Switching Places
Chapter 6
Proverb: If a tree falls in a forest and nobody hears it fall does it mean that it really didn't fall?
Courtney woke up feeling cold and not seeing any light. Wondering where she was, she felt around but all she could feel was the wall and a cement floor. When she had gone to all four corners she leaned up against the wall and cried.
Several hours later, she could hear a scraping sound and suddenly saw daylight. Looking around instead of at the person walking in, she screamed when she realized she was in a room with dead people.
The two men entering saw the blond where they were expecting a brunette and stopped quickly. "He screwed up; he was supposed to grab the little artist. Who is this?"
The second man shone the spotlight in the girl's face and said "Corinthos estranged sister; what should we do with her?"
"Get her to stop screaming it's hurting my head." The man walked over and slapped the blond across the face with an open hand, shutting her up. "Now, let's see if she could be of any use to us, since our man screwed up and grabbed the wrong girl."
"Do you want me to find out if Corinthos will pay for her return?"
"From what I heard they don't get along, she is married to a Quartermaine though. They might pay to get her back."
"Call them and see if we can get some money out of this and find out where the girl we wanted is."
Elizabeth groaned when she finally rose from the comfort of the bed. Jason had gone to see Sonny; something about Courtney not telling the truth. Before he had left, he had made them breakfast and they had ate it in bed.
She smiled as she recalled why she was still in bed and was sore getting up this morning. Last night had been everything she had ever dreamed it would be and more. As she walked to the shower she was still laughing recalling Jason's guilt filled admission that he had slept with other women while in Europe.
The idea that he had done so hurt, but it was only a pinprick, she had not right to be upset with him. What really hurt was that she had given him up to help someone that as soon as she had stopped doing what they wanted had turned their backs on her. It still hurt that Nik and Lucky acted the way they had. With Emily gone she missed the two remaining so-called musketeers.
As she washed her hair, she sighed thinking about her best friend. Jason had gone to visit her at the rehabilitation center but all Elizabeth had done was call her once a week. She missed her and with her now dating Jason, something Emily had been uneasy about, it worried her.
Looking at the clock, Elizabeth rushed out the door to have Francis drive her to Kelly's.
Looking around for Courtney knowing the blond would be eager to head out the door as soon as she arrived, she was surprised to see Mike working the counter. "Mr. Corbin, where is Courtney?" She asked.
"She was told to take a few days off by Bobbie. I'm working so that if she decides to keep her job it's still available for her. Bobbie told me that you would be coming in to work an afternoon shift today. Also that if I have any questions to ask you."
"Do you want counter or tables?" She asked the man.
"Whatever is fine with me. I'm at your disposal until two o'clock." He said as she grabbed an apron and tied it on.
Alexis sat down and tried to work but Sonny had entered the seating area and was trying to get her attention. "One minute, I have to finish this paper." Finally finishing, she turned to the man and said "What may I do for you?" With her glasses half off her nose and a pencil now stuck in her hair.
"I need some research done everything you can find about my sister. Something is off with her. Can you do it?"
"Isn't that Stan and Benny's job?"
"I have them working on it too. I need more than just what they will find out." He said walking away, he regretted sleeping with her, she was a damn fine attorney and he knew she would soon be out looking for a different job. She had made it clear when they left the Island that she would stay on as Jason's attorney of record but they would need a new business attorney.
Jason finally tracked down Carly, he was rather exasperated to realize that she had been looking at houses all day without a guard or a cell phone. "Carly, I have to talk to you."
"Why from the look on your face things went well with Elizabeth, so what could you possibly need me for? After all you don't believe me about the fact that I have lived six years into the future do you?
"Thank you for your help with Elizabeth, but this is about Courtney and Sonny. She called and asked to stay with him yesterday saying AJ was going out of town and she wanted to take the time he was gone to get to know her brother. Then Sonny found out that AJ was still in town. Last night she told Sonny she was going out with Elizabeth and I, after we had already left for a bike ride. Johnny followed her to Elizabeth's studio, where he saw someone he needed to follow. Do you have any idea why she would go to the studio or why she would then go home last night to AJ?"
"First as to the studio, I do get that one. She was probably planning on getting you to offer her a ride home, since I doubt anyone mentioned that Elizabeth is now living with you. Second are you sure she went back to AJ?"
"I just left the apartment, women's clothes were on the floor and someone was using the shower when Max entered the bedroom. AJ had left to go to work before we even entered the apartment."
"Can't help you. What do you think of this place?" She asked looking around the place.
"Carly isn't it a little small for you?" He asked.
