Jason and Carly walk into the penthouse with their meager belongings, a suitcase and duffel bag of Carly's and a duffel bag and a gun locker of Jason's. Carly looks around. The trailer she grew up in could fit in here ten times at least. She looks at Jason, her eyes wide, "Are you freaking kidding me?! We're living here? Jase, this place is beautiful." She gives him a grin, "I wish some of the kids back home could see me now. I'd like to rub this in the noses of all the kids who called me trailer trash."
He drops the bags, incensed. His eyes are shooting sparks of rage. He goes to stand in front of her, his arms crossing over his chest, "You are not trash. Give me names and I'll have them taken care of."
She lets out a laugh, but his face remains serious. She takes a step forward, wrapping her arms around him in a hug. She feels the tension in him, the rage he feels about something that happened to her years ago, just a little name calling between kids, and it brings tears to her eyes. No one has ever cared about her like that. Lord knows she doesn't want to turn into AJ, always going on about how the world did her wrong, but it's like a balm to her soul that someone cares. And based on the stone-like feeling of his muscles, he cares very much.
The pregnancy hormones hit her hard as she realizes she's really not alone anymore. Suddenly, she's crying so hard, Jason's concerned. He holds her to him, though her arms are wrapped so tightly around him, she's not going anywhere. He runs his hands comfortingly over her hair and down her back.
When she has calmed enough to speak, Jason asks, with worry in his voice, "What's wrong? Did I say something wrong?"
Wiping her face with her hands. Then, rolling her eyes at having no tissues anywhere, pulls the neck of her navy T-shirt over her face to dry it. She is careful of her makeup, praying she doesn't look like a raccoon.
Giving him an emotional smile that's a little shaky, "You might be the first person in my whole life who has cared. It made me realize I'm not alone anymore. It means so much, you just don't know. These are happy tears, grateful tears. I'm so lucky to have you."
Jason feels a pulse of joy at her words, even as his chest feels tight at the picture she's painting of her childhood. He can't imagine how lonely she must have felt. He gently asks, "You didn't have any friends who cared? What about your mom?"
She shrugs, "Mama cared about me, but she didn't have time to listen to me 'complain' about the trivial details of my life. In all fairness, she was usually working two or three jobs just for us to get by, and stayed exhausted." She gets a sad look, "I had a best friend named Carly."
Jason cuts in confused, "Your best friend's name was also Carly?"
She laughs at this. "No, uh… my real name is Caroline Benson. Her name was Carly Roberts. When I came here, I didn't want anyone to know who I was, so I borrowed it." Her voice is lost in the past, softer and sadder. "She was everything I wanted to be, from a rich family, respected, popular. I think I spent our entire friendship trying to make myself just like her. She cared about me, but I was trying so hard to be like her, she never really met the real me. Definitely not enough to care about my problems." She looks down at her hands, "I did a lot of things I regret trying to fit into her world." Her voice fills with regret, a tear escaping from the corner of her eye. "I did something awful, and Carly saw. She ran out, just wanting to get away from me, and got in an accident." Her throat is so tight with emotion, she has to force out, "She died because she was running away from me."
Pulling her into his chest, she immediately burrows in as a fresh flood of tears is released. Behind them, the door opens and Brenda pops her head in. Seeing Carly weeping in Jason's arms, she rolls her eyes, "Great job, asshole. You have only been here for like fifteen minutes and already you've made her cry."
Carly tries to wrestle her way through her tears to defend him, but Jason beats her to it. "Shut it, Brenda. Now is not a good time." He pauses, "No time is a good time where you are concerned. I have never wanted your opinion on anything, and if I did, I'd probably kill myself before asking for it."
Brenda rolls her eyes, while Carly looks back and forth between the two with wide eyes. Seeing the mess Carly's made of her face, Brenda says, "Hold on. I'll be right back."
She runs out the door, and is back in less than a minute with a box of tissues. She walks up to Carly, shoving them into her hands. "Here, since Jason didn't think to buy his pregnant girl tissues." She gives her fiancé's right hand man a look dripping with annoyance. Then, she looks around the empty apartment, "Or furniture. Way to go dumbass! You're pregnant girl has to sit on the floor."
Carly speaks up, "Uh, thank you for the tissues, but none of that's Jason's fault. And emotional breakdown aside, I'm okay."
Jason gives her a soft smile, which Brenda watches with interest. With a dismissive tone, she tells Carly, "Agree to disagree."
Jason grates out between clenched teeth, "What do you want, Brenda?"
She tilts her head, looking delighted at his annoyance. With a grin, she tells him, "Meeting the neighbors. Wouldn't want you to think I'm inhospitable."
