I understand still loving liason. Lol. In fact, I still read the stories also. I was a huge fan myself. However, I am unable to forgive Jason for all the pain that he has caused to Elizabeth b/c I am a fan of her character first. So I am sorry if that disappoints any of the readers. I hope that you will still enjoy the story anyway.

Chapter 3

She placed the wild flowers on the grave and wiped the tears that were slowly escaping from her eyes. Running her small hands over the engraved writing on the tombstone, she traced the name Jacob Martin Webber. Elizabeth muffled a sob with her fist and buried her face in her hands.

"I miss you so much, Jakie! Everyday I wake up expecting you to come running down the hall demanding breakfast," she whispered brokenly. "Cam misses you so much too. He prays for you every night."

Sensing movement behind her, she sighed before lifting her head to see who had intruded on her time with Jake. She knew that it had to be someone considered safe because Enzo was standing a couple feet back and would never let a stranger approach her without warning. Seeing the tall man with his face hidden in shadows, she shaded her eyes and gasped.

"Johnny!" Jumping to her feet, Elizabeth launched herself into his waiting arms.

Wrapping her tightly in his embrace, Johnny O'Brien kissed the top of her head. "Oh, Liz! I am so sorry about your little guy. I wish I could have got her sooner."

Looking into his emerald eyes, she shakily ran a hand over his face. "I have missed you so much. I was happy to hear that you were coming home."

"I brought you a surprise. I know that nothing can make your pain go away, but I am hoping that this will help ease it somewhat." Turning her toward Enzo, he caught her as she gasped and her knees buckled.

"Emily? Oh my God! How?"

The slim brunette rushed forward and enveloped her best friend into a tight hug. "Elizabeth! I wanted to come as soon as I heard, but I was unable to. I have missed you more than you could ever imagine!"

Johnny ushered the two young woman toward the small stone bench that was placed a couple feet away and silently eased away to give them some privacy.

"Where have you been? What happened?"

Emily smiled sadly. "I am sorry that you thought that I was dead, but it was safer that way. Nik was acting erratically and I was frightened. The night of the ball, he attacked me during one of his blackouts. He was strangling me until he passed out." She squeezed Elizabeth's hand at her look of dismay. "Zander appeared and knocked him out. He slipped me some meds that imitated that I was dead. Then him and Francis moved me to safety before they buried the casket. No one knows that I am alive. They said that danger was coming and it was going to be bad. I have been with them every since. Needless to say, I was as shocked as you are now when I saw Zander standing in the ballroom."

Hugging her friend again, Elizabeth smiled softly. "I am just happy that you are ok. I am still confused though. I have needed you so much."

"I know. The guys were making plans to head to PC to get you and the boys when we received word about Jake. I wanted to come then, but they insisted that they needed to make some plans. How are you, honestly?"

Sniffling, Elizabeth shrugged. "Devastated. But I am trying to hang in there for Cam. I never thought anything could hurt this bad, Em."

"I can't even imagine what you are going through. I am hoping that my being here can help some." Taking a deep breath, she approached the topic that she knew would cause more pain, Emily asked her question. "What happened with Jase?"

Elizabeth snorted. "Let's see, he asked for Jake's kidneys without even batting an eye. He then blew off his own son's funeral. He married Sam and then they had a procedure so that she could have kids, on Jake's birthday no less." At Emily's disgusted look, she nodded. "Now he is expecting a child with woman who watched my son be kidnapped and hired men to threaten us with guns. I just don't understand."

Her blood boiling with rage, Emily shook her head. "I cannot believe that he stayed with her and is now having a baby with that thing. I am sorry, Liz."

"You are not responsible for him, Em. It just hurts so much that he would do this. However, I am glad in a way. It finally broke this infatuation that I had with him."

Still angry at her brother, she was only thankful that Elizabeth seemed to be letting the idea go that Jason was it for her. "Francis told Johnny to tell me about Monica. I can't even call her mom anymore. I wish I could understand what her problem is."

