A/N – Thanks for commenting. Glad you liked the action and the twist with Claudia rescuing Cam. I think you will be pleased to know that I don't plan on drawing things out with Jason and Liz.

Chapter 17

Francis glanced into the rear view mirror. Liz is fretting and chewing on her lip and he knows she is freaking out. She hadn't spoken since she had called Audrey and told her the news.

"He's fine."

Her eyes jerked up and their gaze held until Francis put his focus back on the road. "I know he's fine physically, I'm just worried about how he is emotionally."

"I understand. We're almost there."

"Thank you, Francis."

He nodded and hoped that Elizabeth is finally going to catch a break now that Cam is safe.

IiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiI

A nurse tried to take Cam from Jason, but it wasn't happening. He had woken up on the helicopter and was enthralled with the scenery. Jason pointed to things and Cam made sure his left hand held its grip on Jason's neck the whole time as he stared with wonderment out the window. The only other person the little boy trusts right now is his mother, but in the meantime, Jason will do.

Claudia was rushed to the O.R. and Jason was led to an empty room.

He sat in a chair with Cam in his lap.

Epiphany approached him. "Hello Cameron."

Cam slightly smiled.

"Your mommy is on the way."

That got his attention and his eyes lit up before he awkwardly pressed the side of this face into Jason's chest.

Epiphany spoke to him softly as she checked him out. "Are you okay?" she asks Jason.

"Yeah."

"Where is your shirt?"

He looked down and then back up at her, chuckling because she had a devilish look in her eye. "I used it to help Claudia."

"I'll have to thank her."

"Epiphany are you flirting?" Robin asked as she grinned.

"I have no idea what you are talking about. I'm a professional."

"Uh huh. Are you okay?" she asked Jason.

"I'm fine."

"I'll go find you a scrub top so all the nurses won't ogle you."

"Thanks."

"Well, he looks well taken care of." Leo had been observing. They figured Cam would be more comfortable with Piph.

"There was a woman looking after him."

"Thank God that she protected him. Let's go out to the waiting room. I'm sure Elizabeth is going out of her mind," Epiphany said.

Jason stood and Cam snuggled against him.

"Looks like you've got yourself a new friend," Robin said.

"Yeah."

They got to the waiting room just in time for the Quartermaines to arrive with Elizabeth in tow.

"Cameron!" she yelled as she ran towards Jason.

"Mommy!"

Jason almost lost his grip because Cam was leaning so far ahead, but he quickly got his balance and then the boy was in her arms being kissed and hugged a million times.

Robin handed Jason a shirt and he quickly put it on much to the female staff's chagrin.

Liz didn't even try hide her tears as she grabbed Jason and hugged him with Cam in the middle. "Thank you."

"It was Claudia. She risked her life."

John ran into the room. "Where is my sister and what the hell is going on?"

Sonny took him aside and filled him in.

"Elizabeth, we didn't take any blood because we wanted you to be here. Can you bring him back?"

She nodded. "Okay."

Jason followed and watched as they poked the little boy and he screamed and cried as Elizabeth tried to console him. Kneeling in front of them, Jason calmly spoke.

"The worse is over buddy. I won't let anyone hurt you. Okay?"

Cam sniffled and then reached out his arms and Jason held him while Elizabeth wiped Cam's nose.

Audrey came in and kissed him on the head. "Oh, I'm so glad that he's okay."

"He just got some blood drawn so he's not happy."

"Well. I have a cookie at the house with his name all over it."

Liz's eyes filled with tears. "I just remembered that I can't take him home with me."

Audrey hugged her. "I'm so sorry. There's a hearing the day after tomorrow and we'll get all of this straightened out and you and Cam will be together again."

"Suppose someone tries to take him?"

"He'll have guards," Jason said.

"No! That's not good enough."

Jason pulled her into his side. "What do you want to do?"

"Will you go with him? I know he'll be safe if he's with you."

"Okay." He will do anything for them at this point.

There was a commotion in the hallway and Jason stepped out to make sure they weren't in any danger. A barely conscious Carly is being wheeled past him and she grabs his arm. "Jason, please…come closer."

There is dried blood on her hands and after a momentary twinge of sympathy, knowing she may lose the baby, his face stayed blank and she started to cry. "Please."

"Sir, we need to get her to the O.R."

Jason nodded and leaned down.

"I was on the docks and I heard Karpov talking about Cam."

