The show, characters and location are owned by ABC/DISNEY. No copyright infringement is intended.

Chapter 22

Jason sat on the couch in his penthouse rereading the text that Milo had sent. Sam had been shot by Lucky Spencer and was in route to the hospital. Lucky had also been shot by his former partner and was also going to the hospital. He wondered if there was something wrong with him that he didn't feel anything. He and Sam had been lovers and at one time close friends, he should feel something.

Elizabeth slipped into the penthouse and quietly sat with him. She didn't know exactly what was going on, and she didn't need to, she just knew that Jason needed her. Taking his hand in hers she offered him quiet support. Before he could speak the guard knocked and announced Emily.

"Good, you're both here." The young doctor came into the room slowly.

"What happened?" Jason asked his sister.

"Sam was shot twice by Lucky and she died at the hospital." Emily knew that just getting it out was best. "Lucky was also shot once and he's in surgery. He's expected to make a full recovery."

"Oh my god! Jason, I'm so sorry." Elizabeth placed a soft hand on his arm.

Jason turned and looked at her. She couldn't stand Sam yet here she was offering him sympathy. "I'm fine. How are you? Lucky was shot as well, do you want to go to the hospital?"

"No. I know that sounds cold but what happens to him is no longer my concern." She hoped he recovered and got clean, but the man she had loved once was gone.

"There's something else you should know." Emily said coming in further. This would not go over well.

"What?" Jason looked up at his sister. He could see that she was upset, he had to remember that Lucky was her friend too. "Do you need anything?"

"Nicholas is hiring a lawyer for Lucky. Laura called and asked him to. He and I had a pretty big fight and we broke up." The young doctor was trying her best not to cry. She didn't want to make this about her. She did note the look of disgust in Jason's eyes. Her brother was angry but not surprised. He had apparently expected this.

"Oh Emily." Elizabeth jumped up and hugged her friend. "What can we do for you?"

"Really?" The brunette said tearing up. "His ex-girlfriend is dead; your ex-husband killed her and is now in surgery. I should be asking you guys if you need anything."

"Sit down." Elizabeth steered her to the couch and sat her between the two of them. "I'm sorry about Nicholas, Emily you don't have to choose sides. I have no problem with you supporting Lucky." Her friend was in a tough spot. She had people she loved on both sides of the issue.

Emily dropped her head on her friends shoulder while reaching for her brother's hand. "Lucky hit you Elizabeth, I have to choose sides. It's Nicholas who ended the relationship. He said family comes first and I told him you are my family."

"Do you want to stay over with me and Cam tonight?" Elizabeth wanted to do whatever she could to support her friend.

"Thanks, but I'm on call. I have three days off coming up, maybe then? By that time you'll have a spare bedroom set up." She had no intention of coming between Jason and Liz.

"You can just sleep with me." Elizabeth said envisioning a sleepover.

"I don't think we'll all fit." Emily said laughing. She was guessing Jason hadn't spent many nights in his penthouse recently. "Maybe you'll let me stay over with Cam and you two can go away. That way I can spoil my godson." She'd be happy to babysit it would keep her mind off of Nicholas.

"That sounds like a plan." Jason said speaking up. He'd love to take Elizabeth away for a few days. "Does Alexis need anything? She doesn't have to know it's from me."

Emily gave her brother a hug. "I think she's okay. I saw Ric pulling up when I was driving out." She stood up. "I need to get back to the hospital. Call if you need anything."

When they were alone Jason pulled Elizabeth close. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Does it make me a monster that I don't feel anything but sad for Lucky?" She asked quietly.

"I feel the same way about Sam. It's such a waste." Jason placed a kiss on her nose when she looked up at him. "So will you go away with me? Cam will be in good hands with my sister."

"You, me and somewhere with a shower big enough for two?" Elizabeth gave him a sassy smile. "I think I can be talked into it." They were quiet for a bit. "If you need to go to Sam's funereal I will understand."

"No, we said all that we needed to the last time we spoke. Besides Alexis is not my biggest fan. Having me there will only upset her." Jason just enjoyed having his girl in his arms. "Let's go relieve Spinelli, I want to spend some time with my son."

"Jason?" Elizabeth said softly.

"Yeah, baby." He asked as they walked toward the door.

"Will you move in with us?" She could tell that she surprised him.

"I thought we were giving Cam some time to adjust?" Jason wanted to go upstairs and start packing.

"He asked for you at breakfast this morning. We both think it would be better if we all lived together." Elizabeth hadn't been surprised when Cam said he wanted Jason to stay with them. "Do you think Spinelli will want to come too?"

He loved that she worried about his young friend. "Would you rather just buy a house?" Somewhere where the family had room to grow. "Or will that be too much moving for Cam?"

"I think a house would be great." She'd love to have a backyard where Cam could run around to his heart's content.

"Good, I'll have Diane call you and you can tell her what you want." Jason was excited that they were going to be living together.

"What about what you want?" Elizabeth asked wanting to always make sure his needs were being met.

"If you and Cam are there, then that's all I need." He said kissing her softly. "Let's go see our boy."

"If anyone had told me that I would be house shopping with the two of you and there wouldn't be any bloodshed I would have laughed my ass off." Elizabeth said looking at Emily and Carly.

