Sorry for the lateness of the update but this bronchitis is still kicking my butt but good. If I'm not coughing, then I'm sleeping… Hope you guys enjoy and will let me know what you think. If you see any errors or typos, please feel free to let me know, without a beta, I'm kind of flying blind.
Chapter Eighteen
Jason skidded into the parking lot at Vista Peak, his heart beating too fast. When he finally made it to Mac, his eyes were trying to take in everything and nothing at the same time.
"Where is she?" Jason asked, trying and failing at keeping his temper.
"I told you…Jason, what the hell is wrong with you?" Mac yelled as Jason slammed him into the thick trunk of the closest tree.
"You told me…are you a fucking idiot?" Jason asked, releasing the man as if is very touch singed him.
Trying to understand what the problem was, Mac said the first thing that came to mind. "Jason, she was ill."
"Well, she could be 'more than ill' after this stunt you pulled. In what world would you think calling an ambulance was a good idea? Did you miss me telling you that her and Epiphany came to us for protection?! You didn't even know you had a daughter and this is how you react? And they say I have brain damage…" Jason ranted while clenching and unclenching his fists.
"But…" Mac began.
"Do I have to spell this out for you? Have you lost your remaining brain cell?" Jason accused the older man before tilting his head back and screaming in frustration.
It was the most emotion he had seen from the man since before he became Morgan and that alone sent a fissure of cold dread down his spine.
Trying to reign in his emotions, Jason tried to take a few deep breaths. He didn't have the time or the inclination to deal with Mac but with his luck, the ass would arrest him and prevent him from protecting Elizabeth.
"You didn't know you had a daughter, why is that? Do you think Dominque just vanished and had the baby in the great beyond? Obviously, if the Webber's had her since she was an infant, they either kidnapped her or were given her for some reason or another…are you following me?" Jason asked with a sneer.
Mac's already pale complexion took another hit as Jason's words sunk in. The sallow pallor offset by the darkness of the man's clothing.
"Yeah, now you are finally getting it…If anything happens to her, I will never forgive you. Which hospital were they going to take her to?" Jason asked his fight or flight inclination hitting an all-time high.
"General Hospital" Mac finally said.
Turning from his nemesis, Jason pushed three on his speed dial and waited none too patiently for the phone to connect. Not wasting time with pleasantries, Jason barked into the phone. "Francis, get to General Hospital, Elizabeth was just taken there, I don't care what you have to do, get her out of there. We don't know all of the players and with Ms. Hardy recognizing Elizabeth, all bets are off. This is an epic clusterfuck and we need to get ahead of this. I have a really bad feeling about this…" Jason trailed off. For the life of him, he couldn't find that larger-than-life calm he was so well known for but in his line of business, he knew when to listen to his gut or when to listen to his head.
"I'm almost there, Jason, try to calm down…" Before he could say anything else, he heard Jason's scream. "Man, Jason…is everything okay?"
"What the hell about this situation could be considered okay? Her father practically tossed her away when he discovered who she was, she was in such a bad place emotionally, that she tried to walk home, you know as well as I do, with her hip, that was completely brainless…Just get there, call me when you have her!" Jason said with a lethal voice.
XxXxXxX
Elizabeth came to in the back of the ambulance but instead of being comforted, she began to panic. "Don't touch me!" She screamed when the male paramedic kept pushing her down on the gurney.
"Miss please, you need to calm down. You are lucky you didn't do more damage to yourself. I don't know how but you only have a mild case of heat stroke. We need to get you rehydrated and see if anything else is wrong." The man said.
"I don't know you, you don't know me but you need to get your damn hands off of me." Elizabeth said through clenched teeth. "Where's my d…" Elizabeth began but stopped when she realized that was the last thing she should say as she moved further away from the man.
The paramedic looked at her curiously for a moment before going back to his readout. Something about this whole thing stunk but he couldn't figure out what the problem was.
