Emily sat in her bedroom, flipping through her photo albums. Her heart ached with how far apart she has become with Jason and Elizabeth. This wasn't what she wanted. This is the exact thing she wanted to prevent from happening, but it just didn't seem like things would ever go her way.
She always felt special because Jason opened his life up to her. Her brother chose to accept her when he didn't accept the others in the family. With the obvious exception of grandmother. Emily didn't want to lose that kinship, she didn't want to be another blank face to her brother, and he knew that it was real possibility. All because of Elizabeth Webber, her best friend, or former best friend depending on how you look at it.
Elizabeth had been a great friend from the moment Emily met her. They've been through so much together, through many broken hearts and late night movies, reasons why Emily thought they'd be best friends forever. She couldn't believe that this was really happening. Why did her grandmother have to put them in each other's eyesight? Elizabeth and Jason couldn't be more different if they tried, so why were they so adamant on being together.
Running her fingers over the picture of her and Elizabeth swimming in the lake, Emily's eyes started to fill with tears. If she didn't truly believe that they'd end up hurting each other, Emily wouldn't try to separate them, but they're not good for each other. She truly believes that. Of course, if she was being honest, she has selfish reasons for not wanting them together. If they stay together, she'll become the after thought in their lives. She won't have her brother or her best friend, apparently it was a lose-lose situation. Either way she has lost them. With a sigh, Emily shoved the album back into the bookshelf before flopping onto her bed.
Knock. Knock.
"Come in." Emily called out, even though she'd rather not see anyone.
The door opened slightly, Skye leaning against the doorjamb. "You got a minute?" Skye asked softly. "I think we should talk."
"Do I have a choice?" Emily countered, sitting up and hugging a pillow to her chest.
"Not really." Skye admitted, walking in and closing the door. "You have to know that what you're doing is wrong."
"Oh really?" Emily arched her eyebrow. "Who are you to judge?"
Skye looked at Emily, really looked at her, and she could see that the young girl was really hurting. There were times over her life where Skye believed she was right and everyone was wrong, only really hurting herself in the process of trying to convince everyone else of the truth. Only the truth wasn't really the truth and, in the end, she had been the only one that was wrong. With so much life experience, Skye could see clear as day just what was going on with Emily.
"Emily, I know that you're helping Robin." Skye watched the shock in Emily's eyes shine through. "Why would you do that? Don't you know how much that will hurt Jason if he finds out?"
"Why should I care?" Emily stated, though her eyes contradicted her words. "He didn't think about how I'd feel before he started dating Elizabeth."
"Oh, sweet child." Skye sighed, shaking her head. "You have no idea just what you're doing to yourself. You're pushing away two people that love you and would do anything for you for the asking...and for what? To stop their happiness? To have them to yourself? Why are you so adamant on keeping them apart?"
"Because." Emily breathed. "Just because."
"Okay...we won't touch that subject." Skye accepted. "Why are you helping Robin?"
"Because she's the one Jason needs. The one Jason wants." Emily defended her reasoning. "She's good for him. She made him happy...they can be happy together again."
"How do you know they were happy?" Skye challenged, needing Emily to open her eyes and stop thinking like a child. "Where you there for every aspect of their relationship? Do you even know why they ended? Huh? Do you?"
"No, but..."
"So how can you know they were happy?" Skye cut her off. "Better yet, if you don't know how they ended, how can you know that they'd be happy again? For all you know, Robin could have broken Jason's heart. For all you know, she could have hurt him so deeply that he can never see her in that way again. How do you know that he will even want her back now?"
"STOP!" Emily exclaimed, jumping off her bed and pacing the floor. "They're good together. I know it! Stop confusing me!"
"No. You stop assuming you know anything in regard to Jason and Robin or Jason and Elizabeth." Skye stood up. "You need to stop trying to control your brother's love life. The only thing you'll get is a life without him and Elizabeth. Something that can be prevented."
"You don't know what you're talking about! You just want to take my place as Jason's sister!" Emily shouted, though her eyes once again contradicted. "I'm his sister! I'll always be his sister!"
Skye could see that she was only lashing out because she didn't want to believe the truth that was right in front of her. She didn't want to believe that Jason and Elizabeth are meant to be together. She didn't want to believe that they were both happy and that she was only hindering her own life by inserting herself into the relationship.
"Emily, whether you want to believe it or not, the only one you're hurting is yourself." Skye stood up, fixing her skirt. "Jason and Elizabeth will continue to be together, no matter what you and Robin do, and then you'll hate yourself for being the reason they're out of your life."
A knock sounded at the door as Skye was about to pull it open to leave.
"Hi, Skye." Elizabeth greeted. "Did I interrupt something?"
Skye glanced over at Emily before shaking her head. "No. I was just leaving." Skye smiled slightly. "Are we still on for lunch?"
"Yes. I'll meet you at Eli's." Elizabeth assured, walking into the room. "Is Lorenzo down in Puerto Rico too?"
"Unfortunately." Skye laughed softly. "Emily, think about what I said."
Elizabeth waited for Skye to leave before turning to Emily. She couldn't remember a time when she was ever at a loss for words in regard to talking to Emily, but standing there, she just didn't know what to say. Emily looked at her intently, her arms folded across her chest, waiting for Elizabeth to speak.
"How have you been?" Elizabeth decided to do the polite talk as an entry way.
"Okay." Emily granted. "You?"
"I've been fine." Elizabeth smiled slightly. "Anything new?"
"Nope." Emily shrugged. "Much of the same."
"Oh, okay." Elizabeth really wasn't any good at beating around the bush. "So I heard you and Robin have been hanging out lately."
"Shocker." Emily rolled her eyes, walking over to sit on her bed. "You're not the only one."
