Carly hops off Jason's bike and feels her stomach tie into knots as she looks up at the Quartermaine mansion. She definitely doesn't fit in here. The poor little girl in her wants to find the nearest rock to hide under, sure that they will be able to tell that she doesn't belong the second she walks in the door. The house is so big that if you put the trailer she grew up in right next to it, you wouldn't even see her childhood home. It gives her pause that Jason grew up here. How can someone who was used to this growing up ever fit with someone like her, even if he doesn't remember it? She doesn't know how to fit into this world and feels like there's a big neon sign over her head letting everyone know it.

Jason sees the anxiety on her face, and takes hold of her hand. "It will be okay. We are just going in to see Grandmother and Emily. And if you want to go, at any point, just let me know and we'll leave."

She gives him a hesitant nod. He can see the insecurity written clearly on her face. Moving to stand in front of her, one hand holding her and the other moving to cup her cheek, he reassures her, "Don't let them intimidate you. You are better than them in every way that counts."

She feels a pulse of love and a burst of bravery at his words. Instead of answering, she leans forward to give him a soft kiss, her hand resting over his heart. Then, she grabs his hand and goes to knock on the door, but Jason catches her hand before it can make contact. With half a smile, he whispers, "This requires stealth."

Quietly, he opens the door, sticking his head in to make sure the coast is clear. When he sees the living room doors are closed and no one's in sight, he pulls Carly in, heading towards his grandmother's private study. They are careful to tread softly past the living room door, though Jason doubts they would hear if he rode his motorcycle through there with all their yelling.

When they are finally standing in front of the right door, he looks down at her squeezing her hand. "Ready?" he asks her softly. At her nod, he knocks lightly on the door to his grandmother's study, and begins opening the door as she calls out, "Come in, dear."

Pulling Carly in behind him, he has to catch his sister with one hand as she slams into him. "Jason! Is it true? AJ said you're having a baby, that Carly is pregnant with your baby. Was he right? Am I going to be an aunt?"

Jason groans, as his grandmother gently admonishes, "Emily, dear, let them come in."

"Sorry, Grandmother." She says, pulling back, though her smile doesn't dim at all, and she remains glued to his side, her hands holding onto his free arm.

With his other arm, Jason pulls Carly forward, "Grandmother, Emily, I would like you to meet Carly. And yes, Em, we are having a baby."

The teen squeals in delight, while Lila rolls forward, extending her hand to Carly, "Hello, dear. I believe we may have met before. I never forget such a lovely young person." Then, she reaches for Jason's hand. He comes forward, leaning down to kiss her cheek. She smiles up at him, "What wonderful news, my darling! I'm so happy for you. Oh, how lovely it will be to have babies in the family again."

Emily is practically bouncing as she asks, "This is the best news! When are you due? Can the baby call me Auntie Emily? Can I babysit?"

Jason has a patient smile as he tells her, "The baby is due at the beginning of February. We just got back from the doctor, and everything looks good. Carly and the baby are healthy. Um… you can have the baby call you whatever you like, but I feel like that is a discussion between you and the baby. And talk to us later about babysitting, that is something Carly and I will have to talk about."

Carly smiles as she watches him interact with his sister. The patience he shows her as the teen continues to pepper him with questions makes her heart melt. In her mind, she's picturing him with their child, a little blonde haired boy with his father's eyes, or a little girl who hangs on her Daddy's hand, and it makes her eyes misty. She imagines first steps and birthday parties, but also the everyday moments like baths and meals together and bedtime stories. It causes the sweetest ache in her chest. Lila is suddenly beside Carly, patting her hand, she tells her, "Come have a seat, dear. Let's get to know each other."

Carly sits down on the love seat, a little nervously. Her eyes shoot to Jason almost in a panic as the elderly matriarch moves her wheelchair up next to her. Lila kindly tells her, "I am so delighted about your pregnancy. How are you feeling? I'm sure my grandson is taking good care of you."

Giving her a bright, relieved smile, Carly confides, "I'm feeling fine. So far, I haven't had any symptoms other than being tired. And Jason is taking the best care of me. I don't know what I would do without him."

Jason, having finally extricated himself from his sister's questions, sits beside Carly on the loveseat. Emily sits on the floor in front of her brother. He tells his family, "Don't believe her, Grandmother. Carly's a fighter. She'd figure out a way all by herself." Turning his attention to the object of his affection, he praises in a soft tone, "I'd never bet against you."

Carly looks down with a shy smile while Jason continues to gaze at her adoringly. Both Lila and Emily are smiling at the couple's obvious affection for each other.