"Carly…"

"I tried to move closer and hide. He is going to move Cam and take him to the airport. He didn't say where they are going, but I tried to get away to tell you so you can get him back. I know I was wrong. I always am, but I wanted to make things up to you and Elizabeth. I just—they found me and I was stressed and I could feel the blood and they pushed me down and left me there to die."

She is so pale and he feels her grip lessen. "I love you. I'm sorry. Tell Michael and Morgan I love them."

With that she passed out and Liz slipped her arm around his waist as Carly is pushed away and worked on at the same time as they tried to stabilize her. The whole night just started to hit Jason and his body is staring to falter.

"Sit down before you fall down."

"We had a huge fight about you. She confessed and apologized and I told her that our friendship was over." He collapsed onto a chair.

Liz rubbed his back.

"She makes me so angry. I threatened to kill her if she tries to hurt you again."

"Jason, look at me. This is not your fault."

"I don't even know what to feel. Why does she always have to hurt me?"

Liz hugged him. "I'm so sorry that she let you down again. I've spent the last week thinking of ways to bury her."

Jason pulled back. "She deserved that."

"I know. I'm not apologizing."

He would have smiled if the situation didn't suck so badly.

"But at the same time, she risked her life to try to find out where Cam was being held because of her love for you. I hate her guts, but at least she was trying to fix things and I don't want her to lose her child."

"Are you going to forgive her?"

"Not any time soon, but in her sick way, she got the charges against me dropped and tried to get my son back. I guess that means that I don't think she should have to die or lose the baby for what she did, but I don't want her around my children any time soon."

"I understand."

"Are you going to forgive her?"

Jason's shoulders dropped. "I don't think we'll ever be friends again."

"I will never tell you who you can be friends with. If you choose to forgive her someday, I'll learn to live with it as long as she respects me. That's all I've ever wanted."

"Maybe I'm taking a page from your book and learning to stand up for myself. I'll talk to her if she pulls out of this and thank her for trying, but it's still going to be over. Every time she does something she's apologizes and cries, but when does it end? It doesn't make the hurt go away. She goes on like nothing happened and I'm stuck dealing with the consequences. This is partially my fault. I'm the one that didn't cut her out then and God knows, I'm not good at saying no to her."

Liz hugged him into her side.

"Jason?" Cam said quietly, realizing that his friend is upset.

"Yeah?"

"Sad?"

"I was, but your mommy made it all better."

Liz smiled.

"Yeah," Cam said before trying to climb on the chair next to Jason to get closer.

Audrey helped him and then hugged Jason the best he could, making Jason come close to crying.

"He gives the best hugs," Liz whispered.

"Definitely."

Audrey smiled.

Lucky cleared his throat. "Cameron. I'm so happy that you're okay."

Liz jumped to her feet. "Lucky."

"I want to see my son."

Audrey grabbed Cam and picked him up and took him back into the room.

"You'll have to kill me first," Jason said.

"I'm the only father that he has known."

"He'll get over you." Jason lowered his voice. "Walk away." His tone inferred the consequences if Lucky didn't and they were in a stare down before Elizabeth pushed in between them and shoved Lucky backwards.

One hand on her stomach and the other pointing with a bitchy look that would make Claudia proud, she confronted him. "He almost died because of you and you're acting like nothing happened? I have to go home tonight without him and he's going to be traumatized, all because of you putting your need for drugs in front your family. Do not make me call Mac right now."

Lucky stared at her in all her glory. Damn she is beautiful.

Jason didn't like the way he is gazing at Liz and started to move forward, but Liz shot him a look letting him know that she could handle this.

Lucky stupidly decided to push his luck.

"I'm going to fight you for custody."

Liz's right brow rose. "Do you remember what I told you in our last encounter? All gloves are off Lucky. You want a war, you've got yourself one. I know I'll be standing when it's all over, but I hope you like pine—"

Her threat was cut off when Jason tugged her into the room and shut the door.

Luckily, Audrey had pulled the curtain shut so they didn't see when Jason kissed Liz torridly, making her want him beyond reason.

When he pulled back, her eyes were full of lust and he wanted to kiss her again, but felt a tug on his leg.

Looking down, he grinned when he saw Cam reaching his arms up, so he quickly lifted him into his arms.

"I don't want to say goodbye," Liz said as her resolve started to break, "but you should go before Lucky starts anything else. I don't want him confused."

Jason couldn't stand looking at the sadness in her eyes. "I'll call so you can read him a story."

She nodded. "Cam, I want you to go with Grams and Jason tonight. Mommy needs to rest."

Cam didn't seem to understand that.

