Sorry for the delay, the elderly lady who actually requested I turn this into a story, died last week. I just haven't felt like updating, but today one of the other ladies made me promise at least four updates for them next week. So you should be getting plenty of story.
Also I am taking writers prerogative with some facts. The program I have Liz in takes almost two years of training before you even enter it I changed that. Also like on most soaps, they go to medical school for a couple of years instead of the full eight. This is just my changing it to fit the story.
The time line is changing, so things will start to change in other ways. The butterfly affect is now going to be beginning. Certain major things will stay the same; just the way people react is going to change.
Switching Places
Chapter 30
A woman's tears can bring a man to his knees.
Jason froze in the doorway, seeing Elizabeth's tears. The only thing that save Alan was the fact that he looked about as helpless as Jason always felt when she cried. He still glared at the man, because no matter why she was crying he was more than likely responsible.
"Jason?" He heard from the doorway, turning he saw that Emily was trying to enter the penthouse with shopping bags.
Elizabeth wiped the tears away and smiled her thanks at Alan. Getting up she walked over to her sister in law and said "We need to talk, I have to ask your opinion on something, but for now could you spend some time with your dad, I need to talk to Jason real quick."
Reaching out for his hand, she asked if he would come upstairs for a few minutes. Giving Alan one more glare Jason followed his wife up and into their bedroom. He sat down astonished as she explained why his father had come over and what was his opinion on the matter.
"I think if that is what you want to do, great. But don't let them push you into it if it isn't."
"I would love the opportunity to help more people, but the fact is I'm not sure that I'm ready for more schooling. I wish I had more time." She lamented.
"Then wait and do it later on, you have all the time in the world." He said pulling her down next to him on the bed. "I will support your decision no matter which one you make."
Elizabeth said "I have to figure this out, I need to talk to my grams as well. I love nursing, but the idea is eating at me. I think I really want to do it" She knew she wanted to take the chance, but then she came up with a plan. Taking Jason's hand she went down to the living room where she saw that Alan had told Emily what was up.
"Alan, will I be allowed to work still at GH?"
"Of course, the best part is that after six months you can actually start working in the ER." He said hoping against hope that she would take the offer. He liked the idea of another generation of Webber/Quartermaine's working at the hospital.
Elizabeth wandered over to the window, looking at it but not really seeing the harbor. "Fine, I would like to take the chance. As long as I still can work at the hospital."
"Thank you, I will inform the committee." Said Alan who then shook her hand and left. He didn't so much as look at Jason; he got the feeling his son was still upset about her crying. When he heard Jason call out his name, he tensed hoping he could leave without arguing with his son.
"How is Edward behaving in regards to Carly and AJ's news?"
Alan almost wished that it were about Elizabeth's tears. "He was acting like his usual self, until AJ told him to stay out of it. I was told that Carly and AJ signed some papers as to what is going to happen and each of their responsibilities." Alan only wished that it involved Michael but knew that they had to be grateful for what they had.
"Carly wants to allow AJ and only AJ have more time with Michael. However she has to clear it with Sonny and he is taking her to court over him. If the family wants any chance of getting close to Michael they need to stay out of it. Let AJ and Carly deal with this." He warned.
Two days later, Alexis grimaced as Kristina kicked her again, her daughter was turning into quite the active little soccer player, and it was a shame that it was while she was still inside of her mother.
"I was unaware that Nicole Farhi made maternity wear." Announced the smartly dressed woman from the entranceway. "Are you sure you are up for this meeting?" She asked.
"Yes, I have at least nine weeks to go, unfortunately my daughter is more interested in coming out now. Welcome, Miss Miller, I'm Alexis Davis, please have a seat."
"Thank you Miss Davis. I'm a little confused, you said this was about a custody case. I am a contract and criminal attorney, why would you need my help?"
Alexis explained about Carly, AJ and Sonny and how all of this had come to pass. "Your client sounds a little hard to handle, will she listen to what I have to say or will she just try and do things her own way?"