"God forbid." Jason says sarcastically. "So you're bored and thought annoying me would be fun?"
"Pretty much." She says with a smile, but Carly sees a loneliness and curiosity just under the surface.
She takes a step towards her, and with a laugh, says, "You guys are hilarious. I'm Carly, and sincerely, thank you for the tissues. Really, none of this is Jason's fault. Everything is just happening so fast, we're trying to keep up."
"If you want, I can help you get furniture and stuff for the apartment. I know some places where we can get furniture delivered fast." She gets an excited gleam in her eyes, "I can help you decorate the nursery. I hope it's not a secret; Sonny told me."
Carly gives her a considering look. She would love to have a girlfriend, someone to talk to about all the things she can't talk to Jason about. But, Brenda's best friends with Robin, who hates her, which is a big no-no in the girlfriend's handbook. "Uh… I appreciate the offer, but I'm not sure your bestie will appreciate us hanging out."
Brenda waves her hand in a flutter, "Don't worry about Robin. I can handle her." She looks down at her nails, "Besides, she's not here."
Carly softens as she sees someone in desperate need of a friend. But… "Um, I would love your help, but I need to talk to Jason about it first." It's her turn to look down at her nails, both women unconsciously showing the same tell when they feel insecure.
Jason watches all of this alarmed. He can't state emphatically enough that he does not want her to bond with Brenda. The woman is the most aggravating and annoying human to walk the earth. He'll just explain to Carly that the brunette is not friend material.
Brenda turns a glare on Jason, as though reading his mind. When she looks back at Carly, her face is a mixture of vulnerability and bravado. "Though it pains me to help Satan over there, I'm just across the hall if you need anything. Anytime."
Carly gives her a shy smile that pulls a growl from Jason. She lets out a chuckle at Brenda's pleased look. With sass, she tells them, "My work here is done."
When she leaves, Jason tells Carly, "Please not her. Don't choose her as a friend. She makes me want to kill her on a daily basis. And she's extra annoying right now because of the wedding."
Carly looks at him, surprised, "You're not going to command it?"
He tilts his head, "Would you listen?" When she rolls her eyes, he takes a step closer to her, "I want you to be happy, and I want you to have what you want, whatever that is… sigh… even if that's being friends with Brenda."
She walks into his arms, holding him in a desperate grip as tears fall from her eyes. "You are my best friend, you know that right? I'm sorry I keep crying on you. It's just that I'm so grateful I have you. I literally wouldn't have anyone if I didn't have you."
There is such love and gratitude in her voice, a smile on her face that shows how lucky she feels to finally have someone who cares about her, but it breaks his heart. He doesn't have a lot of people, but he has enough people he trusts, who he knows will be there for him no matter what. He squeezes her tight, and lets out a sigh, "Fine, you can be friends with Brenda."
She laughs with tears making her voice wobbly, "Don't worry too much. We may hate each other. But, thank you. You're quite a man, Jason Morgan. Our kid is so lucky to have you." She leans and gives him a kiss on the cheek. Being this close to him has her body and heart aching in the sweetest ways. Scared of wrecking things, she takes a step back.
She turns to look at the apartment, missing the fact that it takes a moment too long for his arms to stop reaching for her, though he lets go the moment she begins to withdraw. He stuffs his hands in his pockets, looking around the apartment with interest. Clearing his throat, he says, "I guess we need some furniture."
She looks down, not saying anything for a minute. He walks to stand behind her, his hand reaching up to rest on her shoulder. She turns around, looking up at him with vulnerability in her eyes, "Jase, I don't have any money to…"
Realizing the issue, he lets out a relieved sigh. With a smile, as he's reaching for his wallet, he says, "Don't worry. I've got plenty of money."
Pulling out a black Amex card, he hands it to her. Her jaw drops when he adds, "Here, you can use this one. I'll call the company and have them make you your own copy, and give you permission to use this card. Just, please don't make me look at samples or pick out colors."
Shaking her head, she looks down and argues, "I can't…"
He puts his finger under her chin, the touch is electrifying. Her eyes shoot to his which are studying her intently. He tilts his head, his gaze somehow seeing to the depths of her, "Why not?"
She feels exposed at the way he sees her, almost like he can see through her. It's both exhilarating and terrifying. She's spent her whole life feeling like she's never been truly seen, not really. Because of where she grew up, the world had decided who she was before she could figure it out for herself. She ran as far away from there as possible the second she could, getting away before she could be dragged down by their stereotypes and expectations. But as far as she has run, it never takes away that feeling inside that she is that same little girl from the trailer park pretending to be something better.
