Hi all,

I'm not sure that I love this chapter, but I really wanted to tap into Jason's Quartermaine roots. I feel like the show missed up some opportunities there. Because this story takes place while Krissy and Molly are little, Edward is still alive. I think there are two more chapters left before this one is done. Thanks for the reviews and the follows especially given how long it's taken me to finish this one.

Stronger that Pride- Chapter 22

Jason knocked on the doors of the Quartermaine mansion. Whenever he visited it, he did so with mixed emotions. This was the place where he had been practically held captive after the car accident that caused the loss of his memory and changed him from Jason Quartermaine to Jason Morgan. He looked down at baby Joey, now 2 months old. He was just beginning to learn to smile, which resulted in him flashing a set of Alexis's dimples. He stroked the boy's fine, blond hair and smiled when Joey's eyes focused on him.

Alice answered the door and greeted him pleasantly. She led him into the foyer. Monica, Tracy and Grandfather were arguing about something, probably ELQ business, but immediately stopped as soon as they saw Joey.

"Let me have my great-grandson!" Edward bellowed. He began to wave his hands in an exaggerated gesture that indicated he wanted the boy, immediately.

"Hold your horses, Daddy." Tracy snapped before making her way to Jason and the baby. "You want to see your Aunt Tracy, don't you?"

"He wants to see his grandmother." Monica chided Tracy just before taking the baby from Jason.

Soon one small child had three very boisterous adults wrapped around his tiny finger. It made Jason smile. There was a time when Jason would have fought this exposure to family. He would have done anything to keep his child away. But losing Michael and living with and being a family with Alexis and the girls had changed his mind. They had changed him.

After a few minutes, he asked Monica if he could speak with her privately on the terrace. Because she was Jason's mother and she could read him better than anyone, despite him sometimes being called emotionless, she agreed without hesitation.

He walked to the edge of the terrace and stared at his grandmother's rose garden. It was still beautifully maintained even years after her death. He wished he could remember more about her, but instead he was left with only memories of a couple of years and the garden's flowers. He stared at the vibrant colors until he felt Monica's hand on his shoulder.

"Jason, what's wrong?"

He turned to face her. He stared at her for a moment as he decided how to ask the question that had been burning within him since he returned. He pushed out a breath of air.

"Jason?" Her kind eyes studied him.

"How does a marriage survive an affair?" He dropped his head, knowing that his question would only prompt more questions.

Monica's eyes narrowed as she tried to determine what he was asking and why. "Jason, why are you asking?"

He sat on the terrace railing and took another deep breath. "I know that I was a product of Alan's affair with Susan. And yet, when my mother died, you became my mother and loved me. You stayed with Alan. I'm just wondering how you were able to do it."

Monica looked at Jason and pursed her lips. Then she walked to where he was standing and placed her hand over his. "Where is this coming from? Is Alexis having an affair?"

"No." Jason's voice didn't sound as sure as he had hoped. "At least, I don't think so…not yet."

"Yet?" Monica frowned. "Sonny?"

"How'd you guess?" Jason deadpanned.

She took Jason's hand and led him to the patio table where Cook had inconspicuously set out a serving of lemonade. Monica poured him a glass.

"I always wondered whether it was wise for you to live in such close proximity to Sonny while being married to Alexis."

"He moved in after Alexis moved in with me. I thought it was better for the girls."

She swirled the ice in her glass. "You weren't here, at the time, but years ago, there was a time, when Alexis was the only person that Sonny would listen to. They were inseparable. I think most of us thought they would eventually end up together…if Carly hadn't "died."" She used her fingers to make quotes around the word died. "I, for one, wasn't surprised that it turned out that Kristina was his daughter."

"Monica, I'm not sure this is helping."

"I just wanted you to understand the pull that you are fighting."

"Trust me. I get it." Jason ran his hand over his forehead. "What am I supposed to do about it? I asked Alexis flat out whether she was in love with Sonny and she claimed that Kristina was a product of a one-night stand." He stood and walked back to the rail. "It scares me," he said softly, "because it's the first time she wasn't completely honest with me."

He felt Monica rub his back. He wasn't even sure when she'd left the table. "You know, marriage is complicated. I'm ashamed to admit this, but your father wasn't the first to have an affair. I was. I'm sorry for it now, but there was no dissuading me from pursuing Rick at the time."

Jason turned to face her. He was unable to hide his surprise.

She continued. "I loved Rick very much. And I was convinced that he was the love of my life. I didn't realize until many years and many affairs later that the love of my life was Alan. "

"So, what am I supposed to do? Encourage her to be with Sonny so she can get it out of her system? I can't do that."

"No, talk to your wife, Jason. Be honest with her. Let her know how much you love her. Let her know you can trust her and that she can trust you to stand by her no matter what. And then hope that she can stop herself before she does something that might hurt your family."

Jason released an audible sigh. "What if I could do more? What if I could make sure that Sonny stays away from Alexis?"

"How can you do that?"