"As long as you are the attorney, I will do that. I trust Alexis and your reputation precedes you." Said Carly as she entered with a blond man who looked a little ill at ease. "Alexis is it okay for AJ to sit on this or should he leave?"
"It might be better if he leaves; it breaks the confidentiality clause since he is not actually a litigant in the case." Said Diane. When the man gracefully left, she turned to the client and asked "Are you sure that this is what you want?"
"Yes, AJ is a different person from the angry man who set out to hurt me through my son several years ago. As for Sonny, I don't want to cut him out of Michael's life. I just want to allow AJ into it. I think that he has proven it would be beneficial to our son as well the child I'm carrying." She said.
Once she had left the attorney said, "I have to make arrangements for a place to live and have some of my things sent here. I will be back tomorrow morning and start looking at the files. This is going to be fun."
Entering Kelly's, Georgie hesitated then walked up to Lucas. "Are you going with Maxie to the dance this weekend?"
"No, she is going with Kyle. Do you have a date?" He asked.
"This guy from my intermediate calculus class asked me, but Mac would have a fit. He has tattoos and ear piercing all over the place. I was hoping you would go with me."
"I am going with Brooklynn, she asked the other day. What about Dillon, since he is not a student."
Blushing she said "He is spending the night hanging out with Sage since she is not able to attend."
"Do you like the guy?" He asked finally figuring it out.
"I do; the thing is I'm not sure why." She admitted. "I think it is because he has traveled a lot like my dad. Plus the movie thing. Still doesn't solve the problem of my date for the dance though."
"What about the guy who is candy striping at GH?"
"No, he is going with another one of the stripers. Thanks anyhow." She said as she walked away.
Sage slipped out of the ladies room, then out to the courtyard, calling Dillon she said "Get down to Kelly's, now."
Lucky was furious, his father was still unavailable. Lulu needed her father and the man was still out of touch, Nik wanted to have some of his people look for Luke, but he knew that would make the man disappear even further underground.
Walking back into the station, he asked Taggert for permission to go to lunch, hating that he had to ask either his or Mac's permission to even leave the building during his shift unless he was with a fellow officer.
"Go ahead, but be back in forty-five minutes. If you see Capelli let him know that I'm looking for him and that he forget his cell phone again." Taggert was annoyed, first his partner kept going off on mysterious errands, and then he was babysitting Spencer. Now according to rumors, Corinthos was retiring. He had barely any time to get the man now.
He had seen him arriving earlier with his entire retinue of guard after his sister's funeral, then spend time in Mac's office with that smarmy attorney of his. He knew they were going after Sam McCall, but he also knew that the woman would not last long once she was convicted.
Sighing he opened the file and once again tried to contact number for Bill Monroe's daughter, Amelia.
Mac and Scott waited until the meeting was finished; thanked Sonny for his cooperation then after the man had left both grimaced. "I can't believe that I felt sorry for him. Did the DA from New York say when the State Supreme Court was supposed to rule?"
"After the New Year. At least we are going to get this woman on the Alcazar murder charge." Said Mac as he sat back down and called Alexis to see what she wanted for lunch.
Lucky entered the house; Lulu had been kicked out of the fancy boarding school that Nik had sent her to only weeks before. She was upset and refusing to be pacified by her brothers. Hearing her arguing with Nik, he joined his brother in trying to get her to stay in school. "Lulu, dad will know where you are, he always does."
"Then since he is all knowing, where is he? He has to know how much we are all hurting, but he doesn't care."
Lucky wanted to blame anyone else but the simple fact was that Luke was a neglectful parent at the best of times, at the worst, he never even registered. "Lulu." Was all he got out, then gave up,
"Nik, how are things?" He asked. His brother was in a mess financially since Helena had found a way to strip a good part of the wealth of the Cassidines away from him.
"They will be fine, Right now let's work of getting the two of you taken care of." He said not wanting to make his family worry even more than they were. "Lucky, have you finally got it that it is not any of your business what is going on with Jason and Elizabeth?"
"Get off my back, I am worried about her, you know what his life did to Robin and Carly. Then there is Lily; she died because someone was after Sonny." He raged.
