shares of the Metro Court."

"What!" The woman let out in complete shock. Jason had warned her he would, but she never for a minute believed he would actually go as far as selling his holdings in a profitable organization like the hotel only to get back at her. "No, you're bluffing. Jason would have told me if he was selling his shares." She said in complete denial; her best friend as angry as he was wouldn't go that far, and certainly not because of a woman.

"Well, from what I understand you have lost your position of best friend in his eyes so it makes total sense he didn't tell you anything about it."

"But, why? What is he gaining in selling? This doesn't make any sense; I'll talk him out of it." She said turning to leave but was quickly halted by Jax's words.

"Too late, the paperwork has been signed and as of today I own sixty percent of the Metro Court."

"What?" Carly turned back around, her mouth dropped opened as she was now boiling on the inside. Jason and the twenty percent he used to hold allowed her to regularly dominate Jax when decisions were to be made but by selling him his shares, Jason had just completely crushed Carly's power.

"You heard right, I am now majority owner and I can tell you right now we are renovating the ball room and Crimson is getting the whole fifth floor."

Without another word Carly stormed out of Jax's office, with every intention to find Jason and letting him have it.

-- Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, Paris --

Two days later…

Elizabeth's first time in Paris was supposed to be the most fun she had ever had in her whole life. Eating decadent croissants and warm French baguette in the morning, wasting time in little cafes, tasting incredibly flavorful dishes all while being part of the greatest fashion event on the planet. Thanks to Kate, she was shaking hands with the masterminds of couture and was even given precious advice on how to remain successful. All this was wonderful, and yet Elizabeth was feeling blue. Everything felt dull and nothing seemed to spike her interest the way it should have. No, her mind was preoccupied by a certain man she couldn't wait to talk to.

After the afternoon shows of the day, Kate took Elizabeth out on a little shopping trip. The fashion editor had noticed that no matter what they did her protégé hadn't seemed fully present, as she kept thinking about how she might have ruined any chance at a relationship with Jason. Kate hoped that taking her to what was recognized as the most fashionable street of the city, with all of the most prestigious brands represented, would lighten up the gloomy young woman.

"Have you seen this little skirt?" Kate said pointing at a store's display window. "I thing this will be a hit this summer."

Elizabeth was walking down the narrow avenue with only one thing in mind. "I've been trying to reach him for two days and nothing. He still hasn't returned my calls." She said, not having heard a word Kate spoke.

"And he probably will... maybe he's just very busy right now."

"Yeah, maybe... but what if he really doesn't want me anymore... what if he's ignoring me?"

"Elizabeth you need to stop stressing over this. The whole point of being in Paris for you was having fun but you've been so worried that I don't think you were able to enjoy anything." Kate told her as they kept walking down the street.

"I wish I could just put these thoughts on hold but I can't. I might very well have ruined everything between us and the more time that passes by the less chance I have of getting him back.I want to try calling one more time but then I'm afraid he'll think I'm stalking him.

"Exactly, so just wait. Two days is not that long if you think about it."

"It's an eternity! I even called his stuck up assistant who wouldn't tell me where he was, she just said he wasn't there… which is probably code for he doesn't want to speak to me. But I don't blame him, for the way I treated him. One day I wanted him the next day I didn't. I think I might have ruined everything just because I'm a coward."

"Don't be so hard on yourself Elizabeth." Kate tried to comfort her friend.

Elizabeth heard her cell phone ringing and hurried to retrieve it from her handbag, hoping it was Jason finally returning one of her many calls.

"How's the weather in Paris?" Maxie asked her boss jovially.

"Maxie…" Disappointment could be heard in the brunette's voice.

"Jee… you couldn't sound happier to hear my voice. Anyway, that's probably going to change very fast after I tell you what I just read."

"What?" Elizabeth eagerly rejoined.

"Guess who's in France too?"

"Who? Don't tell me Jason's here?"

"He is!" Maxie exclaimed. "I just read that in a gossip blog and they made sure to point out that he was traveling by himself."

"Oh my god I can't believe it! I have to find a way to see him. Do you know where he is staying?"

"No, but I can find out... I have connections in the Morgan Clan now..." she let Elizabeth perplexed as the young woman knew nothing of her new friendship with Spinelli.

"Ok Maxie, try to find out in what hotel he is staying and let me know as soon as you get anything ok?"

"Will do!"

Elizabeth hung up and quickly turned to Kate who had followed the whole conversation with attention. "Did you hear that Kate? He's here! I think I'm being given a chance to fix things between us!"

--

Next: Paris Je t'aime