Its Monday morning and Elizabeth is up bright and early making breakfast. Cameron is getting his brother and sister up so they could get ready for school, it was sort of routine by now. Jake gets up without problem, as always, while Lily needs some persuasion. Once she's up, all the bathrooms in the house is occupied while all three kids get ready for the day ahead of them. Elizabeth had breakfast cooked and on the table by the time they came into the dining area fully dressed and ready for school. Cameron has a two three hour lectures and an exam to deal with while the other two go to Port Charles High.
"Mom, promise you'll call if anything." Cameron says as he puts his dishes into the sink. "The lectures aren't mandatory today."
"You focus on your studies." Elizabeth says, handing him his jacket. "Johnny will worry about me enough for everyone."
"Fair enough." Cameron kisses her cheeks. "You two need a ride?"
"I'm driving today. Emma wants me to pick her up." Jake says, handing Lily her backpack before hugging his mom. "At least try to take it easy today. You're still recovering."
"Who's the parent here?" Elizabeth counters, giving her Lily and Jake money for lunch. "I'll be fine. You three just focus on school."
"I love you!" Lily says as she hugs Elizabeth. "I can't wait for Christmas break."
"Two more days." Elizabeth says, kissing her cheek. "I'll see you all when you get home."
"Just be careful." Jake hugs his mother once more. "I won't lose you. Remember that."
Jake drops drives straight to Emma's house to pick her up. He was kind of nervous because this was the first day they would be going to school as a couple and he kind of wished that Christmas break would come already. After picking up Emma and having her jump in the back seat, Jake drives to school. He knows what'll face him when he gets there and he wasn't looking forward to it. It was one thing while Emma was just his best friend, but now that she's his girlfriend, he's going to have to watch his temper around Spencer.
"Lil' wait." Jake stops his sister before she walks into the school. "If you want to go home for lunch, meet me here after the bell."
"We don't have the same lunch hour." Lily points out. "You're a junior and I'm a freshman."
"I have a free period." Jake says simply. "You gonna meet me here or not?"
"Yeah." Lily shakes her head. "My class is just down the hall before lunch so I'll be here give or take five minutes after the bell."
"Okay." Jake hugs her. "Love you."
"Love you too." Lily assures, pulling away to look at Emma. "Take care of him, okay?"
"Always." Emma smiles, watching Lily walk off to her class. "A free period? Really?"
"I needed to give her something to look forward to." Jake sighs, slinging his bag over his shoulder before taking hold of her hand. "You gonna rat me out?"
"Have I ever?" Emma counters, walking with him to their locker. "Jake, its okay to be worried for her. Jason's not exactly the best at keeping his word."
"If I was being honest, I would understand why he did what he did." Jake admits, opening his locker and throwing his bag in. "No one knows this, not even Cam, but mom told me everything."
"If you can understand, why won't you forgive him?"
"Because circumstance doesn't justify action." Jake shakes his head. "He once told my mom that everyone has a choice. To believe in timing is to believe you're powerless and he made his choice."
"You won't forgive him, but you're willing to let Lily forgive him?"
"She's not me." Jake says as they stop outside her homeroom. "Lily's the forgive but never forget type. I won't have her changing that for me or Cam."
"Fair enough." Emma smiles, wrapping her arms around him, interlocking her fingers at his nape. "Whatever reasons he has, if you can understand them, I'm sure you'll forgive him when you're ready."
"Maybe." Jake shrugs. "Right now, I couldn't care less."
Before she could comment on that, Jake claimed her lips, successfully shutting her up. His mom may have explained it to where Jake understood, but it still didn't make the years of absence right. Pulling away, Jake kissed her forehead and headed off to class. He knew better than anyone that if he stayed, Emma would certainly make him rethink everything. She had that affect on him. As he was making his way to his class, Jake was stopped by a the shortest high school student he's ever met.
"Are you Jake Webber?" the girl asked him, making him cautious.
"Who's asking?" he counters, the girl looked very familiar.
"Yup. You're him." she shakes her head, smiling slightly. "I'm Robyn...your sister."
"What are you doing here?" Jake refrained from saying that Lily was the only sister he had. "You're in the fifth grade."
"I know." Robyn shrugs. "I couldn't help it. When dad told me about you...I just had to meet you."
"You shouldn't have wasted your time." Jake says, glancing around. "Where are your guards?"