Well that answers that question, thought Nik. "So instead of being a supportive friend who she could come to in a time of crisis, you decided to implode your friendship."
"I am way more than her friend, we have a permanent lock, and we will be tied to each other forever." He said. "Nik, I know you think I'm wrong, but she miscarried because of him."
"Elizabeth had a miscarriage?" Asked Lulu from the sofa. "What happened, did someone try to kill Jason and hurt her instead?"
"Yes, she had a miscarriage, but only because Courtney Matthews pushed her down a flight of stairs while trying to hurt Carly." Said Nik glaring at Lucky.
"Oh, the girl that Lucky slept with, what happened to her baby? I overheard Dad and Sonny saying it was Lucky's."
The four women meet at the studio, Elizabeth filling in Alexis and Carly on her offer.
"Go for it, I mean, think about it, Elizabeth. There is so much you can do with that kind of training."
"Carly, what about the time line?" Asked Alexis with Emily nodding.
"Things are changing, but so far it has been for the better. At least for the most part."
"Alexis, what do you think?" Asked Emily.
Alexis was still shocked at what Stefan had told her earlier and was trying to get her mind back into the conversation. "I think that Elizabeth should do what she wants, but there is something I need to ask Carly about. Does Nik marry anyone else other than Emily?"
Carly sat down next to Elizabeth and said "Yes, there is this woman he marries for money but it is annulled because he loves Emily. Then there was Courtney who had Spencer, she told me he had asked her to marry him as soon as she was divorced. We figured out how to fix that one."
"Her name wouldn't be Lydia?"
"I think so, I was a bit out of it then, but from what I can recall, he finds a way to get the money elsewhere."
"I think I will have to stop Stefan from pushing this idea on him."
"Instead why don't you have Stefan marry the girl? It might keep him sane. In the alternative time line, he tries to kill Emily to protect the family. Luke comes back and kills him."
"She is too young, for him. What happened with Lydia?"
"She dated Lucky for a while, then ran off with AJ when he stole the Q fortune."
"Okay, maybe we marry her off to Lucky." Said Emily. "I am going to go and see Grandmother this afternoon; she wants me to finish her shopping for her. The cold is starting to bother her."
Alexis had been over to see the elderly woman earlier this week and knew that she was getting frailer as time went on. When she had asked Carly, the bleak look in the blonde's face made her realize that Lila would not be long for this world.
Ric was furious, Courtney was dead. This Sam woman knew who he was and was threatening to expose him unless he agreed to represent her. Walking into the restaurant, he saw his brother talking to his enforcer.
"So, this is it." Said Jason as he shook his former partner's hand. "You are now the new owner of Adella's."
"It feels good. I will still be in the game, but it is now different. They are starting work tomorrow in time for the big opening on New Years Day."
Ric was confused but when he walked over all talking stopped. "Lansing." Was all Jason said.
Sonny got the feeling that there was more to Jason's dislike than he knew, but didn't push it. When he heard from their contacts close to Courtney that had been telling Lansing what she knew about his business he knew that was why her days had been numbered.
Closing the file that Sonny had handed to him, Ric said "You are opening this place under new ownership, won't this spread you a little thin?"
"That is why we are bringing you in. You are going to be working for on this part, as well as the new coffee shop that we are opening. That is why I asked you to come here. I would like you to start earlier than you had planned."
BINGO, thought Ric. Then he decided to push things, to see what he could do in regards to this Sam woman. "I do have a question, Miss McCall wants me to represent her, she is insisting on it in fact."
"Go for it." Said Jason. "Everyone is entitled to an attorney."
Sonny waited until the pleased attorney left and said to Jason. "Are you losing your mind? Is this something that Elizabeth suggested?"
"No, we need to find out how good of an attorney he is, let him handle this. Either way it won't make a difference, she is wanted elsewhere so she is going to be facing charges even after her trial here."
"Jason why do I think you know more than you are telling me?"
"I don't have proof, but there is something up with Lansing. We need to talk about the situation with Carly and you. You need to let this go. According to both Justus and Alexis, you don't have a case."