"I can understand that she was upset over not knowing about Jake, but it was not only my choice. Her son could have told her like he did his circle of so called friends. I am sorry, Em, but I can't stand by anymore anymore and take the attitudes that have been thrown at me. I am done being sweet biddable Elizabeth."

Thinking on everything that she was aware of that Elizabeth wasn't, Emily only smiled. "I think that is for the best. I know I sure missed Lizzie." Looking at her watch, she stood. "I am hungry. Want to go to lunch?"

Elizabeth looked over at her son's grave again before faintly smiling at her best friend. "Sure. Where does my dead friend want to eat?"

Jason entered Sonny's estate and nodded at Max before walking into the office. The older man glanced up and frowned at his partner. "You look like hell, Jason. Is everything ok with Sam?"

Nodding, he sat on the chair opposite of the desk. "Sam is doing well. The last checkup showed the baby is developing good."

"How about business wise?"

Pinching his nose, Jason frowned. "That is why I am here. Someone took out on of our rivals last night. Killed the entire family and their lawyer who was there. So far, our inside guys at the police department are saying it was a professional hit with no evidence."

Sonny blanched under his dark tan. "Do we know who?"

"I think I know, but I am not sure yet. It looks like the same methods of Corelli and O'Brien used while I was coming up and training with them."

"Is Francis in town? Why would be take out the Zacchara's?"

"Yes, I saw Francis with a couple days ago with Elizabeth. He then showed up at the coffee shop and said that anyone that hurt Elizabeth was going to be taken care. He implied about Anthony and Claudia, but I never dreamed that he was going to start a war."

Sonny grimaced and felt his anger rising. "That Webber girl has been nothing but trouble, Jason, since she showed up in town. Why would Francis feel the need to kill on her behalf? At least we know get the shipping lanes and territories. There is no one else to take them."

Shaking his head slowly, Jason sighed. "There is someone else. The five families called to set up a meeting. A member of the Zacchara Organization has an heir, and they are announcing who will be running the territories until the kid reaches age."

"Impossible!" Sonny thundered. "Claudia never had any kids."

"No, but the son, John Zacchara, he did."

Silence stretched while Sonny thought through the mess. He needed those shipping lanes. With them he would have the most power on the east coast. "Find the heir and take care of the problem."

"I can't. I know exactly who the heir is and they are heavily protected since the hit took place. There is no way that I am eliminating a child anyway."

"Then take care of whoever will run the organization in their stead until they are of age."

"I already did years ago, or so I thought. O'Brien is alive, Sonny. He is coming back to run things with Francis until Cameron Webber can take over for his father, John Zacchara."

Glass shattered as he dropped his drink. "Elizabeth's oldest son is Zacchara's? I thought he was Zander Smith's."

Zander smirked from where he stood at the doorway. "Nope. We lied and faked the results at the suggestion of someone that I won't say. We all knew that Liz's son would be targeted, especially by the old man and his evil daughter. They are so power hungry that they would kill their own blood. Emily asked me to protect Liz and the baby, and I did."

"Y-you were shot in the standoff with the cops. I seen you die."

He laughed. "You should know how easy it is to fake a death, Morgan. You have helped others do it several times. By the way, no one from Corinthos-Morgan is to approach Elizabeth, Cameron, or their house. They will be shot on site for even attempting. Francis and Johnny wanted you both warned."

Sonny snorted. "Like we care what they want. We also have no desire to be anywhere near there."

"Really?" Zander watched Jason. "That is good. I would almost hate for Emily to watch you get shot, Morgan. But she seems to be wising up to you after talking with Liz and reading the files that we have accumulated throughout the years."

"Emily is dead!" Jason snarled.

"Nope, sorry. Francis and I faked her death and saved her when Nik was having blackouts from the tumor. She is currently with Elizabeth, catching up on that has happened." Zander chuckled at their look of disbelief. "She wants nothing to do with you or your mother, Jason. I believe that she said she was never so happy that she was adopted and not blood related to you guys."

