Jason and Spinelli have spent the last several hours hunting down Jax and trying to figure out why he has disappeared. Spinelli has found him at a hotel in New York City, and surveillance shows that he's there with his brother. Jerry had shown up the day after Jax had checked in.
Jason calls up some of his guys to go to the hotel to talk to the staff and see if they can figure out what he's up to. Spinelli recommends bugging his room, but doing so is going to take a little longer.
The fact that he left Port Charles for New York City is concerning in Jason's opinion. He has a feeling that Jax is up to something shady, and he's determined to stop it before it hurts Carly. He calls Diane and tells her Jax's location, though he tells her he will personally send one of his men to deliver the divorce papers to him, someone who can bring him back some intel.
After getting the boys showered and dressed, they settle on the couch to play video games. Other than occasionally having to break up an argument, the boys are easy to watch. The only difficulty is making sure they don't hear anything they're not supposed to. On more than one occasion, he's had to hush Spinelli when he shouted out a revelation. He has never been so happy that the kids only understand about a third of Spinelli's vocabulary.
At one point, his young friend shouts out, "The dastardly rake has brought the jezebel here."
Two little heads pop up over the back of the couch, with Morgan asking, "What is a jess bell?"
Spinelli gives Jason a regretful look, before telling their young charge, "Uh, it means…"
Jason cuts in, trying to turn the little boy's attention, "Never mind that. Are you boys hungry? We can make some sandwiches."
Michael turns to his brother, "That means it's a bad word we can't use."
Morgan's eyes get wide, "Spin, did you say a bad word? Mommy is going to get mad."
Michael shakes his head, "He's a grown up, sorta, so he can say it." Not wanting his friend upset with his mom, he goes over and pats his hand, "She won't get angry at you."
Touched that the little boy is comforting him, he gives him a smile, "I'm glad. I don't want your mom mad at me."
Michael gives him a serious look, "Don't worry. We won't tell her."
"Thank you. I appreciate that." Spinelli tells him, his voice less than steady, though whether from laughter or emotion is up for debate.
"I won't tell her either!" Morgan shouts from the sofa. "Got your back, Spin!"
Chuckling, Jason says, "It seems to me that you've got yourself some loyal friends, Spinelli." Giving him a sardonic grin, he adds, "Don't worry, I won't tell on you either."
This causes Michael and Morgan to break down into giggles. Even Spinelli lets out a laugh at their joy.
When the laughter dies off, he sets the boys up at the kitchen table, fixing sandwiches and chips for them. Going back to the young computer whiz's side, he asks, "Brenda is in New York?"
"Not yet. She will be landing at seven this evening. The ticket was purchased by Jerry, not his brother. Perhaps they are hiding evidence of the sordid affair by using his familial attachment to transport the trollop." The last word he whispers in case little ears are listening.
Jason pulls out his phone, telling the person he calls, "I need you to get to JFK airport. Brenda Barrett will be arriving on flight DL 84 from Paris to New York at 7:15 pm. Don't let her see you, but I want you to follow her and keep me informed about her movements. Take a couple guys with you, so you can watch her at all times. And check in with the guys trailing Jax." He's quiet for a moment, listening, then he responds, "Report back to me when she lands."
Hanging up the phone, he pinches the bridge of his nose, "I don't like this, Spinelli. Why is he holed up in New York? I expected him to be making a fuss in Port Charles, and while I'm glad he's not making Carly's life more difficult at the moment, it makes me nervous. Like he's planning something. And why bring his mistress over in the middle of his divorce proceedings? Wouldn't he want her as far away as possible?"
"We will figure it out, Stone Cold. We will protect the maternal Valkyrie."
Jason runs his hand through his hair in frustration, "Dammit! I need answers." He walks over to look out his window, his eyes staring blankly toward the water. "We're so close…" Turning back to Spinelli, he directs, "I want financials on Jerry, Brenda, and everyone else in the Jax family. Whatever he's planning, I'm keeping it far from Carly and the kids."
In response, the young man's focus goes immediately back to his screen and his fingers fly over the keys. Thinking for a moment, he picks up his phone again. When the line answers, he asks, "Where is Carly now?" After a pause, he responds, "No, I'm just checking in, don't disturb her and her mother. But, I need you and her other guards to be on high alert. I've got a bad feeling, and I need you to be extra careful. Keeping her safe is the most important thing."
Hanging up, he sends up a prayer that he can figure out what Jax is up to before it's too late.
Late that night, after the boys are finally fast asleep, Carly slips into Jason's room. He is laying in bed, his chest bare above the sheets. He props himself up on his elbows, watching her come closer to the bed. "Hey," he says softly.