"She is letting him near our son."
"No she isn't, but the simple fact is, AJ is different, he has been changing every since the mess with Courtney. While I don't agree with what he has done in the past, I have been keeping an eye on him, AJ really is not going to hurt either of the children."
"He pushed Carly down the stairs, our baby died. How can you even think of letting him get close to any child after what he has done in the past?"
Jason knew that arguing with Sonny would accomplish nothing, so he just said "You are going to lose, it would be better to just let things stand the way they are now, do you want to lose Michael completely, that is what you should be thinking about."
CHAPTER 31
Carly was amused at the enthusiasm Elizabeth was now showing about her future. The younger woman had dragged her along with Emily when they went to get their textbooks since the campus store would be closing for the holiday break the next day. As she placed the books into the cart and tried to push it around the store, she finally had to stop.
Moaning she said starting to laugh, "Remember when Jason was hiding out after he was shot at Christmas time, he had this travel guide about Egypt that I got him, I yelled at him for using it to work out. That was nothing compared to these. I think I may need his help getting my books to class. These books are heavier than my easel"
"Elizabeth, those things are heavier than you are." She said then laughed as Emily came around the corner with the younger Jones girl and her textbooks. She winced when she saw Georgie reading a book while walking into a guy that she knew looked familiar but couldn't place.
"Sorry." Blushed the younger girl as she rushed to catch up to the others not realizing that the guy was still staring at the cute coed.
Carly was amused to see that he was walking around the corner taking another look. Walking over to the younger girl she saw that Georgie had an English Lit text. "Are you going to get that?"
"I would love to, but I spent all my money on presents. Thanks to Lucky now working at Kelly's, I only get a couple of daytime hours on the weekends. There is no way I can afford to spend four hundred dollars on a book."
Carly was astonished at the cost, but waited until she had regretfully set it down then went over to have the clerk get his attention then had the man get her one of them and the support material. Georgie had always been the quiet one, the one who no one really knew.
Until her death, she had never given the girl a serious thought, but afterwards had wondered about the young girl that had reminded her of Elizabeth. This time she was hoping that she would not die.
As she was paying for the books, she saw someone that she had been hoping not to. The private investigator that Edward had hired was still around. Taking out her phone she called AJ and informed him.
"I will take care of. I think he is at the house, so I will wait. Grandmother and Michael were playing with the train, Dillon was trying to stay but between Grandfather and Tracy, I think he left."
"Let me guess you want a buffer?" She asked dryly.
"I just don't want Michael to hear us arguing. Neither grandmother nor Sage either. She is rather fragile."
"She isn't so fragile; she is a lot tougher than she looks." Assured Carly thinking back on all the trouble she would cause in the future.
"Carly, trust me, that girl is really on the edge. She left here earlier in tears. She reminds me of a younger version of Skye."
Carly was startled to realize that he was right, as they pulled into Kelly's she got out and went to join her friends, thanking the guard for the ride.
Seeing Sage standing there, she said to AJ "Sage is at Kelly's. Leticia is on her way to get Michael to bring him here. I will see you later. Thanks AJ."
Hanging up after talking to Carly, AJ grimaced. Edward was still trying his patience. What did it take to get the man to realize that he had no say in his or his children's lives?
Walking into the study he grabbed a book and waited until he heard his son leave with Leticia, then Reginald taking his grandmother up for her afternoon nap. Stealthily entering the den just as Tracy and Edward started to argue. "Sorry, this is my turn." He said as he escorted his aunt out the door and closed it behind her.
Turning he faced Edward and said "Stay away from my son, stay away from Carly or I will offer Corinthos a deal. My ELQ stock for his help destroying you. You ruined me; you ruined any chance of getting close to Jason because of your behavior. Don't cross me."
"How dare you? It's your fault that we can't see that child grow up in this house." He started to say.
"Face the facts old man. Even if I had custody of Michael you would not get close to him. Jason had the right idea in pushing you out of his life. We are not puppets that you can control; I want NOTHING to do with ELQ, other than to vote in order to make sure that you don't ruin this family name. Not because I give a damn about the name either, but for grandmother's sake."