Lila tells her with a pleased look, "I'm glad my grandson is taking good care of you. Though, as women, I know we are strong enough to stand on our own, it's so much better when we have a good man beside us. And Jason, I'm proud that you are a good man who takes care of his family."

"He's the best man I have ever met," Carly admits, reaching for Jason's hand and linking their fingers together. "The baby and I are lucky to have him."

Jason feels the words settle in him with the same pang of joy he always feels when she talks this way. He wonders if he will ever get used to her praise, to the look she gets on her face like she thinks he can move mountains. After being treated like he was helpless and unable to make his own decisions when he woke up from the accident, her unquestioning faith in him is powerful in how it makes him feel. The love he feels for her is so intense it feels like a physical pain, but the sweetest, most addictive pain he's ever experienced.

Emily practically melts at her words and the lovestruck look on her brother's face, "Aww… you two are so sweet. It's like a fairytale."

Carly looks down with a sardonic grin, thinking that if so, it's a daytime talk show kind of fairytale, more of the Jerry Springer variety than Cinderella. She's far from a fairytale princess, unless princesses cheat on their boyfriends and unintentionally get knocked up by someone else's boyfriend.

She blanches as the reality of the situation hits her. Oh God, how is she going to tell their child about how he or she was conceived? The thought of her child finding out how reckless and destructive she's been ties her stomach in knots. What if the baby looks down on her for the way she has been? Or, God, what if they are ashamed of her? Tears gather in the corners of her eyes, and her whole body suddenly feels like an overstretched wire just before it snaps.

Jason feels Carly tense beside him. Looking down at her, he sees anxiety flash across her face. With concern, he wonders what problem has suddenly popped up in her brain. He watches her eyes look down at her hands, picking at her nails nervously. He doesn't know when it happened, but Carly's fears and pain have begun to feel like his own, his body physically reacting to her emotions. He feels a desperate urge to take all her anxieties away, to find a way to put a smile back on her face. Putting his arm around her, he comforts in a whisper, "Hey, whatever this is, whatever is worrying you, we'll figure it out."

Carly leans into him, resting her head on his shoulder and linking her arm in his. The fact that he reads her fear without being told settles her. Jason will help her. With him by her side, she can do anything. She can even be a better person who doesn't make destructive choices. He can help her find the right words and make the right choices. She is so scared that she is going to screw her child up and just make a mess of everything. But Jason is so much steadier than she is, so much calmer and more controlled. He will be able to keep her from spinning out and doing stupid things that will hurt everyone. Because, when he looks at her like she is special, she wants to be for him and the baby. She wants to be the woman he believes she is, not the woman the rest of the world tells her she is. Linking her fingers through his, she thinks maybe she will just tell her baby that she lucked into the best possible daddy for him. With barely a sound escaping, she tells him, "Thank you."

He pulls her closer to him, giving her a squeeze. He whispers back, "Always."

Carly looks him in the eyes, and gets lost in the way he's looking at her, as though she is someone important and cherished who needs to be protected. Everything else fades away, leaving just this beautiful man and the connection she feels every time she's with him. Both feel love swell within them, though they keep the words inside. Jason's eyes drop to her lips, the desire to kiss her overwhelming his senses. After last night, it takes every ounce of effort he has not to pull her into his arms and kiss the living daylights out of her. All he has thought about all day is taking her back to bed, getting lost in her arms again and again. He craves her and the feelings that rise up anytime she's near. Just the feeling of her hand resting on his arm brings him a sweet pleasure, like a jolt that makes every cell in his body tingle and feel more alive.

His attention is pulled back to his grandmother as she begins to question them about their plans. It takes Herculean effort to tear his eyes away from Carly, and from the corner of his eye, he notes happily that she is still bemused for several long seconds after he looks away. He feels his chest puff up in pride and his pants tighten in arousal, counting down the seconds until he can get her alone again. He pictures the way she looked last night, her eyes lost to ecstasy, her lips swollen with passion, and feels his entire body react. With effort, he stifles those thoughts, not wanting to embarrass himself in front of his grandmother and teenage sister.

When he looks at Lila, she has a twinkle in her eyes. She raises an eyebrow that tells him his thoughts were more clearly written across his face than he would like, then turns her attention to the blonde beside him, "Carly, dear, have you told your family yet? I'm sure they are excited at the prospect of a grandchild. I certainly am." Carly feels herself getting more comfortable at Lila's kindness and obvious pleasure at the news of her pregnancy.

