Waking up in the early hours of the morning, Elizabeth cleaned up around the penthouse before getting ready for breakfast at Carly's. She still wasn't sure about taking Michael to the park by herself since she wasn't exactly his favorite person in the world. Sucking up whatever courage she had in her, Elizabeth grabbed her purse and walked next door to Carly's penthouse. Johnny and Marco moving from their positions at Jason's penthouse to stand by Ritchie.
"Morning, muffin." Carly greeted, situating Morgan in his highchair.
"Don't tell me you actually cooked." Elizabeth teased, putting her things on the desk. "Should I be worried?"
"Oh shut up." Carly shook her head. "Ritchie cooked everything so you can relax."
"Oh, good." Elizabeth laughed softly, walking over to the table. "Hi, Morgan!"
She got a chuckle mixed with baby talk and Elizabeth couldn't help but smile at that. He was getting so big.
"Mr. Man, come on!" Carly shouted from the bottom of the steps. "If you want to eat before the park, you need to get down here!"
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Elizabeth questioned, helping Morgan with his cereal. "I haven't had the best luck with Jason's help…how is a one on one thing going to be better?"
"Trust me." Carly smiled slightly. "Michael will be better without Jason there."
"If you say so." Elizabeth conceded, sitting down to eat some toast.
Jason and Sonny were off to the side, most of today's meeting has been finished and right now they're in some kind of intermission. Both men wanted to call their respective others, but knew that those calls were best reserved for behind closed doors.
"How much longer do you think we'll have to be here?" Jason's voice low. "I don't think I can handle another rendition of Cartillo's back in the day stories."
"You and I both." Sonny smirked, knowing just how much Jason was hating this. "It shouldn't be much longer though."
"How long is not much longer?" Jason countered, wanting to be out of Puerto Rico since the moment he got back there.
"Relax." Sonny says calmly. "This meeting is essential to our organization. You just have to be patient for a little while longer."
"Fine." Jason sighed, rubbing the tension from his nape. "But I'm taking off once we get back to Port Charles."
"Sure." Sonny accepted. "Now try not to look too bored out of your mind."
"Right." Jason groaned, watching the heads of other organizations negotiate and playing cards. This truly sucked. "How hard could that be, right?"
They've been in the park for a couple hours and Michael has yet to warm up to her. So far he has played catch with Johnny and played on various structures in the playground. Elizabeth really felt bad that Michael wasn't even attempting to act like he liked her. She really wanted to reach some kind of middle ground with Michael, but she didn't know how to do that. She's never tried to get on the good side of a child before. Just as Michael headed for the jungle gym, Robin came walking up to Elizabeth.
"Its fine Marco." Elizabeth waved him off, turning to Robin. "What do you want?"
"To let you know that this is far from over." Robin said sternly. "You may have thought you could get into Emily's head, but she's still on my side."
Elizabeth couldn't deny that hearing Emily was still helping Robin hurt, but she wouldn't let Robin know that.
"And?" Elizabeth countered. "Why do I care if you've gotten Emily on your side?"
"Because she knows every little detail about you." Robin smirked. "And one way or another, I'm going to get Jason to believe what really happened, even if I have to get you out of his life first."
"How do you plan on doing that?" Elizabeth arched her eyebrow. "In case I need to spell it out for you, the only way I'm going to be out of Jason's life is if I'm dead."
"That can be arranged." Robin stepped into Elizabeth's personal space, but was soon pushed away from her. "What the heck?"
Both women glanced down to find Michael standing between them.
"No one threatens Aunt Lizzie." Michael stated. "If I were you, I'd watch what comes out of my mouth next!"
"Wow...you need a kid to fight your battles?" Robin eyed Elizabeth intently. "Talk about being a coward."
"You're just jealous that someone would actually stand up for her." Michael snapped, cutting off anything Elizabeth was about to say. "I don't see anyone defending you."
"Look kid, this has nothing to do with you." Robin stated, seriously annoyed by the little boy.
"That's where you're wrong." Michael's glare mirroring Jason's cold one at this point. "She's family and, like my mother always says, we take care of our own."
