A/N – Thanks for the welcome. I'm going to post Mondays and Thursdays.

Chapter 2

Elizabeth fed Jake a bottle. "Your daddy saved you like I knew he would. I promised to give you a great life, but I don't know if I can forgive Lucky. I've tried so hard to make things right, but if I'm miserable, I think you and Cam will be too. I just—maybe I'm selfish, but I seem to always have to put other people first who don't deserve it. I'm trying to figure out a way to deal with this. I made promises that I don't think I can keep. Jason sacrificed so much to try to make your life better, but what if we're both wrong? And is this even fair to Lucky?

Jake made a cute noise as he drank.

"Don't you worry. Mommy is going to make this right. I should have never asked the unthinkable, to begin with." She kissed his forehead. "Mommy is going to make some plans."

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The next day, Lucky shows up early in the morning.

Cam runs up to him and gets a hug.

"Hey, I missed you."

Elizabeth doesn't look up from where she is on the couch folding clothes. "Cam, go finish your breakfast."

Lucky kisses him on the forehead and puts him down, waiting until he clears the entrance to the kitchen before speaking. "What now?"

She shrugged. "I'm not sure yet."

He sighed as he put his hands on his hips. "I don't want to fight with you."

"Yet that's all we seem to do lately." She finally fixed him with her stare.

"Say what you want to say."

"I'm tired of arguing and you always being so disappointed. It's exhausting for me to try and please everyone else. I have to make sure I don't hurt your feelings every time you walk through that door," she said in hushed tones so Cameron wouldn't hear.

"Do you know how insulting that sounds? I'm not a toddler."

"Then stop acting like one."

His glare almost set the house on fire. "Maybe if my wife wasn't chasing a mobster all over town, there wouldn't be a problem."

She slammed one of Cam's shirts into the bin and then pointed at him. "Maybe if my husband wasn't so insecure and supported his wife, there wouldn't be a problem."

"So now, it's all on me?"

"God Lucky. You can never admit when you're wrong. I'm tired of apologizing for things I didn't do."

He moved closer. "Look, today is the 4th. We're supposed to spend it with my family. Can we get through it?"

"I'm not going to ruin anything for Cam, but Lucky, whatever is going on between us isn't going to work. Something needs to give or we're not going to make it." There is no way that she's going to suffer in silence and seeing the determination on her face, Lucky knew not to push it.

Somehow, his wife has gotten her backbone back, and he's not sure that's a good thing.

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The next day, Carly confronted Ric to try to get in to see Jason, and when that failed, she decided to visit Elizabeth to see if she'd back her up.

Elizabeth opened the door.

"Carly…"

She pushed past her. "I need you to back me up about what Ric did in the panic room so we can save Jason." If she could go back, Ric would be a dead man. She almost feels guilty for all the pain he caused afterward.

Liz frowned. "How will that save him?"

"Ric is going to do anything he can to take Jason down. I want to take him out of the equation. Maybe then I can at least see Jason, or we can get him out on bail again." Sitting around waiting is torturous, and she just can't do that. Jason would do anything to free her, and she plans on returning the favor.

Elizabeth sighed. "And what if it makes things worse? I don't think you should go that route, Carly."

"What is wrong with you? He sacrificed everything for you yet again because you needed saving."

"He was saving Jake."

"Right, and now he's sitting in Pentonville because of it. You owe him."

Liz wiped her forehead.

"He does everything you ask."

"Carly…"

"He needs my help and I need yours."

Liz sighed. "Can you sit?"

Carly plopped onto the couch.

"Did you read the paper today?"

Carly frowned. "Do I look like I read the paper?"

Elizabeth smirked. "No comment." She went over to the table and retrieved it and then handed it over.

Carly's eyes grew big as she started to read it aloud.

