A/N – What a nice welcome! You guys are making me wish that I had played all the beats on this one. Thank you very much for the comments, favs, and follows. I really appreciate it!

Chapter 2 – New Development

Jason parked the SUV and then got out and opened Elizabeth's door. She was so excited. He smiled as he helped her out of the car and then watched her take in the sight before them. There were a lot of people walking around and there was a ferris wheel that lit up the sky.

She looked up at him and then took his hand and pulled him towards the ticket box. Jason paid for some ride tickets and then they started walking around.

Liz gasped and ran to the cotton candy booth and Jason stopped her from pulling out money and paid for it. She pinched a piece and held the pink concoction in front of Jason's lips. He made a face and Liz laughed. "It's good. Trust me."

He reluctantly opened his mouth and she stuck her fingers in it and he sucked off the candy, making Liz blush. She took some for herself and her eyes grew big. "So good."

He smiled, amazed at the affect this tiny woman had on him.

Soon she was pulling him towards the ferris wheel, and they got on. When it got stuck at the top, they both moved towards each other and Jason gave her a gentle kiss.

"I like you Jason Morgan."

"I like you too."

She smiled. He melted her insides and she was so happy that she got to spend some more time with him.

Once the ride was finished, they went to a game booth where you have to knock down bottles. Jason knocked them down the second try as Liz cheered him on. She picked out a stuffed animal and they walked to a ride near the entrance.

"I'm short a ticket. I'll be right back."

Liz nodded. Johnny watched them from afar, knowing that Elizabeth couldn't hear. That's when he heard screaming and his eyes left her and went towards the entrance as he rushed forward. Jason had spun around too and when he saw the out of control car, he yelled Elizabeth's name and he couldn't understand why she didn't move. The car barreled towards her and clipped her as her body flew backwards, stunning both men. Johnny reached her first. She was unconscious and he felt her pulse to make sure she was still alive. It was mayhem. The car came to rest at a booth and people were helping the injured which luckily were only a few.

Jason rushed to her side. "Elizabeth." She seemed so pale and her body was twisted in a weird position.

"She can't hear you Jason."

"I know that. I'm trying to wake her up," he growled.

Johnny looked up at him. "Jason, haven't you noticed that she makes sure she's facing you when you talk?"

He thought for a moment. "Yes."

"And have you noticed that when you come up on her that she jumps a lot?"

"That's normal Johnny. What is your point?"

"She's deaf."

Jason frowned. "What?"

"She can't hear. I'm not sure why she didn't tell you, but she went deaf two years ago."

Jason was stunned. A paramedic asked them to move back and they did so the two men could examine her. They stabilized her and then put her in the back of an ambulance.

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Jason stood up when he saw Audrey rushing towards them. "Mrs. Hardy…"

"Save it. Was this your fault? Did one of your enemies hurt my daughter?"

Monica rolled her eyes. "It wasn't his fault. In fact, Edward is the culprit. He apparently was having chest pains and pressed the wrong pedal."

"Wait, Edward did this?" Audrey said.

"I'm afraid so."

"Is he okay?" Jason asked.

Monica was surprised that he cared. "They are monitoring him right now. He feels horrible about everyone he hurt."

"She didn't tell me that she was deaf. Why?"

Audrey studied Jason for a moment. It was clear that he was developing feelings for her granddaughter.
"You'll have to ask her that."

He nodded.

The doctor walked towards them. "Hello, I'm Dr. Julian. Elizabeth is stable. She has a bruised hip and a concussion."

Jason let out the breath he was holding.

"She's complaining that her ears are hurting. I'm not sure what is going on but a specialist is looking at her now and they are going to take her to get some scans."

"Can we see her after that?" Audrey asked.

Jason was just happy that she included him.

"Yes. It shouldn't be much longer. I'll have a nurse bring you back when they are done."

Jason rubbed the back of his neck. They really needed to talk.

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Audrey walked into Elizabeth's room. "How do you feel?"

"Sore and banged up."

"What about your ears?"

Liz sighed. "They hurt but other than that I feel just great," she said, sarcastically.