"Who's your mother?" Robin questioned, staring down at him.
"Carly Corinthos." Michael said bitingly. "What's it to you?"
"Of course. Should've known with the mouth on you." Robin shook her head. "She should really teach you to mind your own business."
"Michael, why don't you go play?" Elizabeth glared at Robin. "I'll take it from here. Thank you."
Michael glared at Robin once more before walking away to play on the swings, never taking his eyes off Robin. Elizabeth had been shocked by Michael defence but it was truly heart warming. Once she got over the shock, Elizabeth felt like pounding Robin in for talking to Michael that way.
"You have a problem with me, you take it out on me and you bite your tongue when talking to him." Elizabeth snapped. "He's just a kid. You had no right talking to him like that."
"Oh save it." Robin scoffed. "Just remember what I said. I'm far from giving up on Jason."
Elizabeth stepped up, right into Robin's personal space. "I'll keep that in mind, but know one thing..." Elizabeth's voice low and harsh. "You want a fight, you got one. Game on, bitch!"
Walking away from Robin, she made her way to Michael, checking if he was ready to leave and heading to Kelly's once he agreed to it. Johnny and Marco made sure that Robin didn't advance on them again. Both guards had been surprised by Michael's defence of Elizabeth, but didn't question it. He was a lot like his mother in that way.
"Is it true?" Michael asked as they sat down.
"Is what true?" Elizabeth looked at him curiously.
"That you have someone else's heart?" Michael questioned tentatively.
"Who told you that?" Elizabeth was shocked by the question.
"I heard you and my mom talking about it." Michael admitted. "Is it true?"
"Yes...its true." Elizabeth conceded. "A very generous family gave up a piece of the person they loved to save my life."
"Why did you need it?" Michael inquired, his eyes soft and truly curious.
"I trusted someone that didn't deserve it." Elizabeth sighed, running a hand through her hair. "He hurt me really badly and I almost didn't make it."
"Is he in prison?"
"Yeah." Elizabeth smiled slightly. "He's been in prison for the last two years."
"I'm sorry he hurt you." Michael stared at her for a moment. "For what its worth, I'm glad you didn't die."
"That's really nice of you to say." Elizabeth couldn't help being amazed by this little boy.
"I almost died when I was a baby." Michael admitted as the waitress put their food down. "I had to have surgery on my heart. My mom says that I wouldn't have lived without it."
"Well, for what its worth, I'm really glad you didn't die." Elizabeth mimicked his words. "Can I ask you something?"
"Sure." Michael shrugged, taking a bite out of his sandwich.
"Why don't you like me?" Elizabeth questioned, watching Michael as he really looked like he was thinking about it.
"I do like you." Michael admitted. "I just didn't know if you were right for Uncle Jason."
"What do you mean?"
"When I asked my mom why Uncle Jason doesn't date, she said that his last girlfriend hurt him really badly." Michael explained. "I just don't want him to hurt again."
"Oh." Elizabeth shook her head. "That's understandable, but I promise you, I'll never hurt your uncle."
"You promise?" Michael eyed her intently.
"I promise." Elizabeth held up her pinky. "Pinky swear?"
Michael couldn't help but laugh, hooking his pinky with hers, regardless of how funny he thought it was.
"Pinky swear." Michael smirked, shaking his head.
Elizabeth and Michael went home after eating, Carly was surprised when Michael hugged Elizabeth before running upstairs to play his game. She could see that something had changed between them and that had her a little hopeful that things would be okay if Elizabeth did marry Jason.
"I told you." Carly smirked. "He's different without Jason around, right?"
"Actually, that was because he overheard us talking about my heart transplant." Elizabeth smiled slightly. "He sort of opened up after I told him about it."
"Ah." Carly shook her head. "I get that."
"Plus, he defended me to Robin." Elizabeth admitted. "We were in the park and Robin came up spewing meaningless words...and Michael just stood up for me."
"He is my little man." Carly smiled at the thought of Michael standing up to Robin. "I still wish that little twit would come knocking on my door. Seriously, why won't she come up to me? Just once."
"I don't think even Robin is that crazy." Elizabeth laughed softly. "She wants Jason, not a death sentence."
