A/N – Thanks for the comments! Gia will be written a little differently! * Guest re: mobster Jason – Totally agree! I finally gave in and watched youtube clips of nuJason. Whole thing is depressing! * reina13 – lol * kikimoo – Johnny just had a little crush so it won't take that much.

Chapter 24 – Play Time

Carly watched Liz walk towards her. "Hey."

Michael yelled her name from the swing set and she waved.

They both watched Enzo push him higher and higher.

"He's a daredevil." Carly said.

Liz smiled. "He looks really happy."

"He is until he doesn't get his way. But he does mind me. So, that's a good thing."

"Did you tell him about Sonny?"

"Yes. I don't think he completely understands but he's a smart kid. He knew when to stay clear of his father." Carly said sadly.

"Well, I'm sticking around so I would like to be a part of his life."

"He'll be happy about that. I know I was wrong about how I handled Sonny, but to be honest, I really didn't know how to deal with him. I was stupid and a coward because I was scared of losing everything."

Liz sighed. "Mental illness is tough to deal with. It's hard to fathom the things that Sonny has done. The main reason I'm keeping in contact with him is to make sure that he doesn't try to hurt Jason. I can't say what will become of our relationship. A lot of that will be up to him."

"I miss him. I know he messed up a lot but when he was at his best, I really enjoyed my life with him. He loved Michael and doted on him. I loved him."

"I probably wouldn't like you very much if you didn't. You saw him at his best and worst. It must have been hard for you to deal with that and make sure Michael wasn't adversely affected." Liz said.

"Sometimes I wonder why I am attracted such a twisted man." She said chuckling. "Power can make a man very sexy. Sonny loved me warts and all. He was so intense and fiery and I loved all of it; the fighting, make up sex…." Carly made a face. "Sorry, that's probably TMI."

Liz laughed loudly.

"Anyway, as you can probably tell I'm a drama queen. And God knows Sonny was the King."

Michael ran up to them and threw himself onto his mother's lap. "I'm exhausted." He huffed much to their amusement.

"Oh, do you want to take a nap?" Carly tried tp ask with a straight face.

The look on the little boy's face was priceless. "Enzo let's get out of here." Michael yelled as the guard laughed and chased him.

"You know his teenage years are going to be crazy right?" Liz said smiling.

Carly groaned. "It's called karma. God knows I was a terror."

"Is he scared of Jason's glare?"

Carly snorted. "Hell no. That's the problem."

Michael squealed loudly and their heads jerked towards the monkey bars. Jason was throwing Michael in the air and caught him.

"Did you know he was going to be here?" Carly asked.

"No, I didn't."

They watched them play for about twenty minutes.

"Why don't you walk over there? I know he's not ready to speak to me, but tell him I said thank you for spending some time with Michael." Carly said softly. "My son and I don't have to be a package deal." Right now, she knew that Michael needed stability and if seeing Jason from time to time helped him adjust, then she'd put him first.

"I will. I'll be right back." Liz said getting up and then running towards Jason who caught her and spun her around as Michael clapped.

He gave her a kiss and set her back on the ground. "I have to go. I just felt like it would help Michael to see me."

She smiled. "That's why I like you so much Jason Morgan, you are a big softie."

"Shhhhhh, I can't have that getting out."

He kissed her one more time as Michael yelled. "Ewwww."

They laughed and Liz whispered what Carly said in Jason's ear. He kissed her one last time and then looked up at Carly and nodded. She returned the gesture and then watched him walk away.

IiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiI

A half hour later, Liz chased Michael around and then fell down on the grass and he crashed down onto her and she tickled him.

"That looks like a lot of fun." Jeff said smiling.

Liz sat up. "Dad?"

"Hi honey, we thought you might need us."

Tears sprang into Liz's eyes. She looked over at Jason and smiled and jumped up and hugged her father tightly.

Liz's mom smiled as she watched them.

"Hello, I'm Michael." He said holding out his hand to her.