Men in particular never see the true her. She learned from the time she developed curves that when men look at her, they only see one thing. And to be fair, they usually only see who she wants them to see, never letting them close enough to meet the real her. Though, they don't tend to look very hard, deciding she's not worth the effort, she supposes. They see a woman who's more fit for a romp in the sack than being taken home to meet mom. But Jason sees her, the parts of her she hides behind ten inch thick steel walls, and he still likes her. It's like the summer sun after a hard winter. It makes her long for all the things that life has taught her don't come to girls like her.
"Jason, I can't take your money because everyone will just think I'm a gold digger who is trapping you with a baby." Her words come out in a wail. When he moves to hold her, she puts her hands up and flinches back.
Taking a step back to give her room, he cajoles, "We both know that isn't true. Anyone who thinks that can go to hell."
"Jason," she complains.
"Carly, I want to take care of the mother of my child. What kind of man would I be if I didn't make sure you and that baby are safe and taken care of?" His voice gets tight as he tells her, "You told me you think I'm a good man. I wouldn't be if I leave the mother of my children to figure it out on her own." In his passion, he doesn't notice his slip of tongue, but Carly's heart stutters at the word children. A future with Jason as her partner plays in her mind, with blonde haired, blue eyed kids who look like their father. It creates such intense longing in her that she feels a tear slip down her cheek. Jason leans his forehead against hers, pleading with her "Please let me do this. Do it for the baby and for me."
She groans, "No fair. You can't use the fact that I'd do anything for the two of you against me." Her hand reaches for his, grabbing onto his wrist, "Jase, I don't want our kid growing up hearing about his gold digging mom. And you know that's what everyone is going to say."
He shifts his hand to reach for hers, his heart pounding. When she entwines her fingers with his, he's scared his heart will beat out of his chest. She's shown up for him again and again, but hearing her say she'd do anything for him had hit him as hard as a punch. He knows he feels the same; there's nothing he won't do for her and their child.
"We can't control what people think or say, and we can't let them make choices about our life because we're afraid of how they'll react. When I woke up, that's all the Quartermaines were, disappointed and judgmental about every choice I made. They had an idea of who I was or who I was supposed to be, and nothing I did was right. I finally had enough, so I tore up Jason Q.'s room and trashed their living room by riding my bike through it. I won't let those people who don't even care to know me have any control over me."
She has that look on her face that both makes him uncomfortable and that he's always desperate to see again. It's the look that says she thinks he's special, like somehow he's her hero. It warms his chest, though he doesn't think he deserves it. Yet, he still craves it like a fix. She tells him softly, "You're so much braver and stronger than I am."
"That's not true. You have told me some of the stuff you had to deal with growing up. You couldn't have done that without some strength and bravery." His hands move up to cup her face. "If anyone told you anything different, it was a lie. I see someone who is bold, who's fought tooth and nail to pull herself out of a bad situation. I see a friend who told me and Tony the truth about the baby, even though you knew it was going to turn your world upside down. You are one of the bravest people I know."
She leans into him, their foreheads resting against each other again, her tears splashing against his face and lips, breathing in the other's exhale. They stand frozen for long minutes, their hearts pounding in their chests. Jason breathes against her lips, "Please say you'll let me take care of you and our child. I don't want you to stress about this."
She gives in, nodding against him, "Okay."
A relieved smile tilts his lips, then, taking a chance, he closes the distance, giving her the softest kiss, a gentle graze that's over before she can react. She looks at him with eyes clouded with a thousand different emotions: fear, gratitude, desire, and caution clearly in the mix. He knows he can't push her too hard, that she is overwhelmed with so much change and upheaval. So, he pulls back, giving her some space.
Grabbing the box of tissues, he hands them to her, which reminds him, "I should go to the store, get some necessities and some food. What do I need to get for the penthouse and for you?"
When they have made a list, including cleaning supplies, toilet paper, and frozen pizza, Jason looks at Carly, "While I'm at the store, will you order us some furniture?… sigh… You can get Brenda to help you."
She looks thoughtfully at Jason, "I think she wants to help because she feels lonely. It seems like maybe she needs a friend." Her voice is barely audible as she admits, "I understand that."
He walks to stand in front of her, his arm raised in invitation and she walks into them, wrapping her arms around him. The fact that she feels that way kills him. He desperately wants her to feel supported, like no matter what, she has somewhere she can turn. He begins to plan and strategize, something he's really good at. He is going to get her the family and support she deserves. He inwardly groans as he realizes that is going to mean Brenda and Luke. He tells her, "You never have to feel lonely; you have me."
"And you have us," she braves a quick peck on his lips. "Always, Jase."