Chapter 15

November 1999

Thank you to Trini12180 for your review. Thank you to the guest reviewer. I wanted to show Jeff as still present in Elizabeth's life, but I also needed him to be away while Elizabeth hid Jason in her studio. Audrey will begin to be more present but will annoy Elizabeth with her perceived rules. To set up Carly and Sonny's betrayal, Jason forms a closer bond with Carly, giving her hope for a future with Jason.

Summary:

Sonny's plans for revenge. He sets up Hannah, but Roy pays the price. Roy works undercover to bust Sonny.

Sonny and Carly continue to trade insults. They have hate sex with disastrous results.

Luke and Laura sadly agree to divorce.

Bobbie and Jerry's wedding is interrupted by his arrest for money laundering. Alexis predicts Jerry will be imprisoned for about ten years and possibly out in four.

Helena fakes her paralysis and is arrested for Katherine's murder. Stefan has evidence

Nikolas stalks Elizabeth and shows a jealous streak.

Elizabeth enjoys her motorcycle rides with Jason. Jason likes to see her smile.

Elizabeth turns 18. Jeff leaves PC again.

Jason is in danger

11/1-13/1999

Jeff stops by GH to receive the necessary shots for his trip. He visits Monica, Alan, and Bobbie at GH. Bobbie confirms his attendance at Elizabeth's party. He comments his daughter is not big on birthdays or surprises, but he will be there. He asks Bobbie if she thinks Elizabeth is adjusting to living by herself. Bobbie says she is, but while Elizabeth has a lot of support and friends, she still misses Lucky. Audrey stops over, and Jeff kisses her cheek. He asks if his daughter has stayed in touch, and Audrey gushes over how good Elizabeth is when she checks in on her. She feels less lonely. She wants to see more of her granddaughter but understands her need to be independent.

Elizabeth receives a call from Tammy saying she needs extra help at Kelly's. Elizabeth enters a dark diner and starts to apologize for being late. When the lights go on, she hears, "Surprise!"

Elizabeth says, "Gram, did you plan this?"

"Yes, with help from Bobbie. You have grown into an amazing young woman. Happy 18 birthday, Elizabeth."

"Thanks, Gram." She hugs her grandmother.

Jeff says, "Elizabeth, I'm proud of you. Here, Happy Birthday." He hands her an envelope, and she finds a note for a line of credit at the local art supply store for $300. "I hope this helps with your supplies for your paintings." He hugs his daughter.

"Thank you, Dad."

"Elizabeth, Nikolas told me you've been out on motorcycle rides with Jason Morgan."

"Dad, I seem to remember hearing Uncle Rick telling us about you and a motorcycle. There is no need to worry. Jason is very safe and insists I wear a helmet. Riding with him helps me forget about the losses this past year."

"As long as you wear that helmet. Elizabeth, your mother called, and I must travel to Bosnia to stay with your sister during her quarantine. She is starting Pre-med at Brown in January. I'm sorry, but I have to leave again."

"It's okay, Dad. I overheard your call with Mom. I'm working extra shifts at Kelly's and have your emergency fund if necessary. When you return, I'd like to visit Sarah."

"Tomorrow, I want to do a final review of your studio. I fly out on the fifth. I'll take my leave so you can celebrate properly with your friends."

Nikolas interrupts a banter with Elizabeth, Emily, and Juan and asks to speak with Elizabeth privately. They go outside, and he apologizes for his behavior since Katherine's death. He's learned some details about his mother and Stefan that have unnerved him.

Elizabeth says she understands but wonders why he told her father about the motorcycle rides with Jason.

"Elizabeth, you are my best friend. I'm sorry if I overstepped. I was worried. I don't ever want to push you away."

"Impossible. You are stuck with me." Elizabeth hugs Nikolas and turns to leave. He pulls her back and kisses her. Elizabeth is shocked and pushes him away. "Where did that come from?"

"Elizabeth, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to kiss you."

"Then why did you?"

"I don't know; like you said, since Katherine's death, I've been all over the place. I don't know what I want or how I feel."

"But I do. I still love Lucky."

"I know. It was wrong. I was rude."

"Nikolas, you are one of my closest friends, but we are just friends. I need you to understand that. I would never want to hurt you, but I'm not ready for you to kiss me."

"I do. It won't happen again. Forget it ever happened."

Elizabeth tries shrugging it away, "What happened?"

