Epilogue Part Two…
It had been taking a toll on their relationship and they'd been fighting more and more. Mac wanted her to come back to Port Charles and Diane wanted him to make anywhere in Italy his home base. She'd put off making her move official, since they'd found that they shared an almost nuclear connection but Jason needed her services now more than ever. Sure, she could commute; even though she'd rack up more frequent flyer miles than any ten pilots but…she was tired of all the drama that Port Charles entailed. It was coming down to the line, where he either needed to shit or get off the pot. She'd given up five years of making her name, which, yes, was a good thing, considering two years ago they had a baby boy but that damn stubborn man, was so set in his ways.
"Diane, you look a million miles away, what's going on?" Mac asked as he walked into the room with Shiloh.
"Mac…you know I love you, right?" Diane asked plainly.
"Of course, I've never doubted that. What's wrong?" Mac queried.
If he refused to move, how we're they going to share custody, she wondered. Her normal put-together persona was cracking under the pressure and stress. "Mac, we've done this your way. I have stayed in Port Charles long past when I wanted to, I've done this for us, but I don't want to stay here. I've been flying back and forth, so I don't lose my job with Jason and I just don't want to do it anymore. I love you, more than I thought I ever could. But it isn't fair that you are expecting me to be the one to bend every time. You said two years ago you were ready to move and then we find out I'm pregnant and all of a sudden, you couldn't leave."
"I swear that's all you talk about anymore. You and that damn job!" Mac said hotly.
"I refuse to argue with you in front of Shy. I have to get to Edward's birthday party, so I guess we will put this on the back burner once again…you let me know when you want to have an adult conversation. I guess we can always try to figure out how to share custody from opposite ends of the world." Diane said factiously.
Mac watched her walk out, a lump forming in his throat. Before he could work himself up, he heard, "You know she's right dad. You told her when you started dating that you'd finish out your term as commissioner and then you would move and yet, five years later…here you are. I don't know what has changed but that woman is the best thing that has ever happened to you. Stop acting like Sonny and putting everything before the woman you love." Georgie said before exiting as well.
Mac watched two of the best things in his life, walk out and fell to his knees.
XxXxXxX
"Happy Birthday Edward!" Jason said while embracing the elderly, wheel-chair bound man.
Shortly before the twins were born, Edward took a terrible fall and injured himself. Being bound to a wheel-chair though, never dampened his spirits or took the fire out of him, thank goodness. If one didn't count Tracy, which no one really did, Edward was the last of his relatives. Elizabeth and the boys were his family…
Losing Monica was…bittersweet. So much loss had changed her and not for the better. It made her unwilling to bend or conform, she wanted everything her way and that was that. She'd attempt to make a change but would fall back into her ways and become a dictator all over again. Demanding they return home and let her help raise the boys. After Alan was born, she lost her connection to reality altogether and they had finally severed ties. Jason missed the women often but he wouldn't allow her delusions to affect his family. So, when she tried to kidnap Alan, they'd all had enough. Edward had her committed, sadly, the ward wasn't secure enough and she took her own life.
Edward had been living with them for the last year but wanted to come home one last time, say goodbye to all the ghosts and remember the times they'd all shared in the mansion. It would go up for sale at the end of the month. Edward was no longer capable of taking care of the more complex side of things, so Jason had taken control of ELQ and appointed people he trusted into key positions.
Brought out of his thinking, Jason watched as his children surrounded the old man. He would always try to get the better of people but having so many grandchildren to dote on, had tamed the man as much as possible.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY Gramps!" Cam, Jake and Alan shouted.
Once the kids moved off, Edward laughed and then winked at Elizabeth. "It's a good thing my hearing is going, or I suspect I might have hearing damage after that." Noticing the usual sparkle was missing from his granddaughters eyes, Edward motioned her down to his level. "What's wrong dear?"
"Why would you think something is wrong?" Elizabeth asked not wanting to share her woes.
"I'm old, not senile little girl. Spill it, you've been crying. What has that degenerate of a grandson done now?" Edward asked while pulling her into his arms.
For some reason, she just wasn't able to deny the old man, even though she often tried. "Jason just let it slip that my hopes were for nothing, the second baby, that we didn't know the sex of, is actually a boy. I'll love them both, that isn't the question, and it's just…"
"You wanted a girl." Edward finished for her. He watched her give a small nod before tightening his hold. "You going to keep trying? I'll never turn my nose up at more grandchildren to spoil." He offered with a laugh.
"If we keep trying, I'm going to need help and I always thought I could handle anything but 7 boys…Do you know how many women they could knock up?!" She asked horrified.
"Let's wait awhile before we worry about them populating Italy, hmmm?" Edward said.
She knew she was being silly, but it was hard to grasp sometimes. If she hired a nanny, then maybe she'd get another woman around, although, with the way her luck was going, she'd end up with a manny/bodyguard. Hell, she had even looked forward to having a girl pet but no…her husband took the boys and they found two great big brutes, both…male. The two kittens, the fish, the turtle, the snake, the lizard and the bird...all bloody boys! If Diane didn't move soon, she'd kidnap the attorney and take her chances with handcuffs and an offer of daily shoe purchase.