"Not for me, for Elizabeth. There is a sun room back there, and look this is a panic room, if something goes wrong Elizabeth would have a place to escape to just in case." She just wanted to make sure that Ric couldn't buy the place when he moved here.
"It's really not her style; the outside is a little too grandiose for her. She likes farmhouses." He said to the confused woman.
"Okay, I have a nice place that I found for myself, as soon as the owner accepts my offer I will need to have Max and his brother do some upgrades but I love it." She said sincerely. Thinking on the house that she would move into in a few years, Carly had gone to see if it was available now and had been pleasantly surprised it was.
After telling the realtor that she didn't like it after all, Carly left with Jason taking the cell phone he thrust into her hands. "Wait if I have my cell phone what about Elizabeth?"
"I picked up one for her yesterday. She isn't thrilled that I won't let her pay for it, but I told her that with things happening like they are it was better she had one."
"Good job, now I have to go. I have to meet someone for lunch." She said as she walked away without inviting him. She had to cut her dependence on more than Sonny, Jason and her friendship was a big part of Jax's ire. She wanted to see if she could have Jason around without relying on him so much.
Jason walked into Kelly's in time to see Elizabeth talking softly with the Jones girls while looking at Mac Scorpio. "Mac said no to a dog after Maxie forgot to feed the goldfish while I was in Texas." Said an earnest looking Georgie.
"I said no to a dog because you didn't have the free time to take care of him, just what is going on?" He asked sternly looking at his daughters while trying to hide a smile. Bobbie had already called him about Mr. Whiskers and her kittens.
Georgie looked at Maxie and by the time they were finished telling him the story even Jason would have sworn the felines were about to be cast aside into the cold and cruel world. He had to admit they had their father wrapped around their fingers.
"This is what I have decided. You may keep Mr. Whiskers, if and only if you find a home for the kittens and we get her fixed."
Watching as the girls jumped and hugged their father, neither Jason nor Liz were aware that they had gained an audience in Edward Quartermaine who looked out of place in the run down diner. "Jason, I need to speak to you."
Jason stiffened and turned to his grandfather and said "What about?"
"It's private and personnel. Can we talk outside?"
Worried something was going on with Lila; he followed the old man out the door and watched as Elizabeth was trying to turn down adopting one of the kittens. "Jason, I think that AJ is trying to extort money from the family by pretending something that isn't true."
"Then tell him to stop. Look Edward, I have no idea why you are even asking me for help, I have nothing to do with AJ. Now if you will excuse me." He said as he walked away. He would come back and grab something to eat when he picked Elizabeth up later.
Edward called AJ's cell and told his grandson to stop trying to extort money from the family, he could care less about his wife. Then hanging up the phone he walked to his waiting car and told the driver to head home thinking about the scene he had just walked in on. The Webber girl had captivated Jason's attention.
Alexis walked into the diner, nodding at an extremely aware Francis, Jason might not actually believe that Carly was telling the truth but it was obvious that he wasn't taking any chances. Seeing Carly entering from the other side of the courtyard, she looked around and saw that Elizabeth had been correct; there was no one in the diner between two and three in the afternoon.
"So, how are things?" She asked the other two as soon as they had their food.
"I found a house, actually it's the one I buy in a few years when I divorce Sonny again." Carly admitted as she pulled out the pictures including the house where Elizabeth was living in 2008. Showing it to the brunette, she was amused to see that she really liked the small farmhouse, just like Jason had said.
"That one is cute, I love the porch, I can imagine sitting there carving pumpkins and curling up on the porch swing." She said in a soft voice.
"I always thought that you just settled for this place, but this is where you are living now, well in the future now."
"Alexis, I just understood what she said, do you think I should go and talk to Kevin Collins?" She asked the attorney who started laughing.
"Carly, how much longer do we have to worry about Elizabeth getting kidnapped?"
"Well she had been kidnapped the day of my funeral so we have to wait for a least another week. Why?" She asked curiously.
"I'm just worried that it might happen after we relax our guard. Also we have to figure out what happened to the other you. I got a copy of the police report today."
"I think I might be both of us. At least my body might. I have bruises on my arms from the accident as well as from where I burnt myself on a candle the night before I got in the accident here. Yet according to Tony I still have brain damage from where Sonny shoots me in the head." She said thinking about the question not realizing that the other two were staring at her.
"Carly, go back a minute. Sonny shoots you in the head, what happened?"
"I can't tell you, I don't want to say anymore than I have to at any given time. I'm hoping if I don't the timeline will alter."