Audrey smirked.

"Is Jason still here?"

"Do you really think he would leave you?"

Liz blushed. "I hope not. He knows doesn't he?"

Audrey nodded.

"Will you give me a few minutes with him?"

"Of course." She kissed her granddaughter on the forehead and then went to get Jason.

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He walked into the room slowly, not sure what to say. Part of him was disappointed that she hadn't trusted him but he wanted to give her the chance to explain her reasoning.

"Have you ever felt like your whole life has changed in a flash and you can never get it back? Like your world was color and now it's black and white?" Liz asked.

"Yes."

"I just wanted to be normal without someone feeling sorry for me or treating me different. I was scared. You're gorgeous and so out of my league."

"Elizabeth…"

"No, it's true. Why would you want me? I'm damaged Jason. Why would anyone want me?" Tears were threatening to flow down her face and Jason's heart twisted looking at the pain etched in her face.

"When I was twenty-one, my brother was drunk and I jumped into his car with him and he crashed into a tree. I was hurt badly and have brain damage. I had to learn everything all over because I lost my memory. My family wanted me to be someone I wasn't anymore and it drove a wedge between us. I was angry and had fits of rage. I—I know what it's like to be treated differently—to be damaged."

Liz wiped a tear away. "I'm sorry I lied. If you don't want to be around me anymore…"

Jason heart clenched and he walked closer to her. He was worried about what it would take to keep her protected and hoped that Sonny wouldn't fight him on it. "To be honest, you wouldn't be safe in my world even if you could hear. I just…."

She tried to hold back her emotions. The danger was irrelevant to her because she just didn't want to let him go. "Jason, forget about everything else. What do you want?"

"It doesn't matter. I'm not the one with everything to lose."

They stared at each other for a moment.

"I get why you feel that way, but do you want me to walk away from you?"

He looked down as he shook his head no.

"You're scared I'm going to get hurt because of you, right?"

"Yes." He responded and then realized that she couldn't hear him and looked up and said it again.

"What if I'm willing to take the risk?"

He stared at her painfully and shoved his hands in his pockets. "I would say that you're not thinking clearly."

She slightly smiled. "There's nothing wrong with my noggin."

He smirked. "You're on medication right now."

"True. Jason, I like you—a lot. This is new for me. I closed myself off and all I need to know is that you won't turn me away because of my hearing." She needed to know that someone could want her just for her regardless of her situation.

He studied her for a moment. She was so beautiful and courageous. They had more in common then he wanted to admit. He closed his eyes for a second as his jaw clenched. Somewhere inside, he knew that she needed him to validate something within her. "I won't, but the danger is real. It would kill me if you got hurt or even died because of my choices."

Her face showed no emotion. She knew that if he was worried about the danger, then it must be real. Could she be around guns and violence? Was Jason worth her life? There were more questions than answers at this point, but he touched something inside of her that she had long ago buried. What if she didn't take the chance and it never came again? What if he was the one for her? Could she walk away?

He anxiously watched her struggle, wondering what she was thinking and if she would send him away. If she did, it was better to do it now because he had a feeling that he was a goner and if she walked away later, it would hurt him deeply.

"I want to get to know you more. I want to spend time with you and take a chance on you. Can you do the same?"

Relief washed over him, but he knew that this always happened initially. They had faith in him and wanted him and then something would happen and they would leave. She saw the look on his face.

"Jason, talk to me."

He sat down and put his head in his hands for a moment before revealing his emotions to her in one look that took her breath away. It was something he didn't do with anyone else. "I'm scared that in a month down the line, when the word gets out that we're together, that my enemies will try something and you'll walk away from me."

Liz understood he was scared of losing her and that gave her hope. "I won't."

"You're not the first one that has said that to me and it never works out."

"I'm not them. I think I wanted you from the moment I saw you. There was just something in your eyes and the way you held yourself. I can't guarantee that we will be together in a year but I'm willing to go along for the ride. I might be young Jason, but I've been through so much that I'm kind of an old soul." Maturing came due to a very high price.

"They told me that I couldn't feel; that I couldn't love."