With a smile, Carly admits, "Actually, other than Sonny, you are the first family we're telling. We came here straight from the doctor's appointment. Jason was so excited to tell you and Emily. He wanted to be the first to tell you…" Then, with anxiety creeping into her tone, "…though I guess you already heard the news. And Lord knows what AJ told you. Please let me explain. It's not what you think, I pr…"

Reassuring the young woman, Lila reaches for her hand. "Don't worry about any of that. I was young once too, swept away by passions and dreams. I could tell you some stories from my youth that may raise a few eyebrows around here. But it's those memories that bring you smiles when you get to be an old woman like me." She pats Carly's leg with a smile that holds a little bit of mischief.

Carly gives her a big grin. "Oh my gosh, I love you! And I absolutely want to know every one of those stories."

Jason watches the two bond, and smiles as he watches Carly blossom under his grandmother's gentle care. That's all he wants for her, to feel safe enough to thrive, and determines once again that he'll do everything to give that to her. Emily pulls on his sleeve. "Are you going to get married? I could be a bridesmaid."

Jason looks quickly at Carly who is looking like a deer in the headlights. They are saved from answering by Lila admonishing the teen, "Emily. Don't put them on the spot. That could be considered rude, darling."

But the seed has been planted in Jason's mind. As his sister apologizes, he runs it over in his head. Does he want to marry her? He has never considered getting married before, at least not as Jason Morgan. If Jason Q did, it was in another life. He does like the idea of being even more connected to Carly, and maybe it would make her feel more secure. He also feels a primal desire to claim her to the world, to tell everyone she is his and to stay away, if only to keep all of the jackasses who fall all over her, like AJ and Dr. Jones, at bay.

As Carly bonds with his grandmother and sister, Jason's mind is in a whirl considering all the angles. Carly lets out a laugh at something his sister is saying, and he is captivated by her all over again. His eyes caress her face, memorizing her look of joy. The thought of building a life and family with her fills him with the most intense longing. He can't think of a better future than spending everyday with Carly, laughing with her and making love to her. With an almost imperceptible nod, he concludes he would like being married to her. Once he's got his mind set, he considers whether she wants to marry him and how he is supposed to go about asking. He decides to talk to Sonny about it since he will give the best advice about getting married.

After about twenty minutes, when Carly has thoroughly charmed the other women in the room, they begin wrapping up the conversation. Lila makes Carly promise to visit her again, and Emily squeals when Carly invites her to their penthouse to help her decorate the nursery. After Jason and Carly have given both women hugs, he takes her hand, pulling her out of the room.

Walking out of Lila's study, they find the doors to the living room open and AJ and Monica standing in the foyer. He curses quietly, then squeezing Carly's hand protectively, he pulls her closer into his side.

"Jason," Monica says, her voice somehow a mix of excitement at seeing her son and disapproval of his choices. Carly feels him tense, and it's her turn to squeeze in tight to him in comfort.

AJ's eyes are glued to Carly, noting the couple's closeness. With an infatuated and speculative look, he greets her, "Hi, Carly. I didn't get a chance to tell you the other day, but congratulations. Welcome to the family."

"That tramp will never be part of this family, AJ. She's probably lying about her pregnancy to get her hands on…" Monica argues with a sneer and an arctic tone.

Jason, who had growled at AJ's comment, seeing the intent behind it, turns to stone at Monica's words. He feels Carly wilt beside him, and refuses to let them talk down to her. "Don't you dare treat her like that or call her names! She's far superior to you in all the ways that count." With a finger pointed at his mother, he accuses, "It's common knowledge how often you cheat on your husband, so the only tramp I see here is you. You won't like the consequences if you push the issue." His voice is devoid of all warmth. It is a voice that brings fear to those who cross him. He begins moving Carly to the door, keeping her as far from his family as possible, as Alan and Edward come out into the foyer to see what the commotion is about. Edward gets an overly charming look, like he's about to make a sales pitch, while Alan gives his son a look of such longing it's slightly painful to witness. With words as hard as ice, Jason declares, "And don't worry, we don't plan on having anything to do with this family beyond Grandmother and Emily. I would never subject my child to the way you treat people."

"Now don't be hasty," Edward cajoles, "That child is the next generation of Quartermaines. Don't you want him to have access to the wealth and power that comes with that?"

"No, because it doesn't come free. It's just a way for you to control people, especially your family. My child will never have to grovel at your feet." Jason fumes.

Edward's face gets red and his eyes narrow, "I have a few judges that I could convince to force the issue, so if I were you, I'd reconsider. Being a Quartermaine is that child's birthright, I will not let your foolish bid for independence rob my great grandson of his rightful place in this family. I will not allow my blood to grow up to be some gangster thug."

