Chapter 16

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August 1996

Elizabeth arrives home after a long shift at GH and a quick drink with her brother at Jake's. She exits the elevator on the 15th floor. Sonny is yelling at Jason, and Jason yells back, "I am not a babysitter. Max is trained as a guard. Assign him to Carly. He takes Elizabeth's hand, kisses her, and walks back to their PH. Elizabeth looks back and sees Carly smirking.

Elizabeth pushes him inside and says, "What the hell was that about? Carly looked pleased."

"Sonny is micromanaging Carly. He's monitoring her health and what she eats. He wants me to watch out for her. I told him that was what Max was for."

"She looked pleased as punch to have two men argue over her. I don't trust her."

"I don't either, but she's having Sonny's baby."

September

Carly grins as she listens in on Jason and Elizabeth's argument. Max persuades her to return to Sonny's PH. "Ms. Benson, Mr. C. wants you inside until Jason comes over." Carly hears drawers and doors opening and slamming shut. She chuckles as Max escorts her inside. Max calls Milo, "Milo, get up to PH 2. Bella will need you."

Jason says, "Elizabeth, please. Sonny is on the Island, and Pete said he's having a breakdown. Carly is pregnant. It's up to me to care for her."

Elizabeth is packing and yanking drawers out from the chest. "Where were you when I was pregnant? I needed you."

"I didn't remember you. I didn't know any better. I didn't understand."

"Right, my bad. I get you just woke up from a coma, and you were still learning, but it doesn't lessen the hurt. I wasn't first then, and I'm not first now."

"It's only until Sonny returns."

"Carly will still be pregnant, and you work for Sonny. Carly wanted you to be the father of her baby, but I was in the way. It looks like she has you now." Elizabeth yanks open the door to see Milo waiting for her. He embraces her and takes a suitcase and a bag from her. She carries her other bag. She says, "I need someone to get my car for me. I can't pick it up if Carly is around, and I don't trust her to do something to fuck it over."

"Bella, I'll make arrangements. I'm moving back next to you."

"Milo, Maximus sent you and Max to work for Sonny. Sonny will see it as an act of betrayal."

"Pop will understand, and if Sonny wants to keep an alliance, he must accept that Bella is my first priority. She is under our protection. Max likes working for Sonny, and for some ungodly reason, he has a crush on Carly."

Jason stops by the studio and hands Elizabeth the keys to her car. "I parked it in the alley. I hope you'll reconsider returning. I'm sorry, Carly shouldn't have rubbed it in."

"No, she shouldn't have, but you allowed it."

"As soon as Sonny has returned and she has the baby, I'll get Max to watch her. She'll be Sonny's problem, and we can move you back.

Milo walks in and says, "Elizabeth is under my Pop's protection. You tell your boss and Carly that if Elizabeth gets a hangnail, they will discover how serious my father is about Bella."

"I love Elizabeth too. She is under my protection as well." Jason pulls Elizabeth to him, kisses her, and promises it won't be much longer.

Sonny returns and gets an unexpected visit from Maximus, who warns him and Jason that Bella is under his protection and was intended to be under their protection. "You should take better care picking your bedmates. You have a strumpet living with you; she is a threat to our organization. I know who she is and what she has done.

She is now under your protection, as are your future children. We don't kill women and children, but if she harms my Bella, we will take action. Do you understand?"

Jason says, "I would never harm Elizabeth."

Sonny says, "You are my second in command. You will step in if something happens to me."

Maximus says, "I thought you might say that. Max has chosen to work for you. Milo is assigned to Bella. This is non-negotiable. If Bella ever decides to be with Jason again, the terms of our arrangement will remain the same. Do you understand?" Sonny and Jason nods. Sonny isn't afraid of most people, but Maxmimus scares the shit out of him. "I must take my leave and see Bella before my flight."

Maximus visits Elizabeth and gives her gifts from Francesca. He instructs Milo to guard Elizabeth with his life. He kisses her on both cheeks and leaves PC.

October

Carly continues to find reasons for Jason to come to her aid. Jason instructs Max to watch Carly and keep her inside. He's going for a ride. Jason rides up to their bridge and screams.

"Jason?" Elizabeth calls out. "I guess we had the same idea. Why are you here?"

"Carly. You were right about her. I'm sorry I wasn't there for you when you were pregnant or when you lost our child. I'm seeing her progress with her pregnancy, and I'm sad it didn't happen for us."

"So am I."

"Can we go back to your place for an hour? Where is Milo?"

"He's waiting a few hundred yards away. He wouldn't let me take the bike here."

Jason laughs, "I can just see him trying to protect you while you drive at breakneck speeds on the back of Steven's bike."

"It wouldn't be a pretty sight. If Milo weren't putty in my hands, he'd ask Maximus for combat pay." They walk to find Milo waiting. Jason tells him he'll take Elizabeth on his bike and to call it a night.

Elizabeth rests her head on Jason's chest. "This was nice; I've missed this."

"I have too. Can we make this a recurring event?"

"Nightly? Weekly? I still have my night shifts at GH."