Monica's question was met with a blank stare. When she realized that he wasn't going to answer, she decided to give him a piece of advice. "Jason, whatever it is be careful. The last thing you want is to give Alexis another reason to feel she needs to be protective of Sonny. Not to mention, turning yourself into the bad guy may be more than either Alexis or you can handle." She patted his hand. "Now, I'm going to go inside and play with my beautiful grandson."

Jason pondered his mother's words. He'd found Jerry Jacks, the real Jerry and he'd told no one. Maybe he would be able to keep it from Sonny and from Alexis without it eating him up inside. But he knew Alexis would be furious with him if she ever learned the truth. Jax was her best friend. She would be furious with him for keeping Jax's brother from him. And she might never forgive him for letting Sonny rot in prison for something he himself had done to save her.

That evening, when he arrived home, after they'd tucked the kids in bed, he took Alexis's hand and led her to the sofa.

Alexis was the first to speak. "You were gone most of the day. I missed you."

"I thought you'd be busy with the trial."

Jason watched as Alexis shifted uncomfortably at the mention of the trial. She touched his face. "I decided to take the day off."

"Why?"

"I thought we could talk." Alexis smiled a sad smile. "But it turns out I was wrong. You were gone most of the day."

"I needed some space to think." He dropped his gaze.

Alexis placed a hand under Jason's chin and lifted it until his gaze met hers. "About…?" She stretched the word…even though he suspected she knew.

"About you…and Sonny"

"There is no me and Sonny!" She stated loud enough to make her point, but quietly enough not to wake the girls. She stood from the sofa. As she moved away, he grabbed her wrist, stopping her.

"Alexis, wait…please. We need to talk."

Alexis sank into the sofa. "Jason, I love you. I'm not sure what else there is to talk about."

Jason interlaced his fingers with Alexis's. He looked at her until he was sure she could not only see him but feel him as well. He needed to know she understood all that he was about to tell her. "I found Jerry. He's alive."

"You found Jerry?" Alexis began to process all that the revelation meant. "But yesterday, when I asked you if you found him, you said you didn't want to talk about it."

"I didn't."

"I don't understand. Why not?"

"Because I wasn't sure I wanted you to be able to save Sonny from prison."

Alexis pulled her hand from his. "Jason, Sonny's your best friend. He's Kristina and Morgan's dad. He's Molly's uncle. You considered letting him go to prison? When you of all people know he's innocent."

Jason stood and walked to the desk that was by the door. He kept his back to Alexis. "Sonny may not have killed Jerry but he's not innocent." He turned to face Alexis. "Sonny wants my family. He's made that clear. I trusted him and as soon as I was out of town, he went after you. I won't lose you and the girls like-"

"Like you lost Carly and Michael? Is that what you're worried about? Because I'm definitely not Carly."

"Don't you think I know that? I love you because I can trust you...or at least I could."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

He walked back to the sofa and sat beside her. "You stopped being honest about your feelings."

"I have always been honest with you about—" She stopped speaking when Jason placed a single finger on her lips.

"When I asked you if you loved Sonny, you never answered. You told me that the two of you were friends that had a one-night stand. There's so much more to it than that. I'd have to be blind not to see it."

"Jason, what do you think you see?"

"You love him, Alexis. And he loves you. The two of you have history. You know each other's secrets. And what you shared was so much deeper than a one-night stand and some of those feelings are still there."

Alexis looked like a deer caught in headlights after hearing Jason's words. Tears began to flow down her cheeks despite what he could tell were her best efforts to stop them.

"I'm not trying to hurt you, Alexis. I just thought we should be honest."

"I care about Sonny. He's Kristina's father. I suppose I will always care about him, but I'm in love with you, Jason. You're my husband. You're a wonderful father. I love you and I love our life. I don't understand why you are dredging up the past." She wrapped her arms protectively around herself.

"Were you in love with Sonny when Kristina was conceived?" Alexis looked away from him. It was his turn to cup her cheek and bring her gaze back to him. "It's ok. You're not going to hurt me if you tell me you did. There is nothing you can do to make me walk away from you, unless you tell me to go."

"Yes, I was in love with him but he didn't return the feelings…or at least I didn't think so."

"And now that you know he was in love with you, too? Does that change things for us?"

She hesitated for just a second and Jason heard it. "No."

"I need you to be sure. Alexis, you have to make peace with your feelings. I need to know for sure that this…us, our life…is what you want. We didn't expect to fall in love when we got together. I love you too much to keep you here out of obligation."

"You could never be an obligation." She wiped the tears from her cheeks.

"I need you to figure out what you feel for Sonny before it wrecks us." He wiped the tears that began to fall from her cheeks.

"Why are you doing this?" She questioned between what had now turned to sobs.

"I'm doing this because I can't share you with Sonny. Not physically or emotionally. I need to know you want us and our family without reservation." He kissed her on the forehead and rose from the sofa. "I love you and I'll fight for you. I just need to know that I'm not fighting in vain. " With that he stood and headed to the guestroom.