Nikolas smiles and exits, allowing her to return inside to blow out her candles. Elizabeth loads her presents into the trunk of her car and walks to the docks. She sits on a bench overlooking the harbor. She contemplates what transpired with Nikolas and prays their next encounter won't be as embarrassing. She stares into the dark water, not noticing footsteps approaching."

Jason says, "It's getting late."

She looks up and says, "Hey."

"You know it's not safe to be out here this time of night."

"Yeah, well…"

"Especially if you are alone."

Elizabeth sighs, "Lucky and I spent time under these docks. We'd hide when people would walk by because he didn't want his parents to know where he was. This was before the boxcars and after his apartment above your shop. I wanted a place to call home, but I'd stay for Lucky until Dad or Gram would miss me. That summer, all I wanted was to turn 18. He had these big plans for us to be in New York City, but that didn't happen. Lucky is gone, and I'm still on this bench in Port Charles. I turned 18 today, but Lucky never will. Happy Birthday to me." Jason patiently listens as usual. "Sorry for wallowing."

"Was that what you were doing?"

"They threw a surprise party for me at Kelly's. Gram, Bobbie, Emily, and Nikolas were there. Even my dad showed up. All I wanted to do was to run out of there. They were trying so hard not to mention Lucky."

"Why."

"I don't know. It's not as if one day changes how I feel. They need me to be okay; I pretend so they will feel better."

"Do you feel better?"

Elizabeth shudders, "No, I hate birthdays. I always have. My dad knows this, but Bobbie twisted his arm. Do you remember when you turned 18?"

Jason laughs, "No. I'd be almost four if I started counting after my accident."

She chuckles and nods. "That is why the concept of birthdays makes no sense. Why measure in years? Why not in people, events, or milestones?"

"Why measure it at all?"

"Maybe because of family. It was during a time when my mom was trying. I was eight, and Steven was in high school and knew I was being neglected. He asked my mom to plan something for me. I wanted to please her. So I sucked it up and ate my cupcakes, said thank you, ran to my room, and promptly slammed the door behind me. I hurt their feelings."

"You were just a kid."

"Yeah, but I could have handled it better. Moving out here and seeing Emily with her parents, my dad, and Gram being so supportive made me realize I was selfish. Sometimes, we must do things we don't want to do for family. I was the perfect birthday girl tonight, and in the end, I hurt a good friend."

"Did you have a choice?"

"Not if I wanted to be true to myself."

"Did your friend understand?"

"I hope so. He covered and said he was out of line and understood."

"So even though you told the truth, you took something away? A chance of hope?"

"Yeah."

"It hurts."

"Sounds like you know the feeling."

"Yes. Do you want to get out of here?"

"Really? Of course. I want to leave my dad a message. He is leaving Port Charles again to help my sister. He showed concern when Nikolas ratted on me that I was out riding with you. Dad understands and wants me to be safe."

Jason extends his hand, and she follows him up the stairs to his motorcycle.

Jeff says goodbye again. Elizabeth promises to be more present in Audrey's life. Jeff promises to send a postcard from Bosina and call when he returns to the States.

Carly plots against AJ. She suggests she should move out with Michael. She hopes to leave the mansion with Michael and in Jason's bed.

Jason is on the docks and sees Elizabeth. They discuss her art project, and she has to decide between two paintings of Lucky. Elizabeth says her portrait of Lucky got her accepted into the New York art school. Jason says the docks are larger, but a guitar looks harder to draw. Elizabeth tells Jason that he isn't any help. She needs a decision. Jason asks why him. She says he knew Lucky, and she is tired of thinking about it. Jason pulls a quarter out of his pocket. He says, "Heads for the docks and tails for the guitar." She watches as he throws the coin up and grabs it before he can catch it. She says guitar. Jason laughs and says he is glad that he could be so helpful. She says she didn't know what to choose until the quarter was in the air.

Carly witnesses this exchange. She watches from her hiding place as Elizabeth thanks Jason. Elizabeth turns to leave.

Jason asks, "Hey! What about my quarter?"

Elizabeth smiles, "It's not a quarter; it's a good luck charm, and I'm keeping it." Jason chuckles as she gives him another smile over her shoulder and walks away.

Carly walks up and asks what the thing with Elizabeth was. Jason shrugs so Carly doesn't push it.

