Chapter 3

Carly dragged Hayden who was seething down into the lobby toward Olivia (who for the purpose of the story, is not pregnant).

"What's going on?" Olivia questioned, looking at the crowd. "Robin? Oh honey, when did you get back?"

"It's great to see you, Olivia. Just a little while ago, actually."

"Anyway, we need to plan an impromptu party. Tonight."

"Tonight?" Olivia asked incredulously. "Carly tonight's the nurse's ball."

"Oh my god, it is." Carly said, first mortified then grinning. "Well, we'll figure something out. We won't make a public spectacle of the ordeal."

"What ordeal?"

"Hayden here has been telling anyone who will listen that Jake, I'm sorry Jason, is her husband."

Olivia's mouth dropped open. "Jason?"

Jason stepped forward grinning. "Yep Olivia, it's me."

From behind them, they heard a series of gasps.

Jason turned around to first see Sam, then Monica, followed by Elizabeth.

"Jason?" Sam stepped forward from a stunned Patrick. She placed a hand on his cheek. "Is it really you?"

Jason smiled down at her. "My beautiful dragon, you're phoenix is home."

Sam's eyes watered and she pulled Jason into a tight embrace. "I thought I'd never see you again. I knew you were still out there."

Monica cleared her throat and her eyes teared up when she saw the familiar recognition in her son's bright blue eyes. She was astounded that she had never noticed before. "Jason, my son, is it truly you."

Unable to break away, Jason nodded and accepted his mother's waiting embrace. Sobs wracked Monica's body as she gripped her long lost son's shoulders.

"Monica, is something wrong?" Judge Walters asked stepping up, putting a hand on her shoulder.

Monica turned around and faced him bleary-eyed. "David, this is my son Jason. He's come back to us."

Walters realized the significance of the situation and held his hand out to shake Jason's. Jason took it and firmly shook, earning a grin from Walters.

"A firm grip, a strong man. It's good to have you back, son."

The only one who hadn't said anything was Elizabeth who couldn't realize what was going on. She also didn't understand what Hayden, who was looking very uncomfortable, had to do with it.

"Jason?"

Jason just stared at Elizabeth. "Hayden's not my wife."

Elizabeth laughed and wiped a tear. "Well of course not, Sam is. I do have to say, I'm a bit disappointed. I could compete with Hayden, but Sam and you, I'm sorry."

"Don't be. The feelings you felt between us are real, Elizabeth. Jake truly loved you. In fact, your current beau was the one who tore you apart."

Elizabeth turned around to see a startled Ric. When he tried to turn away, Elizabeth marched over to him and took him by the arm. "Ric Lansing, I'm going to ask once and I hope to god that you tell me the truth."

"Jake, good to see you." Ric greeted him, lying through his teeth.

"Cut the crap, Ric." Carly spat. "We know that you hired Hayden to pretend to be 'Jake's' wife so that you could get your dirty little paws on Elizabeth."

"Elizabeth, you don't honestly believe this do you?" Ric asked, his eyes blazing.

"I do, and trust me I know now that Hayden was never Jake's wife, Sam is Jason's."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Long story short, Ric, old buddy, old pal. I'm Jason. Remember that accident? I've always wanted to do this." Jason said right before punching Ric's jaw roughly, causing him to drop.

"Dad!" Molly yelped, running up to him. "What the hell? Call the police."

"Molly, you don't understand." Sam pleaded.

"Don't understand what? This Jake guy just punched my father."

"I'm not Jake, Molly. I'm Jason."

Molly blinked. "That's, that's impossible. Jason's dead."

"It's a long story, but trust me Molly, I'm Jason. And you're supposedly squeaky clean father hired this woman, Hayden" Jason said, gesturing to Hayden, "to pretend to be my wife when my memory was impaired so that I wouldn't be in his way of taking back Elizabeth."

Molly stared at her father in disgust. "I'm so sorry Elizabeth."

Elizabeth's gaze softened when she looked at the young teenager. "You had no idea, Molly. You have no reason to apologize for the actions of your father, but I appreciate you apology."

Ric started to come to. "Someone call the police, I've been assaulted."

Molly clapped a hand over her father's mouth who looked at her, wide-eyed. "Molly what are you doing?"

"I know what you did. How could you do that to Elizabeth?"

"Because it was the only thing he could do," Sonny answered before Jake could.

"I, for one, am absolutely disgusted with what he's done." Patrick interjected. "Elizabeth's heart has been broken enough times and this man is treated her nothing but poorly."

Ric looked like he wanted to say something but Carly interrupted him. "You support your brother's hiring a woman to pretend to be a mentally impaired man's wife simply because his romantic interest could possibly be interested in his opponent?"
Sonny blinked. "Wait that's what we're talking about. That I wasn't aware of."

Ric looked away sheepishly and Jason laughed.

Sonny's looked darted to Jason. "What's funny, Jake?"

"It's not Jake, Sonny. It's Jason."

Sonny narrowed his eyes. "Jason was my best friend. Don't deface his memory."

"It's true Sonny," Carly confirmed, teary eyed.

Sonny looked around and saw the slow nods of affirmation confirming that his formerly dead friend was truly alive.