So here is your sample first chapter of Fool Me Twice, a rewrite of Jason’s return in 2017. It picks up after that day in the police station where Andre returns from Cuba and Spinelli finds Drew’s military fingerprints. Some of the details may be off — it’s been a while since I watched those scenes, and I would probably rewatch more of his return stuff if I ended up writing this one next.

Everything on the show is pretty much as it happened on the show except the teen stuff. Oscar is not looking for his father, and Cam has already been aged to William Lipton’s version.

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Chapter One

I walk this empty street
On the boulevard of broken dreams
Where the city sleeps
And I’m the only one, and I walk alone
My shadow’s the only one that walks beside me
My shallow heart’s the only thing that’s beating
Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me
Till then I walk alone
– Boulevard of Broken Dreams, Green Day

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Friday, December 2, 2017

Greystone: Living Room

This was not a visit Elizabeth Webber was looking forward to making, but—as the mirror and the lines around her eyes reminded her every morning—she was an adult and procrastinating wouldn’t change the fact that her life, as she knew it, had irrevocably changed over the last three weeks. Just the day before, Dr. Andre Maddox — the lying snake weasel — had confirmed the identities of Andrew Cain and Jason Morgan, and now Elizabeth wanted to do what was right.

It was important to her that she do what was right. For all the times she’d hadn’t been fair to Jason or done right by him when it came to the miraculous son they shared, Elizabeth wasn’t going to waste another minute.

But she didn’t know where Jason was staying and she certainly didn’t have his number anymore, so she squared her shoulders, drove out to Shoreline Road and asked the security guards for admittance to the sprawling estate where Sonny Corinthis lived with his wife, Carly.

Whoever had agreed to see her knew who she was, and man, she hoped it was Sonny. While Sonny and Carly had both been furious at her for keeping the secret about Jake Doe’s supposed identity, Sonny had been a bit quicker to let the ire fade. Carly, however, had never liked her, and this had only served to make their rivalry worse.

Of course it was Carly sitting in the living room, lounging in the arm chair with one brow raised and smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth. Max Giambetti, Sonny’s loyal bodyguard offered Elizabeth a look of sympathy as he left the women in the living room alone and returned to his place in entry way.

“Well, it’s been about twelve hours since you found out Jason’s really home, so I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised to see you sniffing after him.” Carly tilted her head. “He’s not here. Probably out reconciling with Sam.”

“You know, I used to wonder how you could be such a fan of Jason and Sam considering how they met and fell in love that first time. You know, when Jason was planning to raise Sam’s daughter with Sonny.” Elizabeth set her purse on the desk next to door and arched her own brow. “But then I realized how very smart it was for you to make sure your husband’s mistress was too busy to seduce him again.”

“Not pulling any punches, I see.” Carly rose to her feet, folded her arms. “Jason’s not here.”

“I know. I asked down at the guard house.” Elizabeth hesitated. “I’m here about Jake. Nothing else. I’ve tried to keep the boys from the news reports, but you’ve got a teenager. You know hard it is.” She shrugged. “I didn’t want to deal with telling Jake anything until we knew for sure. He’s been through a lot, and he’s so close to—to Drew,” she added, stumbling over the unfamilar name. “But Jason’s missed so much of his life—”

“And whose fault is that?” Carly demanded, planting her fists on her hips. “Who lied to him—”

“The first year of Jake’s life—that’s on me, Carly. The next two are on Jason. And none of that is your business,” Elizabeth cut in, flatly.       “Either way, the entire world knows that Jason is his biological father, including Jake. So whether you or Jason like it or not, that has to be dealt with. I’m not asking you for his number—”

“I wouldn’t give it to you even if you were,” Carly snapped. “Don’t get you tired of chasing after a man that doesn’t want you?”

“I’m not—” Elizabeth bit off her response, picked up her purse. “You know, I get why you’re not my biggest fan, but honestly, I would have thought you of all people would have understood what I did.”

“Lying to everyone about who Jake Doe really was?” Carly demanded. “You think that goes away because he’s not Jason? You didn’t know that—”

“Telling a desperate lie to be happy,” Elizabeth interrupted, softly. Carly pressed her lips together. “And then telling a new lie everyday to everyone, including yourself, because you’ve convinced yourself it’s worth the price. I knew when Jake found out he was Jason, he’d leave me. Because Jason always leaves. I told that lie to keep Jake, not Jason. Not that anyone cares. Or that it even matters anymore.”

She rubbed her temple. “I told a selfish lie on a bad night when I felt like my world was crumbling around me. I would have thought you, more than anyone else, could have understood how a desperate lie can turn so self-destructive and destroy everything.”

Carly stared at her for a long moment. “I won’t tell you where Jason is or how to reach him. He’s been through enough, Elizabeth. Tell me, if Jason wants a relationship with Jake, do you plan to stand in his way?”

“No.  Jason grieved Jake when we thought he was gone, and you’re right. He’s been through enough. Lost enough time.” Elizabeth’s eyes burned as she sucked in a deep breath. “How anyone can steal five more years from a man who already lost the first two decades is a cruelty I can’t understand. If Jason wants to be a father to Jake, if it will in any way, get him through this next part, that’s what I want. So if you could just tell him that.”