"Eh, whatever." Carly shrugged, plopping down on the couch. "I'll get my chance...mark my words...it'll come."
"Knowing you, I'm sure it will." Elizabeth shook her head. "I should get next door...check you later."
"Come over for dinner." Carly called to her as she pulled open the door. "We're ordering in."
"Kay." Elizabeth called over her shoulder before walking next door to the penthouse.
Getting into the penthouse, she took a long hot bath to ease her body out of the tension it was in. Elizabeth just wanted to relax for a moment before she called up Emily. She didn't want to believe that she was still helping Robin, but she had to know for sure. After getting dressed in Jason's t-shirt, Elizabeth walked downstairs to sit on the couch, holding her cellphone in her hands. Taking a deep breath, she dialled Emily's number.
"Yes?" Emily answered.
"Please tell me Robin was lying and you're not helping her still." Elizabeth got straight to the point. "Emily?"
"I am." Emily said carefully. "I'm sorry, but Robin's right. I have to help her."
"Robin's right about what?" Elizabeth countered, seriously hurting over this. "I don't understand...how can you help her?"
"She explained what really happened and I believe her." Emily sighed, fighting off tears. "You and my brother will never work. You'll see that."
"I can't believe this." Elizabeth took a deep breath. "If you do this, I'll never forgive you."
"That's something I'll have to live with." Emily could hear the pain in Elizabeth's voice. "I'm sorry, but this is for the best."
"So you keep saying." Elizabeth stated. "Goodbye Emily...and this time, I mean for good."
Ending the call, Elizabeth allowed her tears to fall hard and fast. Curling up on the couch, she hugged the pillow to her chest and shut her eyes tightly. Emily was always her friend, no matter the differences that lay between them, but now it was really over. She really thought that she had gotten through to Emily, but apparently Emily had other things in mind. Just then her cellphone rang, prompting her to stifle her tears and answer it.
"Yes?" she answers, taking a deep breath to steady her nerves.
"Its me." Jason says concerned. "You okay? You sound like you've been crying?"
"I'm okay." Elizabeth sighs, sitting up. "Is everything okay?"
"Everything's fine down here." Jason assures. "Now tell me what's going on."
"Emily believes Robin's version of what happened." Elizabeth admitted, forcing her voice to stay calm. "She's still helping her."
"I can't believe this." Jason groaned, seriously hating his sister in that moment.
"I told her that I could never forgive her for this." Elizabeth admitted. "Its really over Jason. I really lost my best friend."
"I'm sorry." Jason sighs, wishing he were there to hold her. "I honestly don't know what to say right now."
"You can tell me you're coming home soon." Elizabeth whispered, afraid to talk much louder than that. "I miss you."
"I miss you too." Jason cursed the five families for having this lengthy meeting now. "I promise, I'll be home as soon as I can."
"I know." Elizabeth conceded. "I understand...on a brighter note, Michael and I are getting along."
"That's really good to hear." Jason said softly. "I'm glad things are better between you two."
"Me too." Elizabeth took a deep breath. "You don't have to worry about me. I'm gonna be okay."
"For what its worth, I'm sorry about Em." Jason glanced at the door, hating that he has to stoop to using the bathroom to talk to her. "I have to go, but we'll talk more when I get home."
"Okay." Elizabeth smiled slightly. "Hurry up and come home to me."
"I'll be on a plane the very moment this is over." Jason promises. "Then we're taking a long trip to Italy."
"Promise?" Elizabeth whispered, hopeful for that to be true. "I can really use something to look forward to."
"The very second I get back, I'm taking you to Italy." Jason assured. "Sonny already approved my time off."
"Good to know." Elizabeth didn't care about Emily's words anymore. She and Jason are meant to be together...she knows it. "I miss you."
"I miss you too!" Jason smiled slightly, hearing the smile in her voice. "I'll be home soon. I promise."
Author's Note: I know, I know. "Damn it, Emily, what are you thinking, right?" Don't you just love drama?
Anyway, thanks for the reviews! Much appreciated...please keep 'em coming!
Till next time...