After reading the blonde the riot act for having Spinelli go through her personal information they'd gotten back on track. Carly was having a hard time with Michael being away so Elizabeth had invited her along. Emily had shown up unexpectedly and gotten an invite too. She was still having a hard time with her breakup. Now the three women were standing in the living room of the third house Diane had lined up. Johnny and Francis were looking at them with extreme caution.

"So what do you think?" The lawyer asked. Jason had opted not to come when he saw the lineup. So far both Emily and Carly had behaved. It was amazing especially since they had opposite opinions on every house they'd seen.

"I like it. What do you think Francis?" Elizabeth turned to her guard. He and Johnny were being called on for a guy's opinion. All the houses had already been deemed either safe or able to make safe.

"It's nice." It wasn't Francis's taste but he didn't have to live here. He knew that his boss's only criteria was that Elizabeth loved it.

The petite brunette walked out of the main room where everyone was currently standing back into the kitchen. No one moved because they could still see her. The open floor plan appealed to her. She could cook and still see her family. There were also plenty of bedrooms. Five upstairs and a large guest bedroom suite downstairs. There was even a finished basement that she was already mentally decorating. "So Johnny what do you think?"

"With a makeover it could be really nice." He had to admit to liking the farmhouse style structure; the place reminded him of where he grew up. It also had a barn that could be made over for the guards to stay in. Down front was a guest house and the property came with a stone fence that surrounded all five acres. "You gonna put in a pool?"

"Jason loves to swim so yeah." She'd look into seeing if they could build an enclosed pool so he could use it all year long.

"Carly?" Elizabeth asked the blonde.

"I like it. It pretty much screams Elizabeth." Carly could see the shorter woman being happy here. It was too much nature for Carly, but everyone was different.

"Emily?" Elizabeth waited for her best friend.

"This house is so you. Wait did I just agree with Carly?" Emily said looking around in shock.

"Damn, the world didn't stop turning. Just to be safe we need to make sure it doesn't happen again." Carly said laughing. The princess was turning out to not be too bad either. How the hell did that happen?

"So?" Diane said getting everyone back on track. She wanted to get back into the city.

"We'll take it." Elizabeth said smiling. She was going to build a life with Jason in this house.

"I'll call the realtor." Diane moved off to make the call.

"I'll call the contractor." Francis also moved off, in the same direction as Diane everyone noted.

"Okay, I'm going to get my driver to take me back downtown before I break out in hives. Congratulations Elizabeth." Carly headed out the door, she could never live this far out of the city. Johnny followed to make sure she got to the car okay.

"Is it just me or is there something going on between Diane and Francis?" Emily hated to be out of the loop.

"There is something going on, but neither one of them will talk about it." Elizabeth said pouting slightly. Every effort she made to get information got deflected.

"Well not everyone can be Johnny and Kelly." Emily said laughing. The Asian doctor talked a lot about her Irish boyfriend and his big gun.

"Thank goodness." Elizabeth said also laughing.

"Yeah. Ms. Hickey." Emily didn't like to think about Jason and sex, but she couldn't resist teasing Elizabeth. "I like this house. I can't wait to see what you do with it."

"Let me tell you what I'm thinking." Elizabeth said linking her arm through Emily's.

"Maternal One!" Spinelli yelled coming through the door. "I'm here." He'd just arrived at the new house. The young hacker was not looking forward to having Stone Cold move out. He'd never lived alone and found the prospect a bit frightening, not that he would ever admit that.

"Hi Spinelli." Elizabeth smiled as he bounded into the room.

"The Jackal is prepared to set up a state of the art security system." What he designed made the security at Fort Knox look obsolete. Only the best would do for his master's family.

"Good. First I want to show you something." The house had been under construction for three days now, and was close to being done. Diane had dropped off the keys the same day they picked it. Since Jason had paid cash, they hadn't had to wait.

"I am the Maternal One's humble servant." Spinelli said smiling.

Elizabeth had been worried about him. Sam had been his friend and he took her death hard. He'd felt guilty about wanting to go to the funereal since he knew what she was doing with Ric, but Jason had insisted he go to get closure. "Right this way." She took him through the kitchen and down a short hall to a closed door. Opening the door she stepped back so he could enter first. "What do you think?"

They were in a large bedroom with its own en suite. The walls were grape purple with bright red floor to ceiling curtains covering the patio doors. There was a large bed in black wood with matching furniture. On the bed was a bright yellow comforter. The bathroom had black and white tiles with blue walls. The room was loud and funky and he loved it. "It is most awesome." It was so much better than his pink room.

"Good." Elizabeth came up and put her arm around his shoulders. "We move in next week, you can come then or any time after."

"This is a guest room for the Jackal?" Spinelli said in surprise.

"We were hoping that you would be more than a guest. You're family Spinelli we aren't going to leave you behind." She saw the joy come into his eyes just before he hugged her hard.

"The Jackal will be most well behaved, Maternal One." Spinelli promised her.

"Two rules. No pot." She knew that he occasionally smoked. "And if you have any guest stay over they have to be respectful."

The first one made him try to look anywhere but at Elizabeth. Jason had the same rule which Spinelli often broke. The second made him blush to the roots of his hair. "Yes ma'am." He said as a promise.

"Okay I will make sure you have a key. Francis is waiting in the barn for you to go over security." Elizabeth told him preparing to go back out and supervise the workers.

"Elizabeth." Spinelli called out.

"Yes." She was surprised that he used her name.

"Thank you." He said smiling before walking out of his room.

Thank you for the reviews, the follows and the favorites!