"You can see mommy tomorrow. I promise." She doesn't care if she has to wear a disguise.

Cam shook his head no and buried his head into Jason's shoulder and started to cry.

Audrey kissed Liz and then tugged Jason through the doorway. The longer they drew this out, the worse it will be on the little boy.

Cam held out his arms over Jason's shoulders and Elizabeth would have crumbled if it weren't for Francis supporting her. He picked her up and carried her back into the room and sat her down, trying to give Jason time to get away.

"Talk to me."

"I can't go back to the mansion, not without Cam."

"What do you want to do?"

"I'll go see Claudia and keep her company."

"Let me find out where she is and I'll let Monica know you're not coming."

"Thank you Francis."

Johnny texted him back and Francis led her to Claudia's room.

"She just woke up."

Liz quickly made her way to the bed. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired. How is Cam?"

Liz's face contorted, unable to hold back her emotions.

"Hey…"

"I'm sorry. You don't need this right now."

"Don't apologize. Please, talk to me. It will take my mind off of everything else."

"It was just hard saying goodbye to him, even for a night."

"I understand."

Liz wiped away a tear. "He was so upset. I made Jason go with him."

"Tell Jason thank you for taking care of me."

"I will."

She gazed at the door, making sure Johnny was preoccupied. "He has a really nice chest."

Liz chuckled. "Yeah."

"Seriously. I'm beginning to think you have nerves of steel. I would have jumped him already."

"With my pregnancy hormones, that might be happening sooner than later."

Claudia slightly smiled.

"Carly was bought in."

"For what?"

Liz sighed. "I'm not totally sure—a possible miscarriage."

"Is she okay?"

"I don't know. Earlier, she came to mansion to see Jason. They talked and she confessed and apologized for what she did and he told her that their friendship is over."

"Wow."

"And then she freaked and went to the docks. She must have wandered away from her guard."

Claudia's eyes grew big.

"She overheard Karpov and another man talking. When she heard Cam's name, she moved as close as she could. She told Jason it was because she wanted to make up for what she did."

Claudia wasn't sure what to think.

"Anyway, she must have started to cramp and bleed and they left her there to die."

"So, she lost the baby?"

"I have no idea what her condition is or anything. Sonny is with her. When she was brought in, Jason wasn't going to talk to her, but she begged him, thinking she could still save Cam when he was actually in the room next to her."

"How did Jason take it?"

"I think he feels a little guilty, but at the same time, he is really mad and says he still doesn't want anything to do with her."

"But you think that isn't true?"

Liz shrugged. "I don't know. They have a long history and while Carly can be a bitch, she would defend him like no other."

"Do you feel the same as you did before?"

"I don't want her around my kids because I don't trust her, but I wouldn't wish anyone to lose a child, even her."

Claudia was thinking that is was karma, but didn't want to sound callous.

"I get making mistakes. I made a big one with Lucky and it almost cost me Cam, but nothing I did was malicious. Carly can't say the same."

"True."

"So, since she did help me avoid charges and tried to help Cam, I'm willing to let it go, but I want nothing to do with her." Carly can only be good for so long and Liz is tired of the drama.

Claudia smiled.

"What?"

"I'm just proud of you."

Liz relaxed a little. "Yeah. I'm proud of Jason too. He could have just repeated his habit of quickly forgiving Carly for the unforgivable. He said I inspired him."

"Can I ask you something?"

Liz nodded.

"Are you scared that he still loves Sam?"

"It's complicated. He loved her and they bonded through her pregnancy and they mourned a child together. Jason cut his feelings off after everything that happened. He blamed himself that Sam got shot and spent months agonizing over it. Although he did shut off his feelings for me over the years, we both did, so who's to say that he can't have feelings for her again?"

"Like you did with Ric and Lucky?"

"Yes."

"I think you and Jason really need to talk it out. Being honest is important, that way you don't have misunderstandings. I get that you think he's not dealing with everything, but everyone handles things in different ways. Men do tend to shove emotions down, so you're going to have to explain why you're worried and then let him talk so you can see where his head is at."

"You're right."

Claudia's eyes closed. "It's annoying isn't it?"

"Damn right it is."

Her eyes snapped open and she smiled at her brother. "Hey."

"I don't know whether to throttle you or hug you."

"I can always use a hug from my baby brother."

He carefully embraced her and then kissed her forehead. "You should have called me. I would have gone with you."

"And then you could be lying here instead. I'm fine."

"I'll stay with her tonight," Liz said as she got the bed set up.

"See, I'm taken care of."