"Well, I must go. O'Brien and I are meeting with the heads of the families tonight. I just wanted to make sure that you understood that anyone approaching Elizabeth and Cameron will be taken care of." Smirking, Zander left through the patio door.

Sonny narrowed his eyes at Jason. "Did you know that any of this was going on?"

"Only that Francis was back. I learned about Johnny O'Brien through him. Nothing about Emily being alive. I only learned that Cameron was John Zacchara's this morning after researching from the call from the family heads," Jason lied. There was no way that he was admitting that he had known that Johnny Zacchara was the father of Cameron, or that the last he knew, John was alive and in hiding to protect Elizabeth and his son, and that Jason had once promised the man to take care of them. He knew that there would be hell to pay coming from all sides.

Elizabeth was sitting on the back porch watching as the sun set. Johnny did not want to disturb her, but he needed to talk to her. She smiled up at him and patted the swing beside her when she saw him standing there.

"Come join me, Johnny." Once he had sat and placed an arm around her shoulder, Elizabeth instantly relaxed into his side as he pulled her close. "I am just amazed that you are back. I was devastated when you were gone."

"I know, and I am sorry. I never meant to stay gone that long, but it was not safe to return. I wanted to tell you, I did." He paused and kissed the top of her head. "Francis was worried that someone would intercept the message or that Jason would figure it out if I had any contact with you."

Wrapping her arms around his waist, she nodded. " I understand. Having you, Francis, Em, and even Zander here is amazing." She paused and they sat in silence for a couple of minutes. "How was the meeting?"

"Exactly what we expected. I will be running the territories for Cam. You know everything is changing now, right."

She nodded.

"There is more. We aren't suppose to tell you yet, but I don't feel right with you not knowing." He felt her tense and tightened his hold on her to keep her close, knowing that there was no way to know how this news would affect her. Taking a deep breath, he just said it. "John Zacchara is alive and has been in hiding to keep you and Cam safe. He is coming to Port Charles in about a week."

Elizabeth's head snapped up and her sapphire eyes were widened with disbelief. "What? John is alive?"

"Yes. He knew that the danger of being with you was immense at the time could not take the chance."

Anger coursed through her. She had mourned and grieved for her son's father for no reason. "Why come back now?" she questioned softly.

"He wants his family."

At his broken words, Elizabeth looked into his bright green eyes and only shook her head. "Well, too little too late. I learned my lesson on being second best with my last relationship. He can see Cam, but I have no desire to rekindle what he destroyed by playing dead."

Relief washed through him but he knew that John wanted more. "He still wants you back, Liz."

"While I am glad that he is not dead, time changed me, Johnny. I no longer want him back, just like I no longer want anything to do with Jason or Lucky," she whispered softly before he lowered his lips to hers.

Francis watched silently from the doorway before frowning and returning to the living room. Emily looked up and noticed his expression.

"What's wrong, Francis? Did Elizabeth get mad over the newspaper articles? I would have thought she would take pleasuring in seeing that skank's misdeeds brought out so openly."

His troubled eyes met hers. "I didn't get a chance to tell her. O'Brien and her are otherwise engaged."

Emily smirked. "Please, it was only a matter of time before they picked up where they left off. Why the issue? Or do you want Lizzie too?" she teased.

"I love Liz, but like a sister. I am concerned because John Zacchara is coming back in about a week."

Shocked, Emily sat up straighter. "Oh my God! He is returning?" She paused ans smirked. "Lizzie is going to kill him."

"I am worried about him killing O'Brien."

"Then he should not have left her alone," Zander piped up from the chair was he was lounging. "As for Johnny O., everyone could see years ago after Jason got with Courtney that him and Liz were heading into serious territory. If Jason hadn't tried to kill him, I think Jake would been his, with several other little ones running around by now."