"Fine, but I want some warning before it is supposed to happen." Said Elizabeth knowing she had to tell Jason what was said. "I saw Sonny last night, hoping to see what you were talking about."
"He doesn't start to take a downturn until he has to fake his death. So it won't be until August that he starts to lose it. I have to go and get Michael from soccer practice; I will talk to you later. Alexis when will I get my divorce decree?"
Switching Places
.
Chapter 7
Nightingale: Our attitude towards life determines life's attitude toward us
Elizabeth was telling Jason what she had been discussing with Carly after she had admitted agreeing to keep the cat and kittens until they were old enough to be separated from their mother.
As they carried the box with the kittens and the other paraphernalia, Jason just tried not to laugh at the idea of Carly and other two women getting along. All three would deny it to their dying day but they had been dealing well with one another.
Setting the box down he asked what they had to do for the animals?
"Nothing, they already use the box so all we have to do is feed them and water them. I'm so sorry about this, Georgie's lower lip started trembling and I just gave in." she admitted.
"What have we got here?" Asked an entering Johnny with the bag of take out food. Seeing the kittens he asked where did you rescue them?
"There were in jail so I staged a breakout." Said Elizabeth laughing when Francis entered behind the other guard.
"Are you keeping them?" Asked an entertained Sonny from the doorway as he watched the three hardened men trying to impress the young woman.
"Just until the warden returns for the momma, the kittens are going to be adopted out." She said watching as Johnny was trying to keep the cat hair off his pristine suit.
As the visitors left, Jason picked up the file he had brought from the warehouse watching as Elizabeth sat down trying to draw the kittens. Hearing her laugh, he looked up to see the kittens wandering around skidding across the bare floors.
Walking over from the desk, he joined her on the sofa wrapping her up in his arms. "Did you name them?" He asked knowingly.
"Nope, otherwise I would want to keep them. Maxie named the mother; of course since she was so big when she first saw them she thought it was a male cat. It was rather funny when Georgie and her came rushing into my room last week saying they needed me. When I saw the cat in their closet he was laying on a sweater that I would bet Felicia doesn't know is missing."
"So you delivered them? Why didn't you tell me?" He asked looking down at her.
"It's strange, do you remember when I nursed you back from your wound, well delivering the kittens reminded me of that, someone needed my help and I just did it, in spite of the blood. It just gave me a strange feeling that I haven't worked out in my mind yet. At least not to where I want to talk about it."
"I'm here when you are ready." He said kissing her neck, then he growled as the house phone rang. Picking it up he said "Morgan."
Holding it out to her, he said it's my mother for you.
Elizabeth tried to think why Monica would be calling her, as she got up to answer the phone. "Dr. Quartermaine, is everything okay?" She asked worried.
"Yes, I'm just relaying a message from Emily, she sent you a letter but it got sent back to her when she forgot to put a stamp on it. She wanted me to tell you that she wouldn't be able to call this week, she is going to be doing some special therapy. She also asked me to remind you that you promised to send her some pictures of something but she refused to tell me exactly what they were of."
"I know what she is talking about, thank you for letting me know. Do you want to talk to Jason?" She asked politely.
Sonny came downstairs and called for the guard outside the door. When the man entered he told him to take his sisters bag to her place and make sure that it was put inside. Looking around the empty penthouse, he counted the hours until his son would come to see him. As soon as school was out tomorrow Leticia would bring over the six-year-old.
Hearing the sound of a door closing, he saw that Alexis was standing in the hallway waiting to be let into Jason's place. Opening his door he asked if she had gotten to do the search on his sister.
"Yes, there are a few things I'm double-checking, but it will be available tomorrow. Do you know if Jason's home? I left something in the penthouse that is rather important."
"We are here." The two in hall turned to the door to see Elizabeth fixing her shirt as she let the attorney and Sonny in. "Alexis, is everything okay?"
"I just left something important in the kitchen when I moved out." Going into the kitchen she was grabbing her monogrammed popcorn bowl that Jax had gotten for her last year as a Christmas dish when she felt something brush up against her leg, then the other leg. Screaming she dropped the popcorn ball as she rushed back into the living room.
Jason came running back down the stairs with his spare gun as Sonny and the guard out in the hall also came in all planning to rescue the attorney, only to find Elizabeth standing in the kitchen doorway laughing. "Alexis this is Mr. Whiskers, Mr. Whiskers this is Alexis. I promise she won't hurt your kittens."
As all of the men put away their weapons, the momma cat came over and rubbed against the stockings on her legs of the attorney while purring loudly. Elizabeth walked back into the kitchen and checked the dish, seeing it wasn't broken she grabbed one of grocery bags she had brought over earlier and wrapped up the dish.