"How dare you talk to me like that, after all the damage you have done to this family? What you did to your brother." He said pulling out the one weapon that still had the power to hurt AJ.
AJ took a deep breath, then another before saying "That is always going to be my second biggest regret in my life, but sometimes I think I did him a favor. You would have him married with two point four children and married living here with you trying to control his life. Now he is safe unlike Ned, who is still trying to please you. God help poor Dillon, between having Tracy for a mother, Paul for a father, and you around."
Walking to the door, he turned and said "Don't cross me, you will not like my response." Then walked out. Seeing his mother dealing with a screeching Tracy, he walked over and said "Go for it, Tracy, let Edward know how much you think he owes you and how you want your children to follow in his footsteps. Then I hope that Dillon has the sense to run away from home."
Elizabeth laughed as the new guard lifted the bags onto a dolly to take them up to the penthouse. Picking up the shopping bags she followed while trying to figure out what Carly was up to. The blond had told her not to bother with a dress for the New Years Eve party.
Once they were at the end of her sofa, she thanked the guard and offered him so coffee, only for the man to turn her down. As she hung up her coat, she heard a knocking at the door. Opening it she said "Did you change your mind about the coffee?"
"You never offered me any." Said Ric with a smile she assumed he thought was charming.
"How may I help you Mr. Lansing?" She asked not letting him into the penthouse. Seeing her stance, he knew that Morgan had already started to turn her against him.
"I was hoping you had a few minutes to talk." He said with a smile.
"Sure why don't we go down to the lobby?" She said walking over to the elevator. Johnny, who was outside of Sonny's penthouse, was amused at the same time as worried. Elizabeth Morgan was one of the most giving people he had even meet and she seemed to have a problem with this Lansing character.
Showing Ric to the small sitting area, Elizabeth said as she sat down, "What do we have to talk about?"
"I'm sure that my representing Miss Matthews has convinced you that I'm one of the worst kinds of attorneys but I really was doing it for you. My mother was pushed down some stairs while pregnant with me and the person who did this was never charged let along convicted."
Elizabeth could not believe that this slime ball was trying to use her miscarriage to try and get close to her. With a smile that didn't reach her eyes she said "Then why were you representing Sonny's sister, other than trying to get close to him. I mean you are not the first person to try and use someone close to him for his or her own purposes."
"I saw she was planning on fleeing and stopped her. I told her that if she agreed to turn herself in I would represent her. As for Sonny, while I admit to wanting to work for him, I had heard enough to know that he wasn't close to her. That he isn't close to their mutual father either."
Elizabeth gave him credit, he was good, but she knew what he was really about. Something she was grateful for. This talk at least gave her an idea of why she had let herself get taken in by him. She had been hurting and his smooth words would have convinced her since she was trusting the right person.
Sonny entered the lobby and saw Elizabeth walking Lansing to the door and said "Were you looking for me?" To the attorney.
Taking out the papers he had arranged as cover for his visit, he said "Here are the licenses. I didn't want to just leave them, and then I went over to make sure that Miss Webber knew that I was only representing Courtney for her sake."
Sonny was confused there was something odd about this but he was not sure what, then he laughed silently when Elizabeth stepped in and corrected him. "Mr. Lansing, I'm Mrs. Morgan, not Webber. Excuse me, I have to go and finish getting dinner ready." Then she walked away.
Ric watched her leave, admiring the small sweet looking figure in the soft pink scrubs.
Sonny saw the look on his face and knew now why Jason disliked this man. "If you intend to live long enough to work for me, I would stop staring at Elizabeth Morgan like she was dinner and you haven't eaten in weeks. She is not someone you want to treat like that."
Jason did not want to stop and see Sonny before joining his wife, but he decided it would be better than leaving home later.
"We need to talk about my attorney; I caught him checking out Elizabeth earlier." Said Sonny. "She is a beautiful young woman, but the simple fact is that it didn't feel like that was his interest."