"Do you really hate us that much that you'd help her split us up?" Elizabeth questioned, searching her face for some trace of her best friend. "Why is it so wrong for me and Jason to be together?"
"It just is." Emily snapped. "You're my best friend and he's my brother. Cliché much?"
"And you think he'd be better off with Robin?" Elizabeth countered, wondering just what was driving Emily.. "Is that why you want us to break up? So he can get back together with her?"
"They were happy together." Emily said simply, letting out a deep breath. "She's suited for his life. I'm sure she can make him happy."
"How are you so sure?" Elizabeth questioned, sitting in Emily's desk chair. "Do you even know why Jason and Robin broke up?"
"Why does it matter?" Emily exclaimed, first Skye and now Elizabeth. So she's not an expert on Jason's relationship, so what?
Elizabeth took a deep breath, hoping that she could get through to her friend before Jason had to be the one to step in. She knows that he already talked to Emily, but if she were to take things to far, Elizabeth didn't want to know how Jason will react. She knows it'll take a lot for Jason to lose it with Emily, but at the rate Emily's going, it wouldn't be much longer and Elizabeth had to stop her. No matter what Emily says, she will be devastated if Jason kicked her out of his life.
"It matters because she ripped his heart out, stomped on it, and left it behind in the dust without a second thought." Elizabeth's voice firm, driving home her point. "She was pregnant with his child and decided to have an abortion without telling Jason about it."
If Emily wasn't already sitting down she would have dropped to her knees at that revelation. Elizabeth didn't want to tell her like this, but she knew that the only way it would sink into Emily's head is if she were to drill it in there harshly. After talking to Jason, they both decided this was the best way to handle her.
"If not for Brenda, he never would have known that he fathered a child." Elizabeth watched the sadness in Emily's eyes shine through. "And do you know what Robin told him when he finally found her?"
"What?" Emily whispered, staring at Elizabeth.
"She told him, in no uncertain terms, that she could never have a child with Sonny's enforcer." Elizabeth pushed away the image of Jason as he told her what she's telling Emily now. "That it had nothing to do with having the child, but having his child."
"I didn't know that." Emily swiped away the tears, the image of how her brother must have looked coming to mind. "I guess that's why Jason was so adamant on not going back to her."
"Pretty much...and because he's with me." Elizabeth said softly. "We really like each other, Emily. You don't have to like it and you don't have to accept it...just please, stop helping Robin."
Emily shook her head. "I won't say I'm okay with you two being together because I'm not." Emily took a deep breath. "But I won't help Robin...and I'll just stay out of it altogether."
Realizing that's the best she was getting out of her, Elizabeth stood up and pushed the chair in. She could see that Emily needed time for it to sink in and, in that moment, Elizabeth felt hope for her friend. They may not be friends any time soon, but they will get back their friendship some day. Once Emily realizes that her fears aren't real and that nothing will change just because Elizabeth and Jason are together, she'll learn to accept them. For now, all Elizabeth can do is wait and be patient with her friend.
Pulling open the door, Elizabeth looked back at Emily. "No matter what happens, you can always come to me for anything." Elizabeth felt she had to put it out there. "Just because you're not my friend anymore, it doesn't mean I'm not yours."
With that Elizabeth walked out of the room and out of the estate. Meeting up with Johnny and Marco by the car, Elizabeth got into the back seat before they took off. She knew that Emily will grow to understand everything, but for now she had to grow on her own. Zander was right. They had to grow up fast because of the life they had both been dealt, but Emily leads a sheltered life. A life with two parents that love her and who give her everything she could ever want. Other than losing her mother, Emily hasn't had many hardships to speak of. She's been allowed to keep her youth while Elizabeth and Zander had to give up theirs. With time, Emily will reach the point in life where Zander and Elizabeth are, but they couldn't help her get there.
Late that night, Elizabeth sits up in bed sketching when her cellphone starts to ring. Putting her sketch pad to the side and picking it up from the side table, Elizabeth smiles before answering.
"Hi." she says softly, nestling into the covers, turning off the light and getting comfortable.
"Hi." his voice soft and loving. "How did it go with Em?"
"Better than I thought." Elizabeth smiles slightly. "She said that she won't say she's okay with us, but she'll stay out of it."
"You okay?" Jason questions, knowing how much this was affecting her.
"Yeah...we'll get our friendship back some day." Elizabeth assured him. "For now I have to be patient."
"I know you might not want to hear this, but I'm sorry." Jason sighed, running a hand down his face to fight off the fatigue. "I wish I could fix things between you two."
"Its not your fault." Elizabeth took a deep breath. "Emily and I are just too different at this point. We'll be okay."
Jason was interrupted by Sonny, after speaking with him briefly, he returned to his conversation with Elizabeth.
"I don't know if I got this correctly, but Carly asked Sonny to ask me to ask you if you can take Michael to the park tomorrow." Jason scratched his head, annoyed with the complicated favor. "Basically, can you take Michael to the park?"
"I'll call Carly later." Elizabeth laughed softly. "I really miss you. Sleeping in your penthouse just isn't the same without you."
"I know what you mean." Jason walked over to his bed to finally lay down. "I really miss you too."
Checking the time, Elizabeth let out a deep breath. "We should get to sleep. If I'm right, its already eleven o'clock where you are."
"You're right." Jason laughed softly. "Goodnight, Elizabeth."
"Goodnight." Elizabeth closed her eyes, remembering the feeling of his lips on hers. "Jason."
Author's Note: Thank you so much for the reviews!
Sashahailee and lostluv, it means a lot that you spent so much time reading all the chapters. Your reviews were truly a delight to read.
All you reviewers make writing a true pleasure. Thank you for fuelling my passion for writing. I hoe you liked this update.
Till next time...