Chapter Four
Jason and Elizabeth looked at one another, blue eyes meeting blue eyes then she recalled what Mac had just told her and while hoping he was wrong, knew that there was a very good chance his only reason for being here was her past with Ric Lansing. Well tough, there was no way she was stepping in the middle of a mess involving her ex-husband. She had enough trouble right now dealing with Lucky.
"If you came because you need help with Ric, you are out of luck. There is nothing I can do for you." she stated annoyed.
"No, at least not in the way you are thinking." he said awkwardly."Alexis did this, told the truth because she is hoping that one of Sonny's kids are a match for Kristina."
"Morgan and... wait, Sam's baby." she said with a nod of understanding. "Am I right?"
"Yes, Carly refuses to have Morgan tested but Justus went to a judge and he was already done, but they doubt he will be a watch. His blood sample matches Carly's not Sonny's. Sam's DNA tests yield hopeful results but Kristina is getting worse, they might not be able to wait for her to give birth."
"Oh god, poor Kristina, why did Alexis wait so long?" she asked anxious for that little girl. While she couldn't afford to help deal with Ric, she didn't need that kind of trouble, she would never turn away helping a child. "What do you need for me to do?"
"I know it is an inconvenience and that you want to keep the truth silent, but Elizabeth, would you let them test Cameron?" He held his breath, while the procedure wasn't life threatening, he hated the idea of her little boy suffering even a single moment of pain.
"Jason, Cam won't be a match. He isn't related to her." she stated then looked at him and knew it was time to tell the truth, so she said "Oh dear, I was going to wait until after Sam gave birth, but I guess I should tell you now."
"I know, I know, Ric is Cameron's father," he said as gently as possible not wanting to spook her, trying to find a way to reassure her, he would do his best to keep her secret. To make sure no one knew the truth if it was at all possible.
"But he isn't." she protested. Seeing Jason shaking his head in disbelief she continued a bit hurt he didn't believe her. "Jason, I promise, Ric Lansing is not my child's father."
Sitting down, now confused at the honesty he heard in her voice, Jason looked at her and waited for her to explain. "You really don't remember do you? The night Emily almost died, when we went back to my studio."
"I do, with complete clarity." he said hoarsely as he recalled their words, their almost actions and falling asleep in his boxers wrapped around her. "There are day when I wished I had reached out for what I wanted with both hands, when I had given in to my own wishes instead of going home to fulfill obligations made at a time of weakness."
"But you didn't go home, did you. You stayed with me that night." she said as gently as possible not sure what he recalled and what he didn't. She was a bit fuzzy on how things started, even if she wasn't on the way things had ended.
"Yes I did. I spend the night holding you, I lay there most of the night, watching you sleep, building memories for..." the rest of his life. He had been so certain he would only ever have that, now it was just out of reach, like it often was with Elizabeth, but he had a plan, one with which to win the girl but he knew that in order to do that, they would have a huge mountain of distrust to climb over.
"You don't remember falling asleep, us tangled together, then what happened next do you?" she asked then saw him blushing then rubbing his face with his hand, his eyes unable to meet hers. "Or wait... do you remember."
"I-I remember falling asleep, dreaming sort of a half dream/half wish with us, together that night in all ways." he admitted more to her than to himself, because part of him didn't want to face that it might have been true. "But it was just that a dream."
"No, it wasn't. That was why when you said what you did the next morning, I was so confused, so hurt." she said still hurt by his waking up and promising to never tell another soul how they had been there for each other that night. "Yet deep down, I knew you would regret betraying the woman you love like that."
There had been betrayal but as far as Jason was concerned it hadn't been to Courtney but to Elizabeth if he had given into his desires when he hadn't been free yet. If he had had what he had longed for most in the world at such a time.
"Jason, I felt dirty, felt sick at what had happened." she said needing to get past the pain, she continued. "I talked to Ric, listened to what he had to say but he was drinking that night and fell asleep on the sofa. I at first wanted to cause him the pain he had caused others, so I had undressed him, left him lying there naked. I didn't expect him to believe we had had sex. But he did then wouldn't leave me alone."
Standing, pacing she said "I was hit and the driver ran, where Courtney had almost..."
