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Chapter 8

Elizabeth woke up feeling rested. It was the first time that had happened in such a long time. Last night it had barely been nine when she turned in. Now it was seven and not once during the night had she stirred. Cameron wasn't next to her, but when she sat up she saw him sitting on the floor pushing a small wooden train across the rug. It was the only Chuggin Charlie train he owned, so of course she got Charlie himself. Those suckers were expensive, but after everything they had been through Cam had earned it.

Elizabeth took a minute to watch him. Her son. She needed to fully embrace that. Cameron deserved no less. The guilt that came with those two words needed to be dealt with and then put away. They were not to blame for the fact that Sarah was gone. Elizabeth loved Cameron with all of her heart and that was okay. Whenever the guilt started creeping up she would remember that Sarah left Cameron to her. Her sister would want them to be happy.

"You hungry Cam?" Elizabeth asked sitting up. She had showered last night so she only needed to rinse out her mouth and get dressed. She would brush her teeth with Cameron after breakfast.

"Waffles?" Cameron asked coming over. He was still in his pajamas because he didn't know where his clothes were. Normally he dressed himself. Except for his shoes, he didn't know how to make the bow yet.

"I got the frozen ones." She hadn't seen a waffle maker in the kitchen.

"Kay." Cameron didn't mind those, but the ones mommy made were better.

"Let's get dressed and head downstairs. Maybe Jason is still home." She had no idea what type of schedule he kept.

"Can Ben come over?" Cameron asked taking off his sleepwear.

"I don't know." Elizabeth answered laying out his outfit. "I'm going in the bathroom to get dressed." The little boy just nodded. When she came back out he was back on the floor.

While she put on his sneakers she gave more thought to what Jason had brought up last night. Marriage. It was a huge step, but she could see why that would be smart. This building was safer than where they currently lived and she had no doubt that the penthouse floor was the safest part of the whole building.

Just moving in would potentially cause another issue. Jason had to have enemies of his own. If she and Cameron were suddenly seen in the mob boss's company a great deal they could become targets. With his name attached to theirs they had another layer of protection. She was also guessing Jason's allies would be more willing to help keep his wife and son safe, then a strange woman he'd known for a week. But how on earth would they explain the sudden marriage to the people they knew well. Or he knew well, Elizabeth hadn't let a lot of folks get close.

"Did you like sleeping here at Jason's house?" Elizabeth asked as she tied Cameron's shoes.

"It was fun." He told her.

"Would you like to stay again?" Elizabeth was getting Cameron's feel for things. The final decision was hers, but his not outright hating it would help.

"Yes." Cameron said nodding as well.

That was surprising, but good. "Would you like to maybe live here with Jason?" Elizabeth asked him moving to his other foot.

This time the answer came slower. "Yes." Cameron said softly. "It's safe."

That made her want to cry. That at almost four he already knew the difference between safe and dangerous so clearly. "Do you like Jason?"

Cameron nodded.

"How much?" This was an easier way for her to gauge his trust. She held her arms out as wide as she could. "This much."

Cameron shook his head and put his arms out just wider than his body. For her his arms were spread wide. He trusted Jason a little under half as much as he trusted her. "How much do you trust Ben's dad." Cameron's hands came together until they were about six inches apart.

"If we lived here we might see Ben's dad more. Would that be okay?" Elizabeth wanted to know.

"Will Jason come?" Cameron could handle it if Jason came too.

"We could ask." Elizabeth was seeing her son's world expand before her eyes. Diane was going to love hearing this. The therapist had been amazing with Cameron. Somehow she knew exactly what to say and do to reach the little boy. "Come on its breakfast time."

When they reached the kitchen Jason was waiting. He had seen the box of frozen waffles in the freezer. If Cameron liked waffles he would be getting the real thing. "Morning." Jason smiled at them both. He was leaning against the sink and didn't move as they entered the room. "Did you sleep well?" The skin under her eyes was still bruised, but it was lighter.