"Jake Spencer was finally returned home yesterday. Sources said an emotionally disturbed woman, who was grieving over the loss of her child, took him and luckily, he wasn't harmed. None other than Jason Morgan, the alleged enforcer with a heart of gold, who was out on bail for the murder of Lorenzo Alcazar, brought little Jake home. Incredulously, local detective Lucky Spencer of the PCPD had him arrested for jumping bail. Can you believe it? Nothing says thanks like handcuffs and a jail cell. Rumor has it that there is bad blood there because of his wife's friendship with Mr. Morgan. It sounds like someone is jealous and spiteful. Of course, Scott Baldwin is using it to throw the book at the bad boy of Port Charles and send him to Pentonville until his trial. Instead of lauding Mr. Morgan for doing what it took to find the poor baby that the PCPD couldn't find to save their lives, they threw him back in jail. I'm not saying that Jason Morgan is a saint, but the devil can wear a suit, uniform, or jeans and a black t-shirt. He comes in all forms, and Scott Baldwin has the horns to prove it."

"Holy Shit." Carly stared her down as a smug Elizabeth grinned. "You did this?"

"Yes, with a little help from Edward."

Carly is truly stunned. "Well, muffin, aren't you a surprise."

"It was the least I could do."

"You have that whole passive-aggressive manipulating thing down, so maybe I underestimated you."

Liz rolled her eyes. "If you want to help Jason, you have to be smart about it, and you can't tell him that you're doing it because he will just try to squash it."

Carly smirked. "Go on." Maybe there is hope for her after all.

"I don't have it all figured out, but what if we create some doubt about Alcazar being dead?"

Carly is deep in thought. "It would be difficult, but maybe with Spinelli's help, we could get it done."

"We need sightings."

"How the hell are we going to do that?"

"Don't you know anything about Port Charles lore?"

"Which one?"

"The whole mask thing. We need to find out how we could get someone his height with his hair and put the molded mask on him. From the viewpoint of a security camera, it would be a slam dunk."

"The only problem is that would take some time to do."

"We'll need to meet. Can you get Spinelli involved? He can't tell Sam."

"I'll threaten him within an inch of life. We need more than him though. Johnny and Francis are trustworthy."

"I'm comfortable with them."

"Perfect. We can meet at the Metrocourt."

"That's fine with me."

Carly stood feeling like she had a new purpose. "Give me your number."

Elizabeth rattles it off.

"Okay. I'll text you the meeting place."

"My Gram has the kids tomorrow tonight." There are two things she needs to do before that meeting occurs, and they are both huge gambles.

"Perfect."

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Sam entered Sonny's office.

"Hey. Do you have any news about Jason?"

"He's Jake Spencer's father, but you know that already."

She schooled her expression. "Yes. I've known for a couple of weeks."

He stood. "I'm trying to understand all of this. The woman who kidnapped Jason's son was interviewed by you a few hours before Jake was taken." He poured himself a drink. "Then, after you interviewed her, she shows up at the park and the next thing we know, Jake is gone. I'm having a hard time believing it's a coincidence, and I think you had something to do with it." He hands her the drink.

"I—it was an impulse. Maureen didn't know what she was doing."

Sonny stared her down.

Sam sighed. "I found out about Jake after he was born, and I didn't understand why Jason would lie to me about something like that because it's so important. I waited for him to tell me, but he didn't, even though I know it was a huge secret."

"Why didn't you just ask him?"

"I wanted him to come to me."

"You had to be angry that he was having a child with her."

"No. I was angry that he lied. I wasn't mad about Jake. I know what he means to Jason, and I know what it's like to lose a child."

He doesn't believe her. "Did you suspect Maureen?"

"No. She was a devastated woman. I would have never thought she'd do that. I was shocked when Jake turned up missing."

Sonny walked away. "Thank you for confirming what I already knew. I know you're lying. You stood there and watched Maureen kidnap Jason's son and you didn't do anything to stop it."

Sam can barely breathe.

"What? You have nothing to say?"

"Not sure where you got that information, Sonny. I was the one that was hurt and lied to."

"You know, the crazy thing is that this all my fault that Jason was even involved with you in the first place."

"What? You are so arrogant."

"You don't even care what you put him through, do you? You don't care that he was locked up suffering and you knew and did nothing. You're pissed about Elizabeth."

"That is an assumption."

"No, I have a reliable source."

"Who? Amelia? She hates me and wants me gone." She still is not sure what sick game her boss is playing, but she is aware that she's up to something.

"You are the one that made yourself look bad and she has every right to hate you when you blew her father away."

"It was self-defense."

"If you weren't conning him and stealing, it would have never come to that., but it's never your fault, right?"

"Fuck you, Sonny. After everything you've done in your lifetime, you stand here being all high and mighty questioning me?"