Jason thought she had stopped, angry with him at covering up for the other woman, a step he still regretted making years later but then saw her eyes narrowing then she walked to the window and looked out, it sounded like she was counting to ten.
"Elizabeth?"He could see her anger about that mess and he had already felt sick at giving into to the pressure to help Courtney, now, as two and two became four, he was not sure that this was a mess they would recover from.
"Not now, Jason." she snapped as something finally occurred to her that she had been pregnant at that point, that Courtney had almost killed her child then continued to explain.
"It was Halloween and Ric still wouldn't get away from me. Zander and I were at Jake's, commiserating, he was drinking and I was just there, sticking close to him to get rid of my ex. He kissed me and so I gave in, kissed him back but it didn't get any further at that point.
Jason felt red hot anger and deep green jealousy of the other man but reminded himself that he had been married to Courtney at that time. That he had been unhappy in a marriage he regretted happening was his fault, he had no right at all to be acting like that, yet like usual he felt anger and pain at his loss.
Frowning he realized he didn't like her with anyone,, but he found it more acceptable when she was with Lucky because he got the why of the relationship.
"I helped him upstairs to his room, then helped him to bed. I fell asleep with him, I was so exhausted from dealing with everything going on, all the emotional crap that just kept building up on me. I woke up wearing just my underclothes and Zander telling me we had had sex. I believed him, after you and I had had sleep sex, so I knew it was possible. In truth, it wasn't what happened."
"What do you mean?" he asked now completely confused.
Sighing and returning to pacing she said "I need to continue in my own way. Anyhow, I found out I was pregnant, had a DNA test. How it came back Zander's, I don't know now, but when I left town to give birth, Dr. Meadows had suggested I get a more thorough exam as I got farther along. That something seemed off with my dates."
Now facing him, she said "When I gave birth at what was seven months, the doctors said my son was full term, which shouldn't have been possible if Zander was really the father. I let it go because I was still weak at the time."
"Two months later, just before I returned home, my pediatrician reran the tests, said there was no way that either man tested was the father. I knew that Ric wouldn't come back as the father, but was shocked to be told Zander wasn't because that meant in spite of getting run over I managed to not miscarry Cameron."
Jason was starting to get it, as he looked at her. "Elizabeth? Am, am I the father?"
Swallowing, she said "I knew it when I came home it was a very real prospect. I didn't want to run into Courtney or Carly if I came to see you at the towers, so I waited. Hoping to run into you out. Emily told me about Sam and felt like I shouldn't say anything then when you told the truth in July, I tried to find the courage to tell you but then a bunch of things happened."
"Like what?" he snapped then thought back to all that had been going on and realized that once again one of Sonny and Carly's messes had affected his life. "What about after?"
"I decided I wanted to have proof, who knows, maybe I was just being chicken. Anyhow, I got it today." she said and went to the drawer in her desk. Removing the crumpled piece of paper she handed it to him.
Stunned, he sat down and read it. The words and the numbers swam before his eyes after the first reading. Then looking at her said "Why didn't you tell me?"
"I saw that Sam had collapsed, Jason. Add to that you were asking to stop by tonight and I just waited until now. I had no idea about Alexis, Sonny and Kristina."
Groaning, he looked at her before telling her. "I uh, talked to your brother, I promise, not that anyone was listening."
Seeing her confusion, he said "I asked about testing Cam, explained my theory and he said if it is true that Ric was Cam's father, he might be a match."
'Ric isn't his father." she pointed out. Jason moved next to her and rubbed her back then when she had calmed down enough, dropped his next bomb.
"I can't trust Sonny. I am afraid he might do some research and either be angry when he finds out I am the father, or think it is Ric and decide that Cam has to help. I wouldn't put it past him to go to Ric with this. Jason knew he had to tell her the rest of it, but for now, he would only tell her how bad it could get.
When her head came back and her eyes stared at him in shock, he said "He told me a few lies about some very important things and I won't let him create even more problems but I need you to trust me."
Staring at him honestly she said "With my own life, yes but with my son's. I have to admit having reservations."
