A/N: Sorry about how long it has taken for this update. We are still without electricity from the storms on Friday and Sunday, so I am posting this on my breaks at work. LOL

This chapter is a tad short because the next one where Elizabeth gets Jake back needs to stand on it's own.

Thanks for all the reviews! I love hearing what you think. Enjoy!

Happy 4th of July!

Chapter Sixteen

Watching the young woman that he had come to respect throughout the years of keeping her safe, Jerry reached out and touched her shouder hesitantly. He knew that Elizabeth was still wary of him, but everyone else was asleep except for them. "Come on, Elizabeth. You need to rest. Jake will be back in your arms by tomorrow night and you will need your strength to help him and Cameron adjust to all this turmoil."

She raised her conficted eyes to meet his calm ones. "Oh God, Jerry! I am so elated that my little boy is coming home. You can't even begin to imagine how thrilled that I am. But Francis is dead and Johnny may not make it. How do I live with that?"

When she dissolved into tears again, he gently wrapped his arms around her slim shoulders and pulled her against his chest. "Darling, those two men would have gadly gave up their souls for you and either one of your children. Francis thought of you as a sister and O'Brien has been in love with you for years. Neither one would do it any differently if given the option. You need to focus your energy on Jake coming home. Johnny is one of the strongest, most stubborn men that I have ever met. He will pull through if it is at all possible. He won't leave you without a fight."

Swipping the tears from her face, she peered up at him. "Thank you, Jerry, for being here to help me. I don't really understand why you are doing this, but I can never express what it means to me."

"You are truly a good person, Elizabeth. You don't deserve the crap that has been tossed at you over the years. As for why, well I owed your father a life debt, one that will never be repaid in full."

"Lorenzo?"

He nodded. "Yes. He saved me in South America when I shoud have been dead."

Gently moving away after noticing that she was still in his loose embrace, she smiled faintly. "He is another person that I never really get a chance to know."

"He was a great man. Shrewd, intellegant, and pretty caring considering his business. He was so proud of you. After what his brother was responsible for, he swore to always protect you but to never tell you who he was. He thought that you would toss him out of your life. He watched you for years though." Cathching her bewildered look, he chuckled. "He was not a forgiving person, Liz. He did not expect you to forgive him when he coud not do it himself."

"I would have made the effort to at least try." Her mind wandered and she ganced back over Jerry. "No one will let me talk to Nik or Jason. Have you spoken with them?"

"Yes, about an hour ago. Jake was sleeping in Nik's arms. Poor little guy refuses to let the prince out of his sight. Jason said that he is doing ok after eating and Nik helped him shower. He is scared, but that was expected."

Chewing on her lip, she nodded and thanked God that her little boy was coming home, finally. "And Johnny?"

Jerry sighed. "He is hanging in there. They stopped and picked up a doctor that Nik called and arranged for. He is flying in with them. They got the bullet out and they don't think that there was too much damage internally. But he lost a large amount of blood, Elizabeth, and he is still unconscious."

She swallowed hard. "I can't lose him, Jerry!"

"He is a fighter, Liz. You know that. This also not his first gunshot wound. Try to stay positive."

They talked for another hour before she finally dozed off. Quietly making his way into the den and shutting the door, he pulled his cell phone out and dialed the familiar number. "Care to explain what the hell you were thinking by breaking Samantha out, A.J.?" he demanded.

"Calm down. I placed her in an insane asylum until she gives birth. I wanted to make sure that she can't harm Jason's child. Grandfather and Kevin Collins helped arrange it. She will be kept under twenty-four watch at all times."

Jerry exhaled noisely. "Well, while you were off saving the spawn of your dear brother, Francis died and O'Brien is close to it right now. They have your other nephew, by the way. You know, the one that the bitch had a part in taking."

There was a long pause before A.J. spoke again. "Jake is coming home? Tthat is great! I knew about Francis, but what in the hell happened to O'Brien?"

"Gunshot to the chest while getting Jake on the jet. We are trying to keep Eizabeth's spirits up, but Jason is concerened and sounds very grim."

"Shit! Liz has to be torn between joy at getting Jake back and fear and despair about Johnny."

Jerry slid into the chair behind the desk. "She is distraught. I need to know where McCall is, A.J."

"No. After she delivers the baby you can have her. Until then, she stays where she is. I know that O'Brien gave the order to kill her, but she having Jason's baby. That baby is as innocent as Jake." Hearing the violent curses, he flinched.

"You had better pray that, that bitch stays where she is, A.J. If she gets out, not only will I take her out, but you will die too," Jerry growled. "Go to the Quartermaine house. If I see you here after the stunt that you pulled, I swear that you will be begging for death!" Hanging up, he threw the phone against the wall, shattering the electronic device easily. He wanted Samantha McCall dead. She was a sneaky con that he wanted dead before Jake got home. Now thanks to A.J.'s sudden feelings of goodwill toward his brother, Jerry was concerned. She was the most dangerous individual left to Elizabeth and her children.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~b~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Shifting the little boy to his other arm, Nik looked up and saw Jason watching him with sad eyes. "It would be you holding him if you had only fought for them. He is just more comfortable with me. He knows me."

Jason nodded and scrubbed a hand over his tired eyes. "I know. As long as he is relaxed with you that is all that matters." Turning his head and looking at the man still unconscious, he worriedly watched for chest to rise with a breath.

"He is as stable as I can get him for now, Mr. Morgan," Dr. Karis announced. "He needs a couple of transfusions though. When we land he must be taken straight to the hospital."

"Thank you, Doctor. He will be."

"I am going to retire for a couple of hours. Wake me if anything changes."

Nik watched the short man disappear behind the other door and shook his head. "Like we couldn't figure that out," he muttered sarcastically. Catching Jason's mouth twitch in response, he turned his full attention to him. "Why did you do it?"

"Do what?" Jason asked, knowing full well what the other man wanted to know.

"Save Johnny. He is with Elizabeth, which I know that you hate. Then you seem to think that he was launching the attacks against your territory."

Standing to pace the cabin, he avoided Nik's gaze. "I couldn't do it. I saved him for Elizabeth. I owe her, and I know that she cares deeply about O'Brien. I had to at least try."

"You are still in love with her," Nik realized aloud. "Why would you get with Sam if you really loved Liz?"

"I was lonely," Jason admitted with a tortured whispered.

Nik snorted and then rubbed Jake's back when he shifted. "So you got with the person that loathes your son and his mother? That is just insane, Jason. You do know that she loves Johnny? You do understand that she will never go back to you after the whole Sam mess, right?"

Blanking his face, Jason turned and nodded. "Yes. I know that a royally screwed up. I figured that this was the least that I could do. She deserves happiness and I only hurt her." Staring at his son that he did not really know, Jason longed to hold him but did not want to upset the terrified little boy. He had clung to Nik like he was his salvation because he recognized him. "There is too much between us to overcome now. I am having a baby with the woman that helped kidnap Jake. I know that O'Brien and Zacchara both love Elizabeth, but she seems to have chosen him. I may not be able to make up for the past, but I could start making things right in the present. There was no way that I could leave Johnny and then look her in the eyes afterward."

Nik offered him a faint nod. "I am glad that you see that. They are good together, Jason. If anyone deserves another go at happiness, it is Liz. Having Jake home is a miracle. Now we just need to pray that we get another one and he pulls through. After already watching Francis die, she has got to be reeling."