Carly feels the color drain from her face at the threat. Then, some maternal protective instinct kicks in, and she threatens right back, "You listen here old man, don't you dare threaten Jason or our child. I may not have your powerful judges in my pocket, but if you do anything to threaten my family, you have no idea how dirty I'm willing to fight for our child."

A slight smile breaks through Jason's cold exterior seeing her fight for their family. When Edward begins to stutter and Monica begins to bitch, Jason barks out, "Enough. Stay away from Carly" his eyes focus on AJ, whose eyes have remained glued to Carly the entire time, then looking back to Edward and Monica, "and stay away from our child. If you don't, there will be consequences."

This said, he strides across the foyer to the front door with Carly's hand clasped in his. She has to practically run to keep up. The Quartermaines begin arguing and yelling, but they're all shouting over each other which makes it just a jumble of sound. As she's pulled past Alan, she hears him tell them quietly and sincerely, "Congratulations, son."

Then, they are striding through the front door. When they have the door shut behind them, Jason lets go of her hand, scared he will accidentally hurt her in his rage. Striding to his bike, he clenches his hands until his knuckles are white, trying to force down the urge to let out his anger on his bike. He stands there dragging in deep breaths in a bid to not go back in that house and tear it apart. Thinking of the way they treated Carly, the way they continue to treat him brings up all the fury that made him run from them. He will never let his child be treated like this. He will destroy them before he allows it.

Carly watches this for a moment with sad eyes, then she walks up behind him and wraps her arms around him in a hug. She hates to think that he's having to deal with all this because they don't like her, because she is not the type of woman who fits in with their level of wealth and society. If he brought Robin here, she's certain the pixie would have been welcomed with open arms. They would have baked cakes and brought out balloons. Instead, a moment that should have been beautiful, Jason sharing news he's excited about with his family, has hurt him, and proven once again that his family will never accept him. She wants to go back in that house and shake every single person who treats him like he's not enough and tell them to open their damn eyes. How could anyone not think he is perfect the way he is? They are fools for not accepting and praising the amazing man in front of her.

At the feel of her arms, he turns around holding onto her so tightly he can feel her heart pounding in her chest against his own. His words are unsteady and a little desperate as he apologizes, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry they treated you like that. I could have killed her for saying that!"

Carly laughs a little, "I could tell. In fact, I'm pretty sure everyone could." Jason pulls back to see her smiling at him, her eyes look happy and grateful. He looks confused. Why was she smiling after the way his family had treated her? He expected her to be furious or hurt, not looking up at him like he hung the moon. With bright eyes, she praises, "Thank you for standing up for me. I'm not going to lie, it's hard to get used to someone sticking up for me and having my back the way you do. But, Jase, I'm so grateful. It means more than you will ever know." Then, with a smirk, "And don't worry, I can handle Monica calling me names."

He pulls her back against him, his hand buried in her hair, and growls, "You shouldn't have to. I'll make sure the guards keep them away from you."

Carly is quiet, then in a hesitant voice, "Do you think they could force something legally with our baby? Edward said…"

He gets a look of resolve on his face. "We won't let him. Edward isn't the only one with judges in his pocket." He pulls back, one hand is on her waist holding her tightly to him, and his other hand moves to softly brush the hair from her face. Then, cupping her neck, he promises, "Please trust me, I will take care of it. I will keep our child safe from them, and from anyone who comes after our family."

Wrapping her arms around his neck, she leans up on her toes so they're eye to eye, she whispers earnestly, "There's no one I trust more."

He puts pressure on the back of her head, meeting her lips halfway. It's a kiss of gratitude, a kiss of promise, though he can't even name everything it promises. And for Jason, it is a kiss of commitment, just as binding in his heart as a wedding kiss. At the feel of her lips on his, everything in him settles. The rage and anxiety turn into a resolve to make sure the Q's twisted form of family never hurts this woman who has become his whole world and the family they are creating together. It's a resolve to keep her safe and make her happy, whatever the cost. His eyes are soft as he pulls back to look at her. His hands are cupping her face, his fingers reverently brushing her skin when he asks, "We haven't talked about it…"

She gets where he's going, and jumps in, "Jase… if this is about what your sister asked, don't. Not like this. I don't want to marry someone just because I'm pregnant or because we are getting pressured into it. Especially with you, I want it to mean more."

"Okay," he tells her, but inside the idea is growing stronger. The thought of tying their lives together, of showing the world she's his in every way gets increasingly appealing the more he thinks about it. For the moment though, he lets it drop. He never wants her to feel insecure in any way where he's concerned, so that means he has to do this right. He gets them both situated on the back of his bike, with her arms wrapped around him and her head resting against his back. As he drives them towards home, he allows himself to hope for and believe in a future he suddenly wants with his whole heart.