"I sort of snuck away." she admits. "They wouldn't have let me come here."
"Lets go." Jake says, turning around and heading for the door.
"Where?" Robyn asks, practically having to run just to catch up with him.
"I'm taking you back." Jake says firmly, opening the door for her. "You shouldn't have come here."
"I just wanted to meet my brother and sister." Robyn pleads. "I always wanted to have a brother or sister and now I have both."
"Don't let your mother hear you say that." Jake states, walking to his car. "Get in."
Robyn obliged him and got into the passenger seat of the car while he plopped into the driver's seat. Jake was ready to blow up, this was the last thing he needed. It was for sure now that the school would be calling his mother because he's not there for homeroom. Thanks to this girl, he will have to deal with possible disciplinary action.
"Can't you at least hear me out?" Robyn speaks up as they hit the street. "I'm your sister after all."
"Look, kid, what you did was ignorant." Jake says seriously. "You don't know me. I could be a crazy murderer for all you know and ditching the guards is just foolish."
"We have the same dad." Robyn points out. "He wouldn't tell me about you if you'd hurt me."
"You're right. I won't hurt you." Jake sighs, running one hand through his hair. "That doesn't mean you should come looking for me."
"Should I wait for dad to introduce us?" Robyn counters. "I might be your age by then."
"You have your parents." Jake looks at her seriously. "Let it be enough and don't come looking for me again."
"But you're my brother." Robyn's eyes started to fill with tears, making him feel like crap. "Doesn't that mean anything to you?"
"You're right." Jake parks the car in her school parking lot. "I am your brother. It doesn't change anything."
"It changed everything for me." Robyn says as he opens his door. "I know you don't like dad, but I'm not him."
"What do you want from me?" Jake asks, arching his eyebrow. "What did you expect to accomplish by tracking me down?"
"I just want to be your sister." Robyn says sincerely. "We're family. I just want that."
"I'll think about it." Jake says, reaching over and opening her door. "Now get down."
They got out of the car and were making their way to the front door when it opened and Jason was standing in its wake. Jason stood frozen at seeing Robyn with Jake. The guards stopping right behind him, causing Jake to feel sorely out of place.
"Robyn, go inside with Milo." Jason says, stepping to the side. "We'll talk about this when you get home."
"Thanks for the ride, Jake." Robyn smiles slightly before following her guards into the school.
"She's fine." Jake says once he's alone with Jason. "You should get better guards if an eleven year old can duck out on them."
"Thank you for bringing her back." Jason manages to get out. "Where was she?"
"My school." Jake states. "Thanks to her I might get a disciplinary referral."
"I'm sorry." Jason sighs, knowing that this would only set them back further. "Would it help if I call the school?"
"No." Jake shakes his head. "You told her about us?"
"Yeah...yesterday." Jason confirms. "Is that why she went looking for you?"
"Apparently she wants to be my sister." Jake clenched his fists, fighting off the anger. "She's not a bad kid."
"She really isn't." Jason agrees. "For what its worth, I'm sorry if she got you in any trouble."
"I'm used to trouble by now." Jake shrugs, taking a deep breath. "I should go."
"Of course." Jason shakes his head. "Thanks, again."
"Sure." Jake walks away, getting a good ten feet away before turning back. "If I wanted to get to know Robyn...would you let me?"
"I won't stop you." Jason says firmly. "I'm sure she'd like that."
Jake grants him a nod before walking off to his car. Jason wasn't sure what had just happened, but he was thankful for the small improvement between them. It was the first conversation he's ever had with his son, in the last couple years, that wasn't filled with insults and pure anger. Getting into his SUV, Jason called up Elizabeth.
"Yeah?" she answers after the third ring.
"You might be hearing about it soon, but Jake missed his first class." Jason informs. "I told Robyn about them and she snuck away to meet him."
"Let me guess, Jake brought her back to school?" Elizabeth shook her head. "Its fine. I'll call the school and talk to Margaret about it."
"How much trouble would he be in?"
"A lot." Elizabeth admits. "He can't get anymore disciplinary notices if he wants to get valedictorian."
"Isn't that for seniors?"
"No. They have it for every class level. The senior class valedictorian makes the speech at graduation, but the other class levels get a certificate." Elizabeth explains. "Don't worry about it. I'll handle it."