"I don't suppose you want a kitten to take with you as well?" She asked trying not to laugh as the large tabby arched her back when the two kittens joined their mother in getting pet by Alexis.
AJ walked into the small dingy apartment, seeing his wife's bag on the sofa he groaned so much for spending time with that girl from Jake's again. Walking further into the apartment he found the leash and wondered where Courtney was with Rosie if she didn't use the leash.
After showering he walked into the living room and saw the light blinking on the phone, hitting the button for the messages he listened as Courtney told him she was going to visit her sister in law. Stopping the message before listening to the date, he hit to listen to the second message. Hearing Edward's message he shook his head not sure what was going on.
Going into the bedroom, he took a laundry basket and tossed Courtney's clothes in it. Grabbing the keys he walked out the door and went straight to Jakes. Sitting at the bar with a soda, he heard one of the women mention his wife's name. Listening he heard Penny say that she had been suspended from Kelly's and she would enjoy the peace and quiet until she came back.
Courtney sat in the corner of the crypt holding the blanket they had tossed at her, while trying to keep the flashlight going. As the dark descended she soon fell asleep not sure why she had been grabbed but knowing that it was Elizabeth Webber's fault.
Jason woke up to the sound of noise downstairs; walking stealthfully into the living room he stopped and stared not believing what he saw. The pool game that Elizabeth and he had been playing when they had decided to take the game they were playing upstairs was being finished. Leaning against the sofa, he watched as the two kittens were knocking the balls around the table.
When one of them got stuck in a pocket and started meowing, he whispered to be quiet as he pulled it out and set it back on the table. When they had finally cleared all the balls, Jason picked them up and carried them back to their Momma before heading back to the stairs where he found Elizabeth with her sketchpad and a piece of charcoal.
"That was so cute." She said teasing him as he picked her up and tossed her over his shoulder saying "I'll show you cute." As he maneuvered them into the bedroom, Elizabeth used the fact that he had only zipped his jeans when he had pulled them on and slid her hand down and cupped his butt, only for him to hit hers with his open hand and tell her to behave.
Tossing her down gently, he climbed into the bed with her grabbing her hands and showing her exactly what happened when you misbehaved and groped your boyfriend.
Carly walked Michael to school while plotting the next thing on her list. After watching him enter the school, Carly saw Father Coates up ahead and called out to the priest. "Father do you have a moment?"
"Certainly Mrs. Corinthos. What may I do for you?"
After explaining she was no longer Mrs. anything she asked if he believed in second chances. "In what context, life after death, forgiveness here on earth or is there something else on your mind?"
"I had a "dream" where I lived several years into the future and now that I'm awake I'm trying to fix my mistakes so that my family is safe and happy. However in order to do that I have to make some sacrifices, I accept that. I just, there was a little boy in my "dream" his name was Morgan; he was Sonny and my son. You are aware who Sonny is and what he does, but there are things that happen. How do I get to that future with my son without the many bad things that happen?" She asked more confused than before she asked.
"You live a good and fulfilling life, the other things will happen if they are meant to. That is all anyone can do. Even with a blueprint, the house changes as it is being built Carly. Just do the right thing, and god will take care of the rest. But understand that he can't always stop the bad things from happening."
"I understand thank you." Carly was going to let destiny happen but she was going to help it along just a little. There was no way she was going to let Ric, Luis and Lorenzo do the damage they did. Seeing Zander in the chapel she walked over to Sonny's former employee.
"Are you lost?" She asked.
"No, just thinking. I heard what you asked Father Coates, Carly what happens when you know something bad is about to happen and you do nothing to prevent it? Are you to blame?"
"Only if you knew it would hurt someone and made no attempt to fix things." She said then watched as the impetuous young man rushed out of the church. "Was it something I said?" She asked the man on the cross.
Rushing into Kelly's, Zander saw Nik and Lucky sitting with Gia and Summer. "Have you seen Elizabeth?" He asked the two men.
"Not since she started to hang out with Morgan again. What does it take for her to get the message that he is going to get her killed? No one in his life is safe." Said Lucky.
"Well maybe if the two of you stopped talking down to her like she was a rather stupid five-year-old you would understand why she is seeing him." He said shaking his head as he left the diner. "If you see her tell her I'm looking for her."
Nik turned to Lucky and said "Come to think of it, I haven't seen Elizabeth in a few days, the lights have been out at the studio and the blond that works here who is related to Sonny has been missing as well."