"Elizabeth, he is my son too." he said as gently as possible. When she glared at him, he said "I already betrayed both of you once, by covering for Courtney out of my own guilt."
Seeing the fire in her eyes, he vowed "I won't do it, never again. So, I have an idea."
As he explained, her eyes widened in shock then stuttering, she found herself agreeing as he gently explained his plans. She wanted to reject what he was asking, but deep down, she knew he was right that this would give them what they have always wanted.
At four in the morning, Jason slipped back into GH and up to where Sam was now asleep. Calming down, wishing he could tell the world, instead he settled for making it clear that Ric wasn't Cameron's father.
Seeing Steven Webber he said "False alarm."
"I know, I reran Cam's DNA. The man she thought was the father is. Lansing isn't Cam's dad." he said just to emphasize the answer for he had some suspicions that others were curious too. He was already in the loop as far as what Elizabeth had known to be a possibility so seeing Jason's was a match hadn't been that big of a surprise.
Sonny who was down the hall, listening, was pissed at losing the option when it came to his daughter while Max who had whispered in his ear had no idea that he was wrong. Calling Max, Sonny said "What you thought you overheard, thank you, but it was wrong. Ric Lansing isn't the father of Elizabeth's child. She must have consented to a test because it came back as Zander's kid."
Max hung up, in a way grateful for that since if it had been true, he would have been in trouble with Jason for not going to him first. While he was scared of Jason, as far as he was concerned, Sonny was the man in charge, Sonny was to whom he owed his loyalty. Calling Mrs. C, he gave her the news. "I told you so."
Hanging up, Carly set out to seduce her husband, needing his help. She had not had a good day, first Alexis had told the truth, then that bastard Ric had gleefully told Sonny that she had known since the fire at the Port Charles Hotel.
Georgie was back at home, in her room she hung up her new outfit and then set the computer on her desk. Shaking her head as she remembered her rather confounding day she laid back on her bed...
Arriving at North Pole Enterprises main Headquarters, she was amused by the name until she entered the office which was a disaster area. Seeing the short man she had meet earlier that year, standing in the middle of the chaos directing people as they set up furniture, electronics as well as a whole bunch of creature comforts in the office, she moved forward towards him.
"Ah, Ms. Jones, I see you finally found my present, such as it is." said the widely grinning man. "So what do you think of my office It needs a little work, but I think it will be acceptable. I mean, it isn't the real north pole, but then no place is."
"It looks like it might be ready in time for the holidays. Sir, I uh, what are you selling?" she asked then added "And why me?"
Grinning broadly, Anthony swept the dust cover off a chair, then said, "Sit, sit, we will speak."
Doing so, not sure what she was expecting, Georgie listened in surprise.
"My wife Maria died several years ago, the day I met you was our anniversary. I was taking her flowers, roses in fact." he said proudly then his smile faded. "I have done bad things in my life, but it is almost over. I am a very sick man. To make up for all I have done, I have decided to right a whole lot of wrongs."
Looking at her, he said "As Santa, I will have the freedom to do so. Those who are on the good list, get gifts, those on the naughty list, well they won't be receiving presents this year."
Looking at his hands, he said "There are going to be those who try and stop me, those who say I am insane. I am not crazy, well just a smidgeon, I swear. But I need someone to be my eyes and ears, someone to be my elf and make the purchases that I can't arrange for on the Internet, because there are those who would try and stop me."
"Sir, why me?" she asked confused, she was a high school student, what did she knew of these kinds of things.
"I saw you with that little boy, at first I had a different plan, but now, well I think you are perfect to be my elf. Someday, when you are much older, who knows, maybe you will find a Santa of your own." he said with a snicker as the other part of his plan was already in place.
Don't you have any family sir?" she asked.
"Two children, a daughter who is rather unpleasant and who wrote me off years ago. She had a rather tragic accident recently and didn't make it. A son who is trying to fix the unfixable. I will let him, he needs to at least attempt. In the end, when I have passed on to my final reward, he will receive his, he is one of those on the good list."
Georgie wanted to tell him no, but the sliver haired man began to explain what he intended to do and she found herself getting drawn in as she looked at the names, at the lists and was surprised to see that there were many, many charities on his list including General Hospital.