Andrea smiled. "I'm Andrea, Elizabeth's mother."

Michael smiled. "My mom's over there on the bench." He said pointing. "Want to go on the swings with me?"

Andrea kissed Liz on the cheek and held out her hand to Michael and they went over to the swings. Jason followed them to give Liz some privacy.

"Uncle Jase, you can push me."

Jason smiled. "Okay."

Jason pushed Michael as Andrea watched smiling. And once his swing finally slowly rocked again, he looked at her and said, "My daddy is sick."

Andrea looked up at Jason and then back at Michael. "I'm sorry to hear that. Does is it make you sad?"

"Yeah. I wish he was happy and mommy wasn't so sad."

Jason sighed. He knew all of this was hard on Michael and hated that the little boy had to deal with all of this.

"Sometimes, I'm sad." Andrea said softly.

"Really? Why?"

"I miss Elizabeth a lot."

Michael smiled. "She's my sister. She's a girl but she's cool."

Andrea chuckled. "She is very cool. Do you want to know a secret?"

Michael shook his head up and down.

"Come here."

He jumped off the swing and stood in front of Andrea and she whispered into his ear and Michael laughed.

"Uncle Jase I need your help." He said running to him.

"What's up?" Jason asked kneeling down.

Michael whispered into his ear and Jason smiled and then held out his hand and Michael shook it. Jeff and Elizabeth walked towards them and Jason stood up.

"You okay?" He asked.

She nodded and Jason hugged her and then winked at Michael as Andrea chuckled.

Elizabeth pulled back and scrunched her face. "What's going on?" She asked as Michael giggled.

"Nothing." Jason said.

Liz's head tilted. Jason sucked at lying. She tried to make a run for it but Jason grabbed her and pulled her to the ground as she laughed and Michael yelled, "Get her."

Jason held her down as Liz laughed and Michael jumped on her and started tickling her side, right where Andrea told him she was the most ticklish and Liz laughed loudly.

Tears ran down Carly's face as she watched from afar.

"What's wrong Mrs. C?" Enzo asked.

"I'm just so happy that he's happy." She said wiping her face.

Enzo smiled. "Michael's a cool little dude. He's going to be sad sometimes. Just let him feel whatever he needs to. He'll be fine. Kids are resilient."

"You sound like you have experience with that."

"I have five other siblings and my mom died when I was younger. " He said quietly.

"I'm so sorry to hear that Enzo."

He nodded. "We all watched out for each other. Michael has a lot of people watching out for him. He'll be okay."

"You're very wise Enzo. I think your mother would be very proud of you."

He blushed. "Thanks Mrs. C."

IiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiI

Liz finally was able to stand up and she brushed the grass off her clothes. "I was going to give you a hug but since you're spreading my trade secrets." She said to her mother with her hands on her hips.

Andrea grinned. "Get over here." She said pulling Liz into her and giving her a big hug. "I missed my baby."

Michael laughed. "She's not a baby."

"She will always be my baby." Andrea said smiling.

"Where did you find them?" Liz asked Jason.

"They were wandering around the docks looking confused." He said smiling.

Andrea laughed. "We were not. Unlike your father, I asked for directions."

Jeff rolled his eyes and looked at Jason. "One time, you get lost and don't ask and you're screwed for eternity."

Jason chuckled.

"Okay, I have to say this." Andrea said. "He does look like Dylan."

Liz grinned. "I told you."

"I thought you were just exaggerating. But my God it's almost uncanny."

Jason made a face. "I have to see this guy."

"You're in luck." Andrea said. "Dylan and Stitch posed for me before we left." She said taking out her phone.

"What's a stitch?" Jason asked as he turned and looked to see where Michael had run off. He was with Enzo so he turned back to the group.

Andrea laughed. "He is a doctor who had a big crush on your girlfriend."

Jason made a face and Elizabeth laughed. Andrea handed him her phone. There was a picture of Stitch and Dylan and they were holding up a note that said we miss you.

