Jason Morgan and Alexis Davis, canon

September 2010

Instant Addiction

Part 24

Patrick was about to risk his surgeon's hands to pound Johnny Zacchara into a bloody mess.

Hours earlier, when Lucia was released from General Hospital, Emily had been stalling waiting for Johnny, who swore he would pick them up and take them to Emily's house. She lived right next door to the home Patrick had bought for himself, Liz and their kids to share.

All Emily's calls to Johnny's cell went to voicemail. Elizabeth was in a surgery with Monica. Lucky was working a stake out. Nikolas was still, after nearly two weeks, in Russia on business. Gia and Sonny had taken their yatch on a weekend cruise. The Quatermaines were just too high maintenance to call on in a time of crisis. Edward would be bellowing up a storm if Emily called him to take her home, dragging Alice behind him, while Tracy and Luke argued till someone's ears started to bleed.

Or worse Luke and Tracy might flirt. That was impossible to stomach.

Emily had taken a cab to the hospital and it looked like she would have to take one back home, with her newly healthy four month old daughter in tow, and no car seat. Patrick saw red over the whole messed up situation.

He knew that Johnny had not promised Patrick, in so many words, that he would take care of Emily but it was a well known fact between everyone who knew Johnny and Emily that the man was deeply in love with her and was broken after she dumped him. Now that Emily wanted him back- even though he had a girlfriend named Jane who waited tables at The Metro Court- Patrick had just figured Johnny would jump at the chance to spend his life right where he used to swear he wanted to be: with Em and Lucia.

Patrick would have never picked a mobster to love Elizabeth's best friend but that's who Emily fell for- back when she was brain washed and calling herself Rebecca- and that's who Emily had now decided she loved most and best and wanted to make a life with. Johnny would have to be a dumb ass to walk away from her for some insipid, flat chested, bubble gum smacking college girl.

But it looked like he had.

Or else he had let his idiotic self get killed doing his so-called job. Or locked up. He better hope it was one of those last two because if he had led Emily on for five days with his "We'll talk when our baby girl is well....I'll never let you two go again....You mean everything to me..." lines and that was just bullshit, then Zacchara was about to get knocked the fuck out.

Nobody just ignored Emily while they banged somebody else, got smiley and happy, got his rocks off and then later, when he was done, he'd call her. Hell no. Because Patrick would be the one answering the phone and the first words out of his mouth were going to be so ugly John Zacchara would think twice before he ever made Emily worry herself sick over him again.

Emily walked down the stairs of her house. Patrick was waiting in the living room. He had driven her home in his minivan that still had baby seats in it. He stayed around, ordering Chinese delivery for dinner, and helping her get Lucia bathed and asleep. He had left her in the nursery, watching her baby girl, and after twenty minutes Emily came down.

She said "You really don't have to stick around. I know you're exhausted after starting your shift at six today."

Now it was almost midnight. Johnny was eight hours late. Lucky hadn't called so it was real doubtful that John was arrested or in the morgue.

Patrick told Emily "I've never needed more than four hours sleep anyway. And I've pulled my fair share of all nighters too."

"That was during college, right? You're not exactly-"

"Hey!"

She gave him a weak smile. "Its seriously cool. I'm worried about him but I've called GH ten times already. He's not a patient. You called Mercy, how many times?"

"Too many."

"We can't do anything else. I'm just going to go to bed."

Patrick sat down. Emily sighed. He patted the couch next to him. She came over and sat down. He said "More than likely, there is a good explanation for this. He's sitting locked up in some other town, maybe. In his line of work, it could be that. He might not be hurt and he might not be just blowing you off. But, if he is with her, Emily.....he's a fool."

"I brought this on myself. I pushed him away. He found someone else to love and I just have to learn to accept that."

"The point is that he's told you this week he wanted you back. And that better be the truth."

"You don't have to fight my battles. I feel horrible that you're not home with your wife and the boys right now. Please, Patrick, don't treat me like fragile glass. I'm not. I can bear this...if Johnny can't leave Jane tonight...I'll find a way to bear it." She looked away. "Its Lucia who really gets cheated most. But I can't blame anyone but myself for cheating my little girl out of a happy home."