"They were wrong. You feel Jason. You hurt just like anyone else. When I look at you, I don't see a brain damaged person. I see a man who is vulnerable and wants to be loved just like everyone else."

He stood and touched her face. "I don't deserve you and you don't deserve to be around the violence in my life, but I just can't help myself. I want you."

She shuddered at his words and touch. Licking her lips, she gazed into his eyes and showed him she felt the same way. "I want you too."

He leaned forward and kissed her gently at first before deepening it. She felt his tongue brush against her lips and they opened for him, allowing him into her mouth and heart. He kissed her passionately, making her dizzy and breathless. Pulling back, he slightly smiled.

"What?"

"I guess you're my girl now."

She grinned. "That sounds nice."

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Noah Drake walked into the room. "Hello, I'm Dr. Drake."

Liz smiled. "Hi."

He looked over at the intimidating man standing by the window and then back at his patient. "I was looking at your scans and read up on what led you to lose your hearing.

Liz nodded.

"Elizabeth, I think if we go in and remove the scarring, replace a few bones, and insert an implant, that you might get at least some of your hearing back."

She was stunned. "But they said nothing could be done."

"Well, technology changes every day and I would love to help you hear again."

"Is it a cochlear implant?"

"No. It's something new and it's been found to help people like you who have lost hearing from an acute infection."

Liz wrung her hands as a curious Jason watched. She looked apprehensive and Jason wasn't sure what was going on.

"Dr. Drake, can you give us a moment please?" Jason asked.

He nodded, wondering what the problem was. When he made his discovery, he was sure that she'd be happy about it.

Jason waited until he left and took Elizabeth's hand. "Talk to me."

Her eyes filled with tears. "I'm scared to get my hopes up. I've learned to live without it, but I know that I will be crushed if it doesn't work."

He leaned over and she sat up, ignoring the pain and effort it took to hug him. He kissed the top of her head and pulled back so she could see his mouth. "It's up to you. Can you live with not taking the chance?" He would accept her either way. To him, she was perfect.

She gripped his shirt as words spilled out of her mouth. "I want to hear your voice. I had stopped hoping it would ever happen because I was told that it was impossible. No, I can't live with knowing I didn't try. Can you go get him?"

Jason stepped out and let the nurse know. He looked at Audrey. "I think you should go talk to her."

Audrey walked inside. "What did Dr. Drake say?"

"That he thinks from my scans, that I might be able to hear again with surgery and an implant."

Audrey was stunned. "I don't even know what to say."

Elizabeth watched her go from shocked to having a big grin on her face in a few seconds.

"Please tell me that you will do it."

Liz smiled. "Yes."

Audrey hugged her and then pulled back. "I want you to have a full life."

"Even if it's with Jason?"

Audrey sighed. "I guess."

Liz grinned. "Thank you Grams."

"I'll call your parents."

Liz nodded and watched her leave. Dr. Drake and Jason came back into the room.

"Elizabeth, do you want the surgery?"

"Yes."

He smiled. "I'm glad to hear it. My friend has done a handful of these procedures and I'll assist him. I've scheduled it for tomorrow afternoon at 5:00 P.M. He'll fly in today and it will give him time to settle."

"Okay."

"That means you will stay here until then and then be released the day after your surgery. Your ears will be packed for at least four days and then we'll bring you back in and check them. If they look like they are healing fine, we'll start to turn up the volume for your implant. At first, you will only hear static probably, but after a few days you should hear voices. You'll have to see an ear specialist and they'll adjust the implant at the level that works with you the best."

"Thank you Dr. Drake. You don't know how much this means to me."

He smiled and left.

Jason took her hand. "I'm happy for you."

She smiled. "It's a dream come true. I want your voice to be the first thing that I hear."

He felt honored that she felt that way. "So I guess you'll stay with your grandmother. Will I be welcomed?"

"Yes. She told me that she accepts that you are in my life."

"Good."

Jason had to go to work for a while, but he came back before visiting hours ended and then decided to do something special for her. He picked up his phone and called Audrey and hoped that she would go along with it.