Jason rolled his eyes. "I don't see it." He said looking at Dylan.

They all stood there looking at Jason like he was crazy.

"Seriously?" Liz asked.

Jason shrugged. He accidentally moved the picture and it was Stitch by himself with a note that said I miss you more."

Liz laughed. "Jason I didn't like him back."

He grunted and she exploded into laughter again as her parents watched them and smiled. Jason was very different from Dylan. Dylan was lighter for the most part where Jason smoldered. But they both had seen how good he was with Michael and he definitely looked smitten with their daughter. His occupation still gave them pause but Elizabeth had been single a long time. So, they were happy that she finally allowed herself to love and be loved.

"Where are you staying?" Liz asked.

"The Metro Court."

"Can we meet for dinner?" Liz asked.

Jeff smiled. "Sure."

"Can you make it?" She asked looking up at Jason.

He could see how important it was to her. "Of course I can." He said before kissing her on the forehead.

"Good. We're going to go get settled. Is 7:00 p.m. good?" Jeff asked.

"Perfect." Jason said.

They gave their daughter one last squeeze and went back to the car.

"They're nice." Jason said looking down at her.

"I'm pretty fond of them. I think they liked you."

"And what if they didn't?" He asked curiously.

"Then they would just have to learn too."

He kissed her. "Have I told you how beautiful you are yet today?"

She smiled. "I think once before."

He kissed her deeply until he felt a tug on his leg. He pulled back and looked down.

"If you want to kiss my sister you have to ask first." Michael said crossing his arms.

Enzo tried not to laugh. Michael had said exactly what he had told him to say.

"And why is that?" Jason asked curiously.

"Because I am supposed to protect her."

Elizabeth grinned. "Thank you Michael."

Jason's eyebrows shot up. "Michael, may I kiss Elizabeth?"

"That's really gross Uncle Jase, but for fifty cents you can give her one kiss."

Liz laughed loudly.

"Fifty cents?"

Michael pretended to look at a non-existent watch on his wrist. "Time is up. Now it's one dollar please." He said holding out his hand.

Liz was turning red from laughing at the look on Jason's face.

Jason shook his head and got out his wallet, convinced that Michael was somehow related to Edward, and then handed the little boy two dollars.

Carly was watching and couldn't figure out what the heck was going on.

"Wow." Michael yelled. "That's two kisses."

Jason smiled.

"You can wipe your mouth off when you're finished." Michael said before running off to his mom.

"I think I love him already." Liz said grinning.

"I'm going to be broke if I have to pay him every time I kiss you."

Liz grinned. "We can sneak some in when he's not looking."

He looked to make sure that Michael wasn't and kissed her again. "I have to go. I'll stop at home and change before we leave for dinner."

"Okay." She said lusting after him as he walked away.

Michael came to get her and they walked back to Carly.

"Were those your parents?"

Liz smiled. "Yes. They came to surprise me. I'm so happy to see them." She said pulling out her phone. She had told her mom to send her the pictures of her friends. "Okay, is this not Jason's twin?"

She showed Carly the picture.

"Holy…..oh my God." She said studying the picture. "Are you sure they are not related?"

"Yup."

"That's crazy. Tell me you didn't date him. That would be really weird."

Liz laughed. "No, but I had a huge crush on him."

"What's he like." Carly asked.

"Well, he's really sweet and gentle."

"Let me guess, he had a girlfriend so you crushed on him from afar."

"Pretty much." Liz said smiling.

"Jason can be sweet and gentle too but he has that bad boy side as well. I think you got the better deal."

Liz laughed. "I think so too."

"I better get Michael washed up for dinner. Bobbie, my mom, is coming over." Carly said standing up.

"Well, I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with you and Michael. We'll have to do it again soon."

"I'd like that." Carly said smiling.

"Hang in there." Liz said getting up and then running over to Michael, swinging him around. She felt like things were getting less complicated and that was always much better.