Ending the call, Elizabeth turned to look at Johnny. She wasn't sure how she felt about Jake missing class for Jason's daughter, but it was her son's choice and all she could do now was make sure that he didn't get into any trouble with the school. Explaining what happened to Johnny, a look of understanding filled his eyes.
"This is a good thing." Johnny says softly. "He could have done any number of things, but he made sure that she got back safely."
"I know." Elizabeth shakes her head. "Jake has the full story. He knows everything that happened between me and Jason...even our choices that lead to him marrying Sam and then staying married to her."
"That's why he's having a hard time." Johnny understands more now. "Do you think he'll forgive him?"
"I don't know." Elizabeth admits. "He's still so angry. I don't know if he'll ever be able to move past it."
"Look, if you want, maybe we can invite Jason and his family over for Christmas." Johnny suggested. "That way it'll be mutual territory and they can build from that."
"You seriously think that having Jason and Jake under the same roof is a good thing?" Elizabeth arches his eyebrow. "They're so much alike, I doubt that will make things better."
"You said it yourself." Johnny reminds her. "Jason and Jake are so much alike. Which means that they would at least be civil for everyone else's sake."
"With the kids aside, are you sure you can handle being under the same roof as Jason?" Elizabeth counters. "I know that you hate him just as much as Jake."
"For you, I'd do anything." Johnny reaches up a hand to caress her cheek. "Don't you know that by now?"
"I know." Elizabeth shakes her head, closing her eyes as his lips touches hers.
"Its you and me." Johnny says firmly. "As long as I know you're in it with me, I can handle anything."
"I'm in it." Elizabeth assures, reaching over to the gifts they just wrapped. "I guess it won't be so bad to give you this now."
"Its not Christmas." Johnny points out.
"I know." Elizabeth shrugs, putting the small box in his hand. "I'm just going to have to buy you another one to open Christmas day."
"You sure?" Johnny eyes the gift.
"Yes." Elizabeth shakes her head. "Open it."
Taking a deep breath, Johnny opens the small box, eyeing the gift curiously.
"A toothbrush?" Johnny looks at her confusedly.
"Well, it would have been a key if you didn't already have one to the house." Elizabeth explains. "I want you to move in with us."
"You want me to live here?" Johnny puts the box down on the table. "Are you sure?"
"Yes." Elizabeth assures him. "I want you here. The kids agree with me and we're all tired of you leaving at night to your penthouse. Say you'll live with us."
"You talked to the kids about this?"
"Of course. They live here too." Elizabeth says simply. "I've been planning to ask you to move in with us for months, but the kids thought that it would be more romantic if we waited until Christmas."
"I..." Johnny shakes his head. "Okay. I'll move in."
"No time like the present." Elizabeth stands up, holding out her hand to him. "Lets go pack your stuff."
"Wait first." Johnny stands up, taking both her hands in his. "Thank you."
"For what?" she eyes him curiously. "This isn't exactly a selfless thing. I want you here for me."
"I know." Johnny chuckles, pulling her in closer. "You'll never know just how much this means to me."
"You mean the world to me, Johnny." Elizabeth says with conviction. "I thought you knew that."
"I did, but you know."
"Jason or no Jason...you're the one I want to be with." Elizabeth says, kissing him soundly. "Jason has a right to his children...not me."
"Okay." Johnny releases one of her hands. "Lets go pack up my stuff."
"Lets." Elizabeth laughs softly, walking out of the house with him. "Our house is going to be full with the Morgans and Drakes joining us for Christmas."
"Can't wait." Johnny says, opening the door for her.
"You're just too sweet for words." Elizabeth says as she gets in. "You sure you're a mob boss?"
"I'm sure." Johnny chuckles. "Just don't spread around how sweet I am. I have a reputation to protect, you know?"
"Whatever you say." Elizabeth shakes her head as he gets into the driver's seat. "Mr. Sweetness."
"Cute." Johnny leans over and kisses her. "I'm only sweet because of you."
A/N: In JaSam fics, Elizabeth is the bad person.
In Liason fics, Sam is the bad person.
A lot of you keep saying that Jason hasn't been the best person to Elizabeth these last few years on the show. Isn't it only fair that one fic portrays him as the bad guy? Not that everything's ever as it seems, right?
Let me know what you think of the update.
-ROCkER