"We did." Elizabeth answered for them both. Cameron was watching Jason. "Now we are hungry." She was too which was unusual.

"I'm going to make waffles." Jason explained and pointed to the large bowl on the counter.

"I didn't see a waffle iron yesterday." Elizabeth took Cameron to the table.

"I didn't own one yesterday." Now he did. He had sent one of the guards out to find one and get some waffle mix. "Now I do. How many does he eat?"

"Normally one, when he's having a growth spurt two sometimes three." Elizabeth walked over to get some coffee.

"Is he growing now?" Jason asked pouring the first one.

"No, but he's due." Elizabeth knew that would take a chunk out of their savings. She needed new sneakers as well, but had been putting it off not wanting to spend the money.

"How many do you want?" Jason asked her liking how her jeans fit.

"Just one is fine." Elizabeth smiled over at him. He really was very attractive. A marriage between them would allow her more time with him. She knew he was interested because he admitted it. She was also interested. It would be nice to feel like a real woman again. Not just a nurse and mom. She wasn't asking for forever, but for right now she would love to be the recipient of his attention. "Will you be joining us?"

"I don't generally eat breakfast, but we will be having company." Jason said looking at his watch. "I called up Em and asked her to bring Ben over." Ben relaxed Cameron.

"Thank you. We are thinking about going to the park." Elizabeth told him.

"I'll send guards, they will be discreet." He promised. "After you eat, but before you leave we need to discuss the changes I want to make to your apartment. I will need the two of you to stay another night." Things had hit a snag.

"We can talk after breakfast." She said taking Cameron's waffle. She cut it up and added syrup before taking it to the table with a glass of milk. Jason poured a second one just as his front door open and closed. A blur of blue shot into the room as Ben arrived. His dark hair was still wet and his green eyes shined with happiness at seeing his friend again.

"Morning." Emily said yawning and grabbing a mug. "You look better."

"Thanks." Elizabeth grinned.

"I thought for sure you we were going to find you asleep in a supply closet." Emily joked.

"It was distinct possibility." Elizabeth admitted. "Last night felt like heaven."

Emily accepted a waffle and got it ready for Ben. She took the plate over and came back. "No bacon?" She teased Jason.

"Elizabeth didn't put it on the shopping list." Jason told his sister. "Does Cameron not eat it?" He wanted to start learning about the little guys habits.

Elizabeth snorted. "Cameron loves bacon. He will eat it every day if I don't stop him. I was trying not to leave you stuck with a bunch of groceries you might not use." She accepted a waffle but waited until Emily had hers before they sat down. "Which park do you want to go to?"

"The one across the street." It was just easier for the guards. "We only go to the one close to your place when we are hoping to bump into you."

"Why didn't you say something when we met up? We would have come down." Elizabeth asked her friend. "It's not fair that you traveled all the time."

"It's not that far." Emily said putting some waffle in her mouth. "Besides you don't have a car so I wasn't going to ask you to hop on the bus so our kids could play together for thirty minutes. The park is nice, I think you'll like it." When she announced her pregnancy the Morgan/O'Brien organization paid for a complete remodel of the park. It now boasted an indoor pool as well as a soccer field and baseball diamond. This year they were paying for two more parks to be upgraded, both in the poorer sections of the city.

"As long as they have slides Cameron will be happy." That was his favorite thing to do. "We have a car now." Elizabeth said hesitantly. Looking over at Jason she saw him smile.

"You bought a car?" Emily would have Jason look it over.

"No, Jason gave us one." Elizabeth told her friend.

"That was the strange car in his space. I had wondered about that." Not many people parked in Jason's spots by accident. He, like Johnny, had six reserved spaces. The elevator to the penthouse was in the middle of the twelve spots. That way they didn't have to walk across the garage. The spaces opposite theirs were reserved for the guards. They essentially had a private section of the garage. "It's nice."

"I liked driving it yesterday." Elizabeth said finishing her meal.

"Bring the plates over and I'll load the dishwasher." Jason told her. If they moved in this room would be getting more use. He'd finally find out if most of the appliances worked.