"I don't think it was. I get the feeling that Lansing has his own agenda by being here. He tried to get close to Carly and then he offered to help Alexis with her cases. Now he has lost Courtney and is getting close to Sam. There is pattern here. Elizabeth and I talked about it, she said that Audrey mentioned a visit by him. The woman told Elizabeth that he was charming young man she would like to introduce to her sister."
Jason called in Francis and Johnny, then said "Have one of the guard trail him. Let me know what he is up to. Then tell Max I want to see him in the morning."
Sonny felt a twinge of jealously but knew that Jason taking charge was for the best. He had a new life and wanted to find out what was out there for a man who was no longer tainted by his old life.
Jason walked into the penthouse to see his sister and Elizabeth were playing pool and hadn't realized he was standing there. Then hearing his wife's comment "She told me not to bother with a dress."
"Does that mean you are going to be naked? Carly is correct that certainly would be a stunning outfit." Laughed Emily. "Do you think I should try that with Nik?"
"Not if you want the man to retain use of his legs." Threatened Jason as he walked over and kissed his wife. "As for you, the only place you are allowed to be naked is our house, make sure that Carly understands that."
"Jason, the only person I want to see me naked is you." She said as she pouted when he took the cue from her and sank all four of the balls still on the table.
"I say we eat dinner, then go for a ride. Emily do you want to go with us. Johnny can handle one of the bikes."
"No thank you. I like the idea of staying under the speed limit." She said primly. Then ruined the priggish effect by saying "However if you should see Nik driving his little sports car, tell him to stop over."
Georgie was astonished; Dillon Hornsby was sitting in her living room waiting for her. "Dillon, what can I do for you?"
"A small favor. Sage heard that you didn't have a date for the dance at your school, would you mind if I sort of played your date. Not a real date, but sort like as a friend." He said nervously. Sage said she liked him but if the girl was just playing with him, he didn't want to look like a fool.
Georgie was feeling foolish, for a minute she had been excited to think he was interested in, but not like she liked him. "Are you sure, I mean it is a dress up event?" She said hesitating.
"I am Tracy Quartermaine's son. I have suits like you would not believe and I can have Reginald drive us if you want to arrive in the snazziest coach around." He said hopefully.
"Sure. I can get the tickets tomorrow. Thanks Dillon." She said shyly.
"Hey, this way I get a feel for my new school a few weeks early." He said as he walked to the door, then said "Give me a call so that I know what time you want to be picked up. Is the Grille okay for dinner?"
Once the blond with the wild hair left, Georgie watched out the window as he left in his brother's car. Turning around she squealed her delight as she threw herself down on the sofa.
Mac rushed in from the kitchen and watched amused as his straight arrow and properly behaved younger daughter danced around the room to invisible music. Looks like the young man had asked her to the dance. Alexis was correct, his little girl was growing up.
Sage hung up the phone, her uncle had been planning on coming to the states for the holidays but now it had been cancelled. No thanks to her father he was dealing with a failing business and not able to get a visa to travel here. When she had offered to come to him, he said that since things weren't stable in Venezuela it was better that she stay where she was.
Looking at the packages that he had sent to her, she sadly opened them, seeing the two presents inside along with the dress, she wished she had told him the truth, that she really didn't have a date to this dance.
Hanging the dress in the closet along side the clothes that Skye had gotten for her, she close the door and fell back on the bed picking up Miss Kitty and petting her. She really liked Dillon but knew that his family would not be happy for them to be seeing each other while she was living there. So until her uncle honored his promise to move to town, she was going to hide how much she liked the boy.
Besides then he might have gotten over this crush on the younger Jones girl. Georgie was okay but they weren't really each other's types. She just had to hope that this dance showed them that. Hearing Dillon's niece knock and say dinnertime, she dragged herself out of bed and down the stairs.
Seeing Dillon's happiness as he had Lila's help getting Edward to allow the use of the Bentley, she missed hearing AJ ask if she was going to the dance until he repeated the question. "I can't I don't attend school. Georgie is a student at PCH. That is why Dillon can attend."