Maxie was telling Serena about Carly and her meltdown at the hospital while they were being fitted with dresses for Lucy and Kevin's latest wedding. Georgie was finished and had gone to work her shift at GH, so the two blonds were gossiping with each other.
"No, she really said she was married to Jax and wanted to kill Sonny. That is so wild. So was it a dream or what?"
"I don't know but it was funny, when she was saying she wanted to talk to her husband and insisting it was Jax, she kept saying she loved him and how they were just going through a rough patch. You just had to be there."
The bride in the next room was shaking as she listened to the younger girls, she already had to deal with the spectra of his late true love Brenda, now Carly Corinthos was dreaming she was married to Jax. What else was going to happen? Taking a deep breath to keep from wanting to drink, she finally was allowed to get out of the dress and change back into her suit.
While driving back the Quartermaine estate, she made a u-turn and drove over to Bobbie Jones Brownstone. Entering she saw Carly reading a file, calling out her name she told the blond they needed to talk.
"Let me save you the trouble. Hospital gossip has reached you about my nightmare, where I thought I was married to Jax and you are A: Jealous that I was dreaming about your fiancee, B: concerned I'm after him, C: thinking that your future marriage is in trouble that I will be chasing him for revenge in taking back the club. Try D: None of the above. I don't want the man you are about to marry. Have at it."
"Why should I trust you?"
"You don't so I won't even bother to tell you that you have nothing to worry about. Skye, you are getting married in two months, nothing is going to stop your wedding. I definitely won't stop it."
Needing to talk to someone, Carly started to call Jason, but knew he wouldn't understand. Calling the number Jason had given her for Elizabeth, she got voicemail. After leaving a message stating she had almost done something she would have regretted she tried Alexis only for her new assistant to say she was in court today.
As she walked into Kelly's hoping to find Elizabeth she ran into dumb and rich and arrogant. Listening to Nik and Lucky she just shook her head. Lucky hadn't changed in six years, in 2008 he was still spouting the sane crap about Jason he was now. As Nik just agreed she looked at Gia and smirked as the woman talked about planning their wedding. Sorry Gia, that wedding isn't actually going to take place, she thought.
Seeing Summer working the afternoon shift, she asked where Elizabeth was drawing the attention of Laura's sons. "Why are you looking for Elizabeth?" Asked a belligerent Lucky.
"I knew that she worked this morning, something that Summer could have told you if either of you geniuses had bothered to think to ask. The reason I was looking for Elizabeth was that I heard her talking to Jason earlier and knew that they had been having sex, I just wanted to warn her to make sure it was safe sex, after all we don't want any mini muffins running around just yet." She snarked and watched as Lucky turned purple at the idea of Jason and Liz.
Walking back out the door, she winced as she realized what she had told the two brain surgeons inside.
Calling Elizabeth's cell phone she heard a phone ringing nearby and a hello that echoed through the phone and the air at the same time. Turning around she saw Elizabeth standing there about to enter Kelly's. Grabbing her arm she said "You might not want to do that, I sort of told Lucky that Jason and you are sleeping together."
"Why is it any of his business?" She asked. "Why would you be telling anyone?"
After listening to her explanation as they rushed to her studio, she saw Zander sitting outside her door. "Now what?" She asked Carly pointing out the young man.
"Talk to him, then send him on his way. I will wait inside."
Zander watched as Elizabeth and Carly argued their way over to where he was standing. "Elizabeth?"
"Hey Zander, can you hang on a minute? Carly I don't have time for this, go find someone else to deal with your insane jealously."
"I'm not going anywhere's until we talk." She said walking in and slamming the door. Tossing her purse on the rock hard sofa, she put her ear to the door and listened as Zander hemmed and hawed before leaving without saying why he was looking for her.
Elizabeth entered and shook her head, "I have no idea what that was about, now what did you do?"
Zander was curious, he had heard Rosco talking about grabbing Elizabeth, knowing that Jason kept a close eye on the woman, he had not worried about it, until he had the man celebrating with a woman in the room next to him at the motel.
Who did the man have locked up and where were they keeping her. Waiting and following the former mobster, Zander followed him out to the old cemetery at the edge of town. Listening as the mobster talked to a woman; he could hear the sound of panic in her voice.
Getting closer he never felt the knock on the side of his head.
Rosco's henchman tossed the body inside with the girl, "What happened?"
"No money at the drop, who is this?"
"Zander Smith, he used to work for my old boss. He knows too much."
"The girl is a total waste of time, Morgan's girlfriend is too well protected, lets just leave them here tonight and we can get rid of them on Memorial Day during the fireworks."
TBC