"It was good thanks." Elizabeth told him. Emily was still at the table with the boys. Ben was a slow eater and his chatting with Cameron was not helping in that area. "After the park Cameron will probably take a nap. We can talk then."

"Okay." He would try to keep it brief so she could nap as well. "When is Cameron's next doctor's appointment?"

"Tomorrow. He goes early in the mornings on Fridays." Elizabeth explained. "Each session is thirty minutes." Diane had observed that any longer than that was unproductive. When Cameron was ready they could move to one hour sessions twice a week.

"Do you have to go back to work tomorrow?" Jason wanted to know.

"I don't go back until Monday." Today was Thursday. "I don't know what I'll do with all that time off." The only reason she got so many hours this week was because of sick co-workers "Epiphany can't call me in unless there is an emergency."

If she agreed to getting married, now would be a good time. They wouldn't have to announce it until Monday when she went back to work. Or more realistically Sunday, because he'd need for his parents to know. Blindsiding them would not be fair. Hopefully his family would just go with it. His last two marriages had both put a strain on that relationship.

"Good to know." Jason took the three plates Emily handed him. "I'm going to get the guards set up at the park and then go to work for a while. I'll be back for lunch, I'll bring it with me." That would keep Elizabeth from feeling like she needed to cook. "Does Cam likes pizza?"

"Cheese." Elizabeth said nodding.

"Same as Ben." Jason would get a plain pie. "And you?"

"She's Miss Healthy. She likes the same pizza you do." Emily said rolling her eyes and grinning. It was funny how much Jason and Liz had in common.

"I'll get you a small sausage, actually Johnny will be home so I'll make it a large. I'll get a large veggie for me and Liz." Jason liked junk food, he wasn't a health nut. He was more a potato chips or chocolate cake kind of guy. "If you need anything call me."

He headed out leaving them to it.

In the hall Max and Milo were on the doors. Max already knew his assignment. He and Adam would be heading over to the park. A Jr. guard would come up and watch the door. "Milo." Jason said to the younger of the Giambetti brothers. "I'm going to be assigning you to Elizabeth. Kyle will be with Cameron."

"You might want to reverse that." Milo suggested. He had been with the organization long enough to know when he could state an opinion. Yesterday Jason gave Max an update on the situation, so it was safe to talk. "Cameron has already seen me talking with his mother. He may be less afraid of me, plus I'm shorter than Kyle." The other guard was bigger than Max.

"Good point. You don't mind?" Jason liked that Milo was volunteering.

"I'll need some guidance on this one." Milo admitted. He had no clue how to handle a traumatized child.

"We all will." Jason looked at Max who nodded. If they boys were together a lot the four main guards would need to know what they could and couldn't do where Cameron was concerned. "Elizabeth will help us there. I'm going to ask her to have his doctor speak with us." He could gather everyone together and she could give them some pointers. Diane Miller knew most of the guys because she and Francis had been dating for almost five years now. He wondered if Elizabeth knew that.

"The ladies are taking the boys across the street." Jason told the brothers.

"I'll set up a rotation. I'll make sure the guys stay back some." Max said pulling out his phone. When everyone was together, the four main guards worked as a team. Max had seniority so he generally made the decisions.

"If there are any problems, call me." Jason instructed before getting on the elevator.

Things would go smoothly. The guys would make sure of it.

Emily looked over at her syrup covered child and laughed. "Let's get the monsters cleaned up and head over. Ben can show Cameron all the really fun parts of the park. Maybe after nap time we can go to the pool. We have extra suits at the house."

"Cameron can't swim so we need water wings." Elizabeth said wiping her sons face.

"Ben is starting lessons in a few months. Private ones, I can ask the teacher about adding Cameron on." Emily didn't see it as being a problem.

"How much?" Just because she was planning on them staying didn't mean she was going to start spending money willy nilly.

"I have the paperwork at home, let me dig it up." Emily responded. "Okay let's grab our jackets and head to the park.

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