"When you don't have night shifts."

Jason and Elizabeth continue to see each other when they can. Jason insists that since Carly is living with Sonny, she is his responsibility overnight. Jason is tired of Carly arriving at his PH with bogus requests. During the day, Jason works on the coffee warehouse plans and the financials. Sometimes, Carly would get Max to take her to the building they bought, where Jason oversees construction. Jason would get annoyed and tell Max to take her home. Carly is six months pregnant and shouldn't be around construction. Carly whines that she is bored and then complains about the dust and dingy building.

Elizabeth works at GH, paints, and goes to Jake's to drink and play pool. Steven stops by to gift her with her own bike. He says, "It's time, Lizzy, for you to stop borrowing my motorcycle."

"It depends; does it have all the bells and whistles?" Steven laughs. What?" He shakes his hand and says, "It's nothing. "They walk to the alley, and Elizabeth shrieks, "I Love it! "He hugs her, and they go bike riding.

November

Emily visits Jason at the PH. She updates him on the family and says their grandmother misses his visits. Jason promises to see Lila in a few days. Emily says, "Jason, since your accident, you've had relationships with Robin and Elizabeth. How can you tell if you are in love?"

"It's different for everyone. Why? Do you think you are in love?"

"I don't know if it's love, but I like Lucky Spencer. I think he likes me." Jason rubs his eyes, trying to listen to his sister drone on and on about the Spencer kid. He wishes Robin were around. She was friends with Emily and knew about love, and Elizabeth could probably explain it, but all he was getting was a headache.

"Emily, follow your heart. If you do go further, use protection. If Lucky breaks your heart, let me know, and I'll take care of him."

"Jase, I love you, but you are not helping. Do you think I could ask Elizabeth?" Jason shrugs; he thinks Lucky is a punk, but he doesn't believe in telling people what to do or how to feel. Edward Quartermine tried doing that with him, but it didn't work.

Elizabeth's family celebrates her birthday. Jason takes her to the Bridge to Nowhere. He hands her a necklace and says Emily helped him pick it out. They drive over to Jake's, and they play pool and dance.

December

Carly is eight months pregnant, and Sonny requires Jason to take on more responsibilities. The warehouse is finished, and Jason must take a couple of trips to PR. Corthinos-Morgan Coffee is ahead of schedule, and they should be able to start shipping the first of the year.

Elizabeth passed her exams and will start assisting the doctors in surgeries after the first of the new year.

Lucky and Emily are in a relationship.

Jason and Elizabeth are having an intimate moment in the studio. As they are preparing for bed, Jason's cell rings. Max is in a frenzy. Sonny is having another breakdown. He's throwing glassware and furniture around the PH. Jason apologizes, quickly gets dressed, and hurries back to the PH, leaving a half-naked Elizabeth alone.

Jason manages to get Sonny under control and has a doctor waiting for his arrival in PR. Johnny accompanies him on the private jet.

Carly is close to her due date, and with Sonny out of commission, Carly duty is firmly in Jason's hands. Jason moves into Sonny's PH, and Carly takes advantage of Sonny's absence. Carly gets what she wants by driving a wedge between Jason and Elizabeth. Elizabeth refuses to be second, and watching Carly carry a child to term is too painful. Elizabeth takes additional shifts at GH to ease the loss of Jason to the likes of Carly. Milo keeps Elizabeth occupied by going to Jake's or helping her with her art.

Carly goes into labor, and Jason takes her to GH. Elizabeth rotates shifts and helps Bobbie in the maternity ward. Dr. Meadows, the new OBGYN, hasn't started yet, and the other OBGYN is out sick. Bobbie, who is trained as a midwife, gets the call about Carly. Bobbie and Elizabeth wait for Carly.

Carly is unhappy to see the two women she hates the most to be standing by to help her with her labor. She begs Jason to find other nurses. Bobbie says, "Carly, Elizabeth, and I are professionals. We treat everyone the same. You are in labor; you don't have time to pick and choose." Jason places a call to PR.

Carly has another contraction and screams out in pain. Elizabeth takes Carly to an exam room. Jason completed the paperwork they started last week. Two hours later, Carly develops complications. Bobbie pages Steven in the ER.

Elizabeth cleans up in the locker room. Bobbie says, "Thank you, Elizabeth. I know Carly hasn't been kind to you."

"Nor you. You were amazing. You and Steven saved her life. She'll learn she has a healthy baby boy when she wakes up."

"I'll stay for a while. Good night, Elizabeth."

"Goodnight, Bobbie."

Elizabeth leaves and sees Jason standing at the window, looking at all the infants. "Hi. Steven updated you on Carly?"

"Yes, this one, there is her son."

"Congratulations. Goodbye, Jason."

"I called the Island. The doctors say Sonny's not ready to return. They hope he'll be ready in a month."

"Okay. Good luck."

"Wait, could you help me?"

"Carly won't like me helping you, and I refuse to be second."

"Elizabeth, I'm sorry."

"So am I. Happy New Year, Jason."

"Happy New Year, Elizabeth."