"When can you start, I understand you work at that rather unfortunate diner. I also know that it is in deep financial trouble. If you chose to work for me, I guarantee you a much better paying job in January. I have already set it up for you." He had already made plans that if she showed up to take care of her future schooling too, but she didn't need to know that right now.
Georgie wanted to say no, she truly did but his enthusiasm was spreading and the idea of what he wanted to do, it made her laugh at who was going to be getting nothing for Christmas. "I have to give notice at the diner."
"That will work out perfectly, nowadays the holiday season starts right after Halloween which is when I will wrap up my other projects." he said beaming. "By the way, you can call me Mr. Claus."
"Sir, I can't tell people I am working for Santa Claus, they will have me committed." she said with a smile and a soft laugh.
"Okay, lets think of another name." he replied then heard her suggesting his real name and he rejected that idea pointing out he didn't want anyone to know where the philanthropic money came from.
Georgie had left the building, running into a man entering who looked annoyed so she said excuse me and had moved on, unaware she had dropped one of the long gloves that went with her outfit.
John was in his room, looking at the glove he had just pulled out of his pocket, he still had no clue what so ever what his father was up to. All Anthony would say was that someday he would understand.
Hearing a knock, he let in the guard who handed him the pictures. His eyes narrowing as he saw the dirty blond in some of the photos and said "I know her from someplace."
"I tracked down her license plate and I have to say, our suspicions seem to be wrong. Her name is Georgie Jones, she is the seventeen year old daughter of the Port Charles police commissioner. Whatever your father is up to, I really think he is on the level."
Johnny didn't know, but he would find a way to keep an eye on this girl, she was clearly the way to find out what was going on. With that, he went to call Lorenzo Alcazar and listened to his offer.
"When do you want me to do this?" he asked. Hearing the answer, he grimaced then said "And for the same piece of property as before."
"Yes."he replied then went to check on his wife. Finding Carly trying to seduce him yet again, Lorenzo let her have what she wanted, all the while counting the hours until his attorney sent him the paperwork, freeing him from the lying cheat two timer he was married to.
Carly on the other hand was feeling smug as she laid there listening to Lorenzo sleeping. He was better looking and a better lover than Sonny. While there wasn't the thrill she got from being with Sonny nor was Jason around as much, she found that as long as she needed him, she had no problems with what she had.
Elizabeth was at the end of her first day as a training surgical nurse, Lucky had been leaving her alone, her grams was now giving her the silent treatment since the letter from Diane. She found she was enjoying life. Especially since no one knew her secret.
Hearing Alexis Davis crying, she lost her smile, feeling bad for the poor woman as no one was a match for Kristina, even Sam's baby was only a partial match.
When she saw Ric and Sonny posturing over who was going to be in the room with Kristina, she wanted to slap them both, after all this wasn't about them, it was about that innocent young child caught between her parents egos.
"Lizzie-bear."Turning to glare at Steven she was not happy when he pushed on her nose and said beep. "So, Lizzie-bear, I want to go trick or treating."
"Okay."she said her eyes widening as she saw Alan Quartermaine behind her brother, motioning for her to play along. "What do you want to be?"
"A fireman." he said with a wide grin. "Do you know where I can get a dalmatian. Or maybe I can be an astronaut."
When Steven suddenly pitched forward, Elizabeth and the chief of staff caught him. "What is going on?"
"We were transferring a mental patient when Steven was stuck with a needle." said Alan while two orderlies settled him into a wheelchair. "So far, he stole that wheelchair away from a patient, kissed Kelly Lee on the lips, pinched Carly Corinthos butt and suggested she needed to lose weight then told Courtney that she needed to dye her hair that her roots were showing and then asked Epiphany if she wanted to go to a supply closet with him. That he would help her count the bed linens. Suggested it might make her smile a bit more."
"Oh god." she said embarrassed on his behalf then snickering. "Anything else?"
"I saved the best for last." he replied. "In the elevator on the way up here, he proceeded to tell my mother she could do much better than that old curmudgeon she is married to. Father didn't take that very well. Then he preceded to suggest I buy some new ties, hit on Emily then suggested that Nik stop being such a tight ass."