XxXxXxX
When Jason turned around to go another round with Mac, he was stopped in his tracks. Jason was well known for his cruel nature when it was called for but even he couldn't kick a man when he was that down.
"Mac, you need to wrap your head around this and pretty damn fast. Elizabeth is a wonderful person and your actions today have just proved that she should trust anyone. I don't care right now, if you believe me or not, she is your daughter and whether you like it or not, you have already missed twenty years of her life, are you going to let your disbelief possibly rob you of twenty more?"
Jason watched as he tried to put himself back together but could also see that he wasn't very successful.
"Mac, I can't stand here and try to soothe you when Elizabeth could be in grave danger. Whoever kidnapped her or whatever they did, did so for a reason. With what the Webber's were doing to her, do you really think the people who gave her up or who they took her from are just going to cut their losses?" Jason questioned.
"I just…how am I supposed to wrap my head around this, 24 hours ago I was mourning the loss of my niece, the possible end of my marriage…I could be losing two daughters…I just…" Mac couldn't continue as he finally broke down completely. Feeling a little like his…daughter, when she was overcome.
"I get it…well not really but I have a job to do. I promised I would protect her…" Jason said and then remembered he hadn't actually told her that, but had made the vow to himself. 'I really need to learn to talk more…' he thought to himself as he turned and quickly got back on his bike but before he could take off, his phone began to ring.
"Talk" Jason said his patience running very low.
"I just pulled into GH; luckily, it was right behind her ambulance. Call your parents and tell them they need to release her into my care or put her in under a false name or hell, come with me to the penthouse. Securing this hospital from an unknown enemy is not my idea of fun." Francis said.
Not bothering to say anything, Jason hung up and dialed his father. When the call was answered, Jason said without preamble, "Dad, I need you to do something without asking a lot of questions. Francis is down in the ER with Elizabeth, I need you to either admit her under a false name or allow Francis to take her back to the penthouse and have you check her over. It is paramount to her safety that no one knows she is there."
Alan had rushed into the ER, thankful that he had already been on his way but had to pull the phone from his ear and stare at it in confusion for a moment. Loquacious and Jason Morgan would never be said together but yes, his son had just talked his ear off. "Jason, please, take a breath, I can see her now. I'll do what you ask but I will need a reason…" Alan trailed off when his son almost screamed his retort.
"I don't have time to coddle you or anyone else; this has been a bad day, on top of a horrible day, on top of a disastrous day…" Jason said and then trailed off as well.
"I wasn't demanding answers this very moment but just in the near future. I'll do what I can about wiping her from the system if she's been entered and will meet you at the penthouse." Alan said before ending the call.
Seeing the paramedics handing the file to his nurse, Alan cursed aloud then rushed over to them. "I've got this, Bobbie, will you be a dear and help Amy, she looks like she has her hands full."
Francis watched the delicate tap-dancing his boss's father was doing as he directed everyone in a different direction. After reading her file and seeing they'd only been told her first name, Alan breathed a sigh of relief. "Are you Francis?" Alan asked the rather large and intimidating man standing at the young woman's side.
"That'd be me. Did Jason call?" Francis asked.
"He did, if you'd be kind enough to take Elizabeth to his penthouse, I'll meet you there with all the requirements. If you could relay to my son if you speak to him, tell him not to make a habit of this type of demand." Alan said before offering Elizabeth a small smile and then turning on his heel. He'd have to tell Monica about this latest development but there would be time enough later for that.
"Elizabeth, can I pick you up?" Francis asked.
She looked at him with such sad, sorrowful eyes; his own eyes began to tear up.
"If you have to, I guess…" Elizabeth said, turning her eyes away from the man she was beginning to consider a friend.
Elizabeth flinched when his hands gripped her body to his but he tried not to let her know he noticed. Everything about today had been hard enough on her, he didn't want her to feel badly for having an honest reaction after the hell she had already been through.
XxXxXxX