11/14-20/1999

At the PH, Carly asks Sonny when he's getting rid of his FBI girlfriend. He tells her his plans to feed the wrong information to the Feds. Carly says he is headed for trouble and taking Jason with him.

Jason reminds Sonny that Hannah, not Carly, betrayed him. Sonny says that Carly is as bad as Hannah. Carly adds, "You hate me because I'm the one who found out about Hannah."

"I guess lying tramps recognize each other." Jason reminds Sonny that he owes Carly. Jason and Carly leave. Carly apologizes to Jason for the terrible things she has done to him in the past. Jason comforts her and assures her that she can never betray him.

Outside Audrey's, Elizabeth thanks Nikolas for dinner. He asserts that Elizabeth is the only person who understands him. She tells Nikolas that she had better go indoors before Audrey gets worried and comes to look for her. She helps her Gram with chores before heading home. Elizabeth feels uncomfortable with Nikolas's push for something more.

Once inside, Elizabeth calls Jason, and he quickly arrives to take her for a ride on his motorcycle. She hears the roar of his motor and says, "How fast does this go?" He holds out his helmet, and she fastens it around her chin. Laughing, she says, "Thank you."

"Hang on!" When they return, Elizabeth is in front steering with assistance from Jason.

She slides off and removes her helmet. "Oh my gosh! I can't believe I did it!"

Jason smiles, "You were great!"

She stumbles off the bike. "Did you see the lines on the road?"

"You weren't looking?"

"They were one big blur."

Jason laughs, "You are supposed to watch where you are going."

"Yeah, but I was flying; the wind was screaming in my ears, and the whole world exploded in my face. When can I drive it again?"

"Anytime."

"But Jason, I don't have a license."

"That's why you won't get caught."

"What if I'm pulled over?"

"Just do what I tell you."

"Like run from the cops?"

"More like 'ride' from the cops. I'll make sure they don't catch you."

"You just don't care, do you? Nothing stops you—not rules, not cops, not anything."

"I'll tell you. On a night like this, I don't care much about anything except how it feels to go fast."

"So fast, nothing else can touch you."

Jason smiles, and Elizabeth sighs. She recounts her evening to Jason and explains that her time with Nikolas caused her to miss Lucky. She says that the only time that she can forget her anger and sorrow is when she is on Jason's bike.

She looks at the stars in the sky. "Wow! Look at how close the stars are. I feel as if I can almost touch them."

Jason looks up, "Yeah, they really seem close after a ride."

"Yeah, They are beautiful. Aren't you glad we got to see it?"

Distracted, Jason stares at her instead, "Yes, very beautiful."

Jason waits until she is inside her house, locks the door, and flicks the light to let him know she is safe. Before showering and going to sleep, Elizabeth packs supplies for her art project to take to the studio in the morning.

Carly tells Jason about Jerry's arrest. Jason says that Jerry has been working with Moreno for a long time. Carly is shocked that Jason would not tell either her or Bobbie. He says she can't have it both ways: he kept her secret about Michael even though it hurt Bobbie, AJ, and others, just as he kept Jerry's secret for Sonny even though it hurt Carly and Bobbie. Carly apologizes for distrusting him. Jason tells her no need to apologize and pulls her in for a kiss.

Carly savors Jason's kiss. She puts her fingers to her lips. "You kissed me. Can we agree on that?" He smiles and nods. She says, "I love you. I always have. I think you love me too. Can I come home? Please?"

Jason does not respond to her declaration of love. "No, not yet. You can't stay with me, and you should live someplace else. AJ has offered to help even if you leave the Quartermaines, but I don't want to void the agreement. Michael needs both his parents. Is AJ a bad father?"

Carly wants to lie. But Emily lives in the house with them, and there is no love lost between Carly and Emily. "No, he is okay, but he's not you."

Nikolas waited for Elizabeth to show up at her house. She said he looked miserable. He told her about Stavros being his father. She reminded him of biology and that Stefan had been the father he had always wanted. He suggested Stefan was the best one to handle the family business. She said if Lucky could make it work with Luke, she was sure he could do it with Stefan. She tells him he should talk to Laura.

Sonny visits Jason at the PH. Elizabeth calls and asks if he is up for a motorcycle ride. He says he'll be there soon. Sonny asks if that is Carly.

"No, it's Lucky's girlfriend, Elizabeth Webber. Sometimes, I take her riding. It helps her move past losing Lucky. She loves screaming and laughing when driving fast. It reminds me of taking Robin out, though Elizabeth enjoys it more than Robin ever did."