"I can only imagine." she replied then saw they were attracting a crowd. "What should we do with him?"
"Nothing, he is going to have to sleep it off." replied the chief of staff chuckling as the blond man now leaned his head against his sister's leg and began to snore loudly.
Hearing Alexis begin to screech, what about her daughter, how could he let a member of his hospital staff act so recklessly. "Alexis, enough. Steven didn't give himself this shot, an escaping patient who was getting away due to the shenanigans of Lucky Spencer did."
Gritting his teeth, Sonny snapped "Give him whatever you need to so that he can operate as soon as we get a donor."
"Corinthos, he will need to sleep this off. There is no quick fix. As far as Kristina, we have no donors, we have nothing going on that will help her so, Steven getting ten hours of sleep is all that is needed."
Ric tried to talk to Elizabeth, tried to get her to speak to Sam as he followed his ex-wife to the hub. "Elizabeth please reconsider talking to Sam."
"Ric, I get that Alexis is worried about her child but so is Sam." she snapped as she looked at the man in front of her. "You need to back off and so does Alexis."
Sonny was grateful for what the nurse was saying as he approached his brother and hiding his dislike agreed with her. "Ric, right now, both of these children are at risk."
"And we both know that if Sam would agree to let Dr. Lee induce labor, Kristina would be saved." cried out Alexis as she glared at Sonny."Why won't you force her to do this, this is your child too."
Sonny wanted to snap at Alexis, at Ric but he saw the pity in Elizabeth's eyes and said "They are both my children. Alexis, I have no say in regards to Sam's baby until it is born so I can't do anything, not that I would. You need to back off."
"NO!"she snapped. "If you won't do it, I will."
"Alexis, you were barred from being near Ms. McCall." Elizabeth reminded the older woman of Alan's orders. "I get that you are terrified, as a parent I feel for you, but you need to find a way without expecting another mother to endanger her child for yours."
Stalking away, Alexis was vowing to speak to Sam when she saw Jason coming out of the other woman's room. Wanting to rail at the mobster, she quickly turned around yet again, this time stalking back to the hub."I want to speak to Dr. Lee myself."
"I will call her, but you should know, she can't legally tell you anything about Ms. McCall's medical situation." said Elizabeth who then made the call.
Alexis was going over all she had found out regarding the con woman living at Jason Morgan's penthouse and gave a feral grin as she walked away. Making a call to a judge she knew was favorable towards the prosecution, she soon had her warrant. "I want it executed today."
"We will send it on its way." said the judge's secretary just before heading out the door to lunch. She was not going to hurry, not for that uptight, pain in the ass Alexis Davis.
Four hours later, Elizabeth was speaking to Emily, listening to how Lucky had been part of a police transport team taking a mentally imbalanced prisoner to Pentonville.
"So this guy escaped?" she asked shivering as she looked at the picture of Miguel Ruiz. Seeing all the tattoos, she said "What was he here for?"
"Treatment of his mental illness. What is worse, his family has arrived. They are demanding retribution. Turns out they were the ones who looked him up. His brother Manny who looks just like him was stalking the hallways."
"Wow."she said then asked about Nik and the hospital's response.
"Nik and my dad are talking to the family, but Elizabeth, they are drug dealers, from Miami. This is going to be trouble." she said grimly as behind them they heard Sonny and Jason talking off in a corner while Mac was dealing with an irate Alexis Davis. Elizabeth knew that things were not going to settle down until this man was caught and that Jason wouldn't be there as much. Their eyes met, then Elizabeth looked away when she saw Sonny noticing. Nodding at the man while wanting to slap him, she just turned back to Emily.
"Alexis, I have bigger issues than some very old warrant on Sam McCall or didn't you hear I have an insane killer on the loose thanks to Lucky Spencer." he snapped. "And Lansing, don't you ever again try to tell me how to do my job, you are not the DA. Your new wife is."
Ric who had heard the name of the escaped prisoner was shaking in his fine Italian leather shoes. He had once worked on a deal between the Alcazar's and Ruiz family and he knew EXACTLY how crazy Miguel was.
TBC