"This isn't about me. It's about you and what you did."

"Why are you so quick to believe I would do something like this—the woman you had a child with? Did you forget about the hell we went through with our child?"

"Then how could you let Jason and Elizabeth think their child was stolen? You wouldn't even lift a finger to do anything. I get your anger, but Jason has done so much for you. He defended you and you repaid him by watching his child get stolen. Either you were losing your mind or scamming him. Which is it?"

"Who are you to judge me? You tried to take the kids away from Carly. It was awful. If I did watch what you say I did, it was a moment of weakness compared to what you did."

"But it wasn't just a moment. You let it go and you were never planning on telling the truth. I wasn't proud of what I did, but there was no crime committed."

"Maybe not that time…"

"Look, you can think whatever you want, but in the end, you knew that woman wasn't stable, and it was better for you that Jake stayed missing."

She held up her hands. "It must be wonderful that you, Jason, and Carly get to do whatever you want—hurt whomever you want, and you're never held accountable, but you judge all the rest of us at such a high standard. What hypocrites."

"Still doesn't change that what you did was vile. You can spin it any way you want. Jason didn't knock up Elizabeth to hurt you. They used protection. Can you say the same about sleeping with Rick and then watching Jason's son get kidnapped?"

She held up her middle finger. "Fuck you."

He followed her. "You should break up with Jason because it will save him the trouble of dumping you."

"You don't speak for him, and you certainly cannot tell me what to do."

"It's your funeral, and after seeing your attitude, I hope he spits on your grave." The next time Diane goes to see Jason, he'll have to send him a message not to trust Sam. By then, he'll make sure that he has all the proof that he needs.

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The next day, Elizabeth is at Pentonville waiting to see Jason.

"There's a cop here from the PCPD. She wants to ask you some questions. You don't have to talk without your lawyer."

Jason's curiosity is piqued, so he nods, and the guard opened the door. He's shocked when Elizabeth comes into view, but at the same time, seeing her gives him comfort.

Liz sucks a breath in. "I just have some questions to ask about the kidnapped baby."

"I'll hear her out."

The guard motions toward the chair. "Sit."

Jason lowers himself onto the chair, never breaking his gaze as the guard handcuffs him to the table.

The guard leaves, so Liz takes a seat as she openly peruses him.

"Is there something wrong with Jake?"

Liz smiled. "No, he's perfectly fine."

"Then why are you here?" God, she is beautiful.

"I had to see you."

"You could get into so much trouble."

"You didn't care when you jumped bail to save our son."

He sighed. It's not the same.

"Thank you for everything you did."

"You already thanked me."

"Not enough… Jake had a check-up and he's okay." Jason smiled. "You deserve to know."

"I'm glad he's safe."

"I hate that you are being punished for bringing him home. It's not fair."

"I don't regret any of it."

She took a chance and cupped his hands as they stared. He closed his eyes for a second, relishing her touch. Realizing that it was dangerous to show their connection, they slid their hands apart.

"Please don't take any more risks to see me."

"It's my choice, and I'll deal with it."

A chuckle left his lips. "You can't use my own words against me."

"I'm sure Carly found a way in."

"Yeah, she pretended to be my wife."

"That was my second choice."

His eyes betrayed him because a big part of him still wishes that was an option.

Elizabeth looked away. "Did she mention she visited me?"

"No."

"She wanted to find a way in to see you."

Jason shook his head.

"I'm sorry about Lucky. We've been fighting a lot."

"I don't want him arresting me to come between you."

"We've been having problems for a while. I know I promised to give Jake a good home."

"And you will, regardless of who you are with." He wishes things could be different, but they weren't willing to take that chance together for many reasons.

"I'm beginning to see that."

He wonders if she's thinking of leaving Lucky.

She slowly stood. "I guess I should leave. I just—I worry about you so much. I hate that you're in here."

"Me too, but you can't take a chance like this again."

"I'll try to stay out of trouble, but you know me."

He smiled, prompting her to do the same.

"Be careful."

"I will."

Right before she got to the door, she turned around.

"I've been doing a lot of thinking. When you make it out of here, we need to have a long talk because none of this is sitting well with me."

His brow furrowed as he wondered what she meant, but before he could ask, she was gone.