Her hands are fidgeting with the tie to her robe, another thin, silky number that's doing a number on his libido. It melts into concern, as he notices that she looks timid, something he doesn't think he's ever seen her be.
She quietly replies, "Hey, Jase. Is it okay that I'm here?" She looks nervous, ghosts haunting her as she takes this leap again. History has shown her that putting her heart on the line with Jason rarely works out the way she hopes.
He eases her fear when he tells her, "Yes. Always."
She inches closer, her movements cautious. He sits up against the headboard, studying her. He takes in the fact that she's barely looking at him, that her expression is shuttered, and his brows pull together. "What can I do for you? Are you okay?"
She shakes her head, her eyes vulnerable, "The last time I did this, when Michael was a baby, you sent me away. I'm…"
"Scared," Jason finishes for her.
She nods her head, finally looking him in the eye. Softly, she admits, "Yes, I'm scared. I can't lose you, Jase. I just can't."
"You could never lose me. Don't you know by now that I need you just as much?" He keeps his voice gentle, but earnest. He knows the importance of this conversation, that what he says in this moment could make or break them. Everything he wants with this woman, a love and family of his own, is within reach if he plays his cards right.
Carly draws a deep breath that's shaky, moving closer to Jason so she can clearly see his face, "Jase if you don't mean it, please don't…"
"Have I ever lied to you?" His voice takes on an almost pleading tone.
"Jase… Not knowingly." She whispers hesitantly.
"What does that mean?" He asks her.
She sits on the edge of his bed, staring down at her hands, "What you are putting out or showing me is… I don't know, more than you have ever felt for me before. It looks like…"
"Like?" Jason asks.
"Love. It looks like you love me." She braves a quick glance at his face. Instead of looking annoyed or like he is about to let her down gently, he looks relieved.
"You know I love you." He tells her.
"Don't, Jase. You love me as a friend, as your best friend, but not how I love you. How many times have you told me…" she argues.
"I was wrong. I was completely wrong." He pulls down the sheet and reaches his hand out for her. She reads the truth on his face, and allows herself to hope. It's time to take a leap of faith. She can do it for this man, there's nothing she wouldn't do for him. Standing up, she reaches for the tie on her robe. She takes a deep breath, and opens it, dropping it to the floor.
He lets out a groan when she drops the thin silky robe and sees that it's all she has on. He pulls her to him, voraciously kissing her the moment she's in reach. He pulls back long enough to pull her down on the bed, then pressing down on top of her. He looks at her, passion filling her eyes, and grits out in a voice tight with arousal, "Carly… God, I need you."
Carly responds with a moan, bringing her lips up to crash into his. She lets herself get lost in his fire, in the fire they create together all over again. Their lovemaking is desperate, as though it's been years instead of hours since they've tasted this fire.
Afterwards, they are lying wrapped around each other, Carly's head resting on his shoulder, their legs entwined. His hand is trailing over her skin, raising goosebumps.
Keeping her face hidden, she shores up her courage, and asks, "What are we doing here? What do you want? You say you were wrong. What does that mean? I need to know so I can… I don't know, protect myself. If you aren't…"
He rolls her over, his weight pressing down on her. He looks in her eyes, promising her, "This isn't just sex for me. I know my timing sucks, I tried to give you more time to heal, but those damn nightgowns…" he brushes his fingers softly down her face. "Do you remember all those years ago when I told you I was taking my chances? Well, I'm taking my chances again, and I'm really determined to make it work this time. I love you, you know I love you, you knew it before I did. But it's more than that, I'm in love with you. I want you and our family for real. When I told Diane I was serious and committed, I meant it."
"Jase," she whispers, tears falling from the corners of her eyes. She reaches her hand up, cupping his face.
"If you're not there, not ready for something real with me, I can wait until…" his voice is determined.
Carly cuts him off with a light smack on his shoulder, "Not ready?! I have been ready since I was twenty two. You are the one who's taken forever to figure out what I knew all those years ago; we are better together, stronger. Jase… I love you." She's said it thousands of times to him, but he hears it differently this time. The words settle in his chest, his heart feels like it's on the verge of bursting.
Leaning down, he kisses her with every ounce of love that is swirling around in him. Then, propping himself up on his forearms, he tells her, "I love you too."
She gives him a brilliant smile, her hand resting over his heart. Her voice is excited as she asks, "So, are we really doing this?"
Instead of answering, he kisses her again and proceeds to make slow, sweet love to her, whispering words of love into her skin. The reverent way he touches her, like she's something precious he can't live without, shows her everything she needs to know.