"I'm glad you are helping her heal. She's a better influence than Carly."

"Sonny, it's not like that. Elizabeth is a friend. It's nice to have someone to talk to where it's not about the business."

Jason arrives and hands her the helmet. He asks how things are with Nikolas. Elizabeth says, "Nikolas discovered that Starvos Cassidine is his father, not Stefan. He's not adjusting as well as I hoped."

"Would you like a longer ride? I want to take you on a new route and show you a new spot. He takes her on what he says are the Cliff Roads and shows an old Estate. It's dark, and he promises to bring her back sometime to see it in the daytime. She puts the helmet on and wraps her arms around his waist. She laughs and jokes, "Home, James."

11/24-12/1/1999

Thanksgiving:

The Quartermaines follow tradition with Thanksgiving pizza and song after. Carly spends it with Michael at the Quartermaines. She tells AJ she wants to move out by mid-January and draw up new custody arrangements.

Sonny cooks dinner at his place. Hannah, Mike, Jason, Roy, and Bobbie attend.

Elizabeth unveils her portrait of Lucky with his guitar to Jason. She thanks him for his encouragement and hugs him as Carly watches from above. Elizabeth leaves for class. Carly approaches Jason. She asks Jason if he would like to go back in time. He pulls her close. Jason tells her he isn't sorry for what happened but insists they can't act on their emotions right now. Carly professes that she can be patient and departs with a smile.

Elizabeth was having a bad day. She was late to work, and Bobbie admonished her, wondering why she didn't call. Roy offers to walk Bobbie home, and she accepts. After he left, Elizabeth saw a jar he had left on the counter and hurried after him, dropping it in the process. She started to cry just as Jason walked in. Jason asks what broke. "I broke." Jason helps her sweep up the broken glass. She tells Jason that her art project of Lucky was not acceptable. Her professor's words cite 'plain, amateurous, and beneath her talents.' Jason tells her Lucky would have loved it and wouldn't have cared if it wasn't accepted. She says, "I'd give anything to be with Lucky for one more moment. Could you do something for me?" She puts change in the jukebox and selects her and Lucky's song. "Dance with me?"

Jason pulls her in for a slow dance, and she rests her head on his shoulder. He holds her close while she closes her eyes and tries to remember. Jason understands her grief but finds her innocence endearing. Carly looks through the window, sees them, and cries. She fumes seeing her man dance with someone other than her. After a few minutes, she leaves. She mumbles, "He doesn't like to dance. At least, that's what he tells me."

After the song ends, Elizabeth pulls away. "I'm sorry; I thought I could feel as though Lucky was with me for a minute, but it didn't work. I must accept that Lucky is gone. Nothing could make the hurt disappear. Why do I have to keep learning that lesson over and over?"

"Some things happen quickly, but you must overcome them slowly. I understand. I'm sorry I can't take you for a ride, but I have somewhere to be; will you be okay?"

"I have my car. Thank you for the dance."

Hannah was with Elizabeth as Elizabeth closed up Kelly's. They marveled at the first snowfall and how it made everything perfect and new.

At the PH, Carly knocks and lets herself in.

This starts the "hate sex" and the start of the betrayal. Sonny milks Jason and Elizabeth's friendship to piss off Carly.

"What the hell happened to you?"
"Is she here?"
"Who?"

"Your federal girlfriend. If it weren't for me, you'd be rotting in a prison cell right now, right? For murder, racketeering- whatever it is you do. What is that child to Jason?"

"Who? Elizabeth? She's in college. Come on. Carly, you're shocked Jason will fall for somebody else?

"What do you mean, fall? What, is he in love with her?"
"Um, a decent, pretty girl who actually might be good enough for him."
"Is he seeing her behind my back?"
"What do you call "behind your back? Where did you see them together? Were they riding?"
"What do you mean riding?"
"Well, he takes her on his bike. Now you know as much as I do. I hope it's true because if he falls for her, he could be rid of you."
"Yeah, you'd like that, wouldn't you? (She unbuttons her blouse) You'd love that. Doesn't it bother you that you stand there day after day, look at your best friend's girl, and think about what she might look like undressed?"

"Best friend's'girl'? That's stretching it."

Carly laughs and licks her lips.

Jason leaves in the back of a limo headed to a meeting Sonny set up.

Time for the real fun to begin:

December 1999