AJ regretted bringing the subject up and quickly changed the subject, then thanking his mother for the invitation left quickly. He hadn't wanted to stay but his mother had been rather upset at his wanting to leave.
Skye walked him out and assured him that she had a plan for Sage the night of the dance. Then she heard a knock at the door just as they arrived at the door. Opening it she saw Jax standing there. "What do you want?"
"Can we talk?" He asked politely. Skye had heard that Brenda had left town for Paris. That she had planned on leaving with another guy and leave Jax behind. She could not help smirking as she said "Come in; I'm glad you remembered where my house is."
AJ looked at her concerned but she just said "It's fine. There are a few things I would like to say him now that I'm staying sober."
Walking into the study, she looked at the blond and said "You look like crap. So I heard that Brenda was planning on throwing you over for one of my brother's guard. How are you doing?"
"Skye, please just listen. I came to say I'm sorry. I know that saying that doesn't make things better, but I just felt I needed to say that before leaving town. I hurt you, after swearing I wouldn't."
"Your are right, you did, but I would say that I learned my lesson. Your right saying you're sorry doesn't make things better, but I appreciate hearing. I only wish that it hadn't taken you getting dumped by the woman who you dumped me for. Your conscious is clear, go and head to whatever lovely spot you are planning on spending the holidays at."
Jax nodded his head and left the mansion, knowing he had deserved much worse than what had just happened. Looking back he could see that he had gotten all wrapped up in the miracle of Brenda's return and never stopped to think about the damage it was doing.
He had loved Skye, had planned a future with the woman, only to toss it away for someone who had been with him because she hadn't wanted to be alone.
He had watched her leave, her plane taking her to visit Robin and then on to Rome. He had listened to her talking to the guard who was with her, and knew that she had almost dragged him into the silken web she had been weaving. The guard had gently insisted she go it alone. Seeing him walk away, the thug had stopped her from begging him to go along and her reasons had stunned the Aussie who had come to beg her to stay with him.
As they took the cliff roads, Elizabeth screamed with the pleasure of it. Jason always seemed to know what she needed even before she did. Dropping her arms she wrapped them back around his waist and whispered as they came back into the garage, "May I drive later?"
"I thought you had an early morning, which is why I came back to the garage." He said turning confused.
Elizabeth gave him the smile that always caused his skin to feel like it was on fire. "I was talking about later, once we are in bed."
Jason groaned while they had done some rather heavy petting, they had not made love since her miscarriage. "I thought we had to wait a few more days."
"I saw Dr. Meadows before my shift today. She said everything is fine. I want to get rid of this rather persistent ache I have been dealing with. So if I can't drive, how about playing doctor?" She said wiggling her eyebrows.
Jason was trying to hide his rather obvious erection when they exited the elevator and said good night to Marco who was just coming on shift. Entering the penthouse, he saw the note from Emily and thought thank god as he carried his wife up to their bedroom.
Twenty-five minutes later, he was beyond thought as his wife pinned his arms to the bed and said "I think I still want to drive."
His eyes were swirls of desire as he barely found the ability to say "You are the one driving, take me where you will."
Carly walked into her mother's room and sat down asking what was wrong?
"I worked on some kids who were in a bus accident, it reminded me of BJ. That's all." Bobbie sat up and dried her eyes. "How are you doing?"
"Fine, Michael is down for the night. Momma since I left Sonny it feels like I'm a better parent. Like I'm taking care of my son more. It truly feels good."
"You have gone through a sudden burst of maturity. I am so proud of you this year." She said hoping she didn't sound condescending.
"Thank you. I just see so many things so differently. That dream I had after my car accident. It changed me Momma. Hopefully for the better."
Bobbie watched as she went off to bed, then heard the soft sound of her cell phone, seeing that it said Monica she answered, then laughing she went down to let her best friend in. "Why are you still up this late?"
Monica looked at the red head knowingly and said "You are not the only one who was in the Emergency room tonight. I knew you would be having a rough evening. So I have Emily helping her father wrap his presents and I came to see what I could do for you."