Elizabeth watched as Alice and Reginald doted on Edward. Ushering all his guests to him before letting them mingle. They'd stayed behind to maintain the house but were planning on returning with them, when they went back to Italy in a few days. Elizabeth brightened, at least with Alice at the house, there would be one girl.
Jason watched a smile bloom on Elizabeth's face and began to breathe easier. He really did feel for her, she had women friends but it wasn't the same. Having a huge family didn't afford them a lot of time to socialize. Knowing he was going to be old and grey before the kids left the nest, he figured, they'd try one more time after this. 'God, I know I haven't always been a good man but my Elizabeth is the best woman, mother, wife around, please, for the love of all that is holy. Please, please, please, let us have a little girl next. Thank you…' He finished wishing silently.
XxXxXxX
The next morning, Elizabeth woke late. Wondering how she didn't hear the kids, she quickly went through her morning routine before making her way downstairs.
The cottage wasn't big enough to contain her bunch of ruffians when they were worked up, so she knew right away, they must be outside. Opening the door undammed the hellacious noise. The cottage had amazing soundproofing, Elizabeth thought before walking further on to the estate.
She couldn't contain her smile. Jason was buried under all of the kids, taking special care that the twins didn't get hurt while the older ones tried to beat their father into submission. Every time one of the boys moved, Jason would free his hand and start the tickling all over again. It was a game they played often and even though Cam told them he was too old for such juvenile things, he always ended up in the thick of things.
When they saw her walking towards them, they immediately jumped up, preparing to take her down as well. "Don't even think about it! Your dad and I have things to do this morning and having to shower and change, is not in the cards. We can see if Gramps is up for a scavenger hunt later today or tomorrow, sound fair?"
Seeing the huge smile's on Jake and Cam's face would never get old.
"You got it mom but what will Alan, Edward Jr. and Gavin do while we do a scavenger hunt?" Cam asked, always worrying about his siblings.
"I can't see why they can't help you, it could take a little longer but I think that's half the fun. We'll figure it out. Can you guys get ready to go to the main house, Alice and Reginald said they'd help Edward keep you little hoodlums in line." She said with a laugh.
Cam rolled his eyes but Jake and Alan thought she was funny, so that was all that mattered.
XxXxXxX
"You sure you want to come see Sonny with me?" Jason asked, worrying evident in his voice.
"I don't want to see him but we need to convey our united front. These attacks he keeps trying to levy at us, they need to stop. If this conversation doesn't work, are you willing to do something drastic?" Elizabeth asked, gnawing on her already abused lip.
Seeing the worry clearly written on her face, Jason stopped their forward progress and pulled her in to his arms. Kissing the sting of her teeth away from her lips, he distracted her so completely; they didn't realize they weren't alone anymore until a horrible screeching penetrated the lusty fog they'd succumbed to.
"Jason…Oh My God! I knew you'd come back to me. I've missed you so much, Michael and I need you. Sonny's lost his mind, Oh Jason…" Carly screamed while trying to push Elizabeth out of Jason's arms and insert herself.
"Oh look, it's one of the Looney Toons of good old Port Charles." Elizabeth said, deadpan.
Ignoring her completely, Carly continued to fight Jason for her position. Already having had enough, Jason firmly shoved the delusional blonde away from him, almost tripping her in the process.
"Why are you being so mean Jase?" Carly whined.
"I haven't spoken to you in over five years! Why would you think I would want you hanging all over me, especially when you pushed my wife away like she wasn't even there?" Jason asked, exasperated.
"Who's your wife?" Carly asked, not bothering to take her eyes from him.
"So you are going to be dense…You know damn good and well that I married Elizabeth, stop playing these silly games, it is frankly tedious and pathetic." Jason said, pulling Elizabeth back into his arms.
Realizing that ignoring the problem wasn't going to work, Carly glared at Elizabeth before contorting her mouth into a pout. "Oh look, the baby factory is pregnant, why am I not surprised. The only way you could ever hold on to a man, was because of your little bastards."
"A baby factory really isn't that far off the mark." Elizabeth said softly on a sigh.
Hearing his wife, Jason couldn't contain his laugh. "You are not a baby factory baby, I just can't seem to keep my hands off you and if I am not mistaken, was it not you who was accusing me of being SuperJase and having SuperSperm?"
"Busted…" Elizabeth said on a laugh.
"You are, totally but I love you anyway." Jason said, losing himself to the kiss he once again planted on her luscious lips.
"What am I, invisible?" Carly shouted, stomping her foot for good measure.
Unwilling to give her the satisfaction of breaking the kiss too soon, Jason continued to make his wife pliant.
"If I recall correctly, your ability to kiss is why I am once again pregnant." Liz said while dipping her head to recapture his sinfully tantalizing lips.
"I believe we are both to blame. I kissed you, you kissed back and then it all spiraled from there, like it normally does…she isn't going away is she?" Jason asked forlornly.
"Nope, want to make a break for it? I'm sure even in my pregnant state, I could beat her in a footrace." Elizabeth offered with a twinkling smile.
"I think the boys need to sleep at the main house tonight." Jason said passionately. Giving her a look that could melt glass.
Feeling the familiar pleasurable tug in her lady bits…Elizabeth swiped her tongue over Jason's bottom lip. "Bring it big boy!"