"It takes two people to make something work. But only one person to make it fail. I don't think you're that person if he's with her tonight....because he might have made her promises....but the only thing that really matters is who he loves. And he can't love her...not if he once loved you."

She smiled slightly again. "Are you saying that a man could never fall out of love with me?"

"Not a smart man."

She smiled a little wider. "Okay. You cheered me up. Mission accomplished. Now go home to your family please. I happen to love them all, like they are my own, so don't make me be the reason they miss you anymore tonight. I don't need you to hold my hand. I'm fine."

He held her hand. "Just till Lucky gets done with his stake out."

"Liz marries all the best guys in town."

Patrick flashed her a grin. "And she knows it too. She's even getting into Nascar for me. What a woman I found. Matt's so jealous he can taste it."

"Since he just married Sam, I doubt that."

"Don't be so sure. He's nuts over his wife but he knows I got the hotter chick."

"Liz will love to hear you say that."

There was a knock on the door. They both tensed. Emily jumped up and ran over there. She flung the door open. There was Johnny, with haunted eyes filled with bitter anguish.

She opened her arms- forgiving him everything in an instant- and he fell into her embrace.

Patrick looked at them. The guy looked pretty messed up, emotionally. He must have a good excuse for the shit he pulled today. He could live...for now...without any bruises on his face.

But he better watch his step because there were men all over Port Charles just waiting to sock him one to his jaw if he broke the heart of Emily Bowen Quartermaine.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Alexis was wearing just her underwear and her button up mauve shirt, sitting on the bed, sipping her glass of wine, when Jason came out of the bathroom. He wore a towel and a pissed off expression.

His jaw was tense, jumping beneath his skin.

He picked up his boxers and slipped them on. Then he found his socks. He got into his jeans. All in silence. He jerked on his shirt. Then he sat down and started to put on his boots.

She took another sip of her wine, letting it slowly slide down her throat. She remembered this feeling well. The day Ric packed his suitcase. The day Carly came back from the dead.

Chances slipping away.

She knew it was her own guilt over giving Sam up at birth that kept her from even thinking about telling Sam that Alexis was going to be with Jason and it would just have to be something Sam dealt with. Alexis, rationally, knew what was causing her to behave as she was....yet she couldn't change how she felt.

Jason had his shoes on. He grabbed his leather jacket and keys.

Alexis broke the silence. "Are you coming back tonight? Because I can take the train home in the morning, if you prefer."

He gave her a hard look that asked You don't know me at all, do you? before he said "I'll be back in an hour."

There was no good-bye kiss this time. She didn't know if there would ever be any kisses between them again. Even if, by some insane twist of fate and miracle, Sam was okay with her ex now sleeping with her Mom, that might not matter anymore because Jason wasn't okay with Alexis not being willing to fight for them.

And Alexis wasn't about to apologize for loving her kid more than herself.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Jason sat down at the bar, drinking and thinking about what he wanted to say to Alexis. He didn't like dwelling on the past but there was no denying that certain moments kept coming to his mind. Standing in a rose garden with Carly. At an airport with Brenda. When he found Courtney in South America and their unborn baby was dead already.

He knew he was at another moment like that. But he wasn't young anymore. He couldn't angrily tell someone, like he told Robin, that he didn't need them in his life anymore. And he couldn't willing let go like he had with Liz.

He wanted to make a home with Alexis. He wanted his life to be filled with moments when they were connected. When they made sense. When they got each other. When they didn't need to talk even.

When she was waiting on him to come home and kiss her neck.

Maybe he just wasn't the sort of man she wanted all that with. Maybe that was why it was easy for her to let Sam decide their fate...Sam who was never more emotional than when she was dealing with her mother and her feelings of abandonment. Alexis knew that. She had to know Sam wasn't going to take this well.

Alexis might just want this easy way out. That way there was no chance she got stuck living with a mobster.

She had said "I want a future with you." But he felt like he forced it out of her. Never before in his life had he even tried to do that to a chick. Make her say things she didn't really feel.

He was completely sprung over Alexis Davis. And he was starting to hate that fact.