Alexis saw Mac standing outside on the patio, grabbing his jacket she opened the side door and said as she zipped up her own, "What is going on?"
"There was an accident today. Three children were killed when a bus was hit by another bus. There were these parents there, their daughter was not going to make it and they had to make a decision about transplants. I was brought back to what happened with Maxie and BJ. Bobbie was too; I could see it in her eyes. The call I just took, Tony Jones was sitting getting smashed at the Grille."
"That poor man." She said as she tried to imagine what she would do in that same situation.
"I took him home and helped Lucas put his father to bed, knowing that I was one of the last people he wanted to see tonight. It was my daughter that received his child's heart."
Alexis just wrapped her arms around his waist and said "No one would blame you for being happy that your child was fine, I am also sure that it gives Tony and Bobbie some joy to know that BJ's heart has helped someone else live. Someone they care about."
"They say it does." He admitted. "I just spent the last fifteen minutes outside of Maxie's door, wanting to do nothing more than hug and reassure myself that she will be fine, that she is fine."
Carly left the bathroom, unhappy that the urge to pee had started already. Walking quietly she heard Monica and her mother talking about their children and mutual grandchildren. She sat down on the padded stairs and listened grateful that the surgeon had shown up to support her mother.
As they talked about Jason and Elizabeth, she gave a smile at Monica's saying she was glad that Jason had found the woman for him.
"They are not perfect, but as close as two people can come." Said Bobbie. "It does make me laugh a little. Jeff's daughter is truly a combination of Annie and him and Jason while he may not be your biological son, he is a strange combination of Alan and you."
"I know. I hated Susan when Alan and her had their affair. In spite of knowing he never loved her, I had just found out that AJ was going to be fine and thought we would move on to this wonderful future when I found out about him. I can't believe how jealous I was of Jason. Now I can't imagine my life if he isn't in it."
"I know, I mean I spent years being jealous of Annie. The perfect daughter, the perfect nurse. She was the one person I always knew would have a grand future. Instead she made one of the most unselfish choices a person can make."
"I hated Jeff when he took Elizabeth from that hospital, when he took her home to Colorado."
"He loved Anne; my guess is that is part of the reason he stays away. He still blames himself for her death as well as the accident."
"I know he resented Annie's choice. He loved Elizabeth from the moment he learned about her, but to lose Annie that way. I still think it killed him someplace deep."
"Marrying Carolyn, adopting Sarah, I have never understood it." Said Monica shaking her head. "Then abandoning the child he fought so long and hard for."
"He was just doing whatever was the easiest, including what he has done with her. Carolyn said marry me I will help you raise Elizabeth, we can raise them together, he did. As Elizabeth has grown older, she is starting to resemble her mother, however she wasn't acting like the perfect angel that her mother was, so it was easier to not deal with why she was acting out."
"There are times over the last seven years I have wanted to get on a plane and go over and kick his ass. Then drag him back here by his ear. Even when we were married he avoided confrontation. Audrey thinks it is all because of how close Elizabeth was to Steve, and while his estrangement from Steve is part of it, most of it is that he is too scared to face his demons."
Carly went straight to her room and wrote down all she had learned then went quickly to sleep, making plans to revive her investigation of Annie Logan and Jeff Webber for Elizabeth's sake. While she had been listening to the two women, she had realized something. Jeff had acted like the Jason of the other timeline, doing things the wrong way for the right reason.
Now she wanted to fix more than just the mistakes she regretted having made, maybe she could fix the ones that this man more than likely regretted making. She tried to recall when her own father entered her life and knew she had to decide if she wanted him in hers.
Waking up the next morning, Carly called Elizabeth only to find out she was at the hospital, making up her mind she went to talk to Alexis, knowing the woman would be up. The baby was now large enough to be making it harder for her to sleep.
They agreed that this version of events was worth looking into, but Alexis made Carly promise to tell Elizabeth, saying that she had to realize that secrets had been what had destroyed the past.
"You're right, but for now, lets keep my investigation under wraps. We can just tell her what we have learned about her parentage, after the holidays." Blithely said Carly as she walked out the door.