“What Jason’s been through since that night on the pier—his life stolen from him—yeah, the horror of that is something we can agree about.” Carly sniffed. “I’ll tell Jason. Do me a favor, keep Franco away from him? That’s something else he doesn’t need.”

“Yeah, I know.” Elizabeth pulled open the door to entry and stopped as she saw Sonny handing a dark coat to Max. “Sonny.”

“Elizabeth.” Sonny’s eyes flicked from her to the open doorway where Carly could still be seen. “Everything all right?”

“Elizabeth wanted us to pass a message to Jason,” Carly said coolly as she joined them. “To talk about Jake. And how they want to handle things.”

“I’m glad.” Sonny waited a long moment. “He was truly happy to find out Jake was alive. I’m glad you’re giving him a chance to be in Jake’s life.”

“He deserves it.” Elizabeth glanced back at Carly before smiling thinly at Sonny. “Thank you.” She hurried out the door, leaving Sonny to follow his oddly quiet wife into the living room.

“I’m glad to see she’s willing to—”

“Well, she’s just trying to get the drop on Sam,” Carly said with a roll of her eyes. She poured herself a glass of water. “Because now her precious Jake isn’t Jason’s only son. And Jason will have Danny—”

Sonny opened his mouth, then closed it with a shake of his head. “I don’t know. Sam—at the station yesterday—Sam came and left with Drew. And hasn’t really seemed interested in finding out anything about what Jason’s been through.”

“She’s just in denial. She’ll come around.” Carly folded her arms. “Besides, it’s not like Drew has any money. Not anymore.”

Sonny furrowed his brow. “I thought you and Sam had buried the hatchet a long time ago—”

“Yeah, well, accepting someone isn’t the same thing as pretending you don’t know them. Sam follows the money. She always has. You’ll see.” Carly sipped her water. “I guess that’s the one thing I could say about Elizabeth. She’s obsessed with the man, not the bank account.”

“I’m meeting Jason at the restaurant in a little while. You want to come, have some dinner?”

“No,” Carly sighed. “Joss is having her study group over and I want to keep my eye on the new boyfriend, Oscar.”

Penthouse: Living Room

Sam Morgan paused over some paperwork, the nib of her pen held just above the line where she was supposed to sign her name. She’d been Sam Morgan since 2011, a name she’d craved for six years. Sam Morgan was the wife of Jason Morgan, the man that had seen her for who she really was and loved her anyway. Who knew the darkness in her soul and depravity she was capable of—and loved her anyway.

She’d once lost all hope of having that name, of surrendering the name her worthless, criminal, and abusive parents had given her. She’d watched as someone stole Jason’s child from his mother, kept quiet as the world desperately searched for the newborn. She’d hired men to threaten that child and his mother with guns and violence.

But Jason had forgiven her. He’d seen past the cruelty and seen the pain. He’d loved her again, had married her, and proved it by giving her his names. Names didn’t matter to him, she knew that. For Jason, Morgan had just been a convenience. A strike of independence to the Quartermaines who wanted to control him.

For her, Morgan had been salvation. The proof that someone in this world loved her.

But now, six years after she’d married that day in the summer, nearly a year after she’d thought she’d married him again—

She paused as she started to sign her name.

Was it her name?

She set the pen down, leaving the form blank. She looked across the room where her husband was sitting with their children. Their daughter, Scout, cuddled in her father’s arms. Their son, Danny, tucked under his father’s arm.

The man who held them did not share blood with Danny, whose name was not Jason Morgan. It was not Jake Doe.

It was Andrew Cain. The man she had married was not the same man she’d believed him to be. Did she still have a right to Sam Morgan? Was she supposed to be Sam Cain?

She’d done this before—she’d thought she’d done this before. In love with one man when the love of her life returned to the plane of existence. She’d made her choices then, walked away from Patrick Drake, set him free to go back to his soulmate so she could have hers.

She’d sought out the man on her sofa, pushing him to reject the life he’d built as Jake Doe, relieved when they’d discovered the lie that tethered him to another woman. But if Elizabeth hadn’t lied, hadn’t betrayed this man—

Would he have come to Sam at all? Had Sam been a consolation prize, something to build a life around after the first one had crumbled? Had she lied to herself and to him that they’d fallen in love again?

Was she supposed to stay with Andrew Cain because of that? Because she’d stolen him away, was she now obligated to keep him? Did she want him?

Sam’s stomach swirled as she got to her feet, pasted a smile on her face, then went to her family on the sofa, taking a seat in the chair nearby. Listening the tenor of Drew’s voice as he read to their children. He was a good man who loved her. Who had stood by her—who had picked her instead of picking up the pieces and forgiving Elizabeth. She’d conceived a child with him, given him her son.

Danny didn’t know that the other man. The one that hadn’t wanted him. Jason had wanted her to kill Danny before he’d died, had abandoned her during her pregnancy. Strange how she could remember that now—she’d wanted Jason back so desperately in the months before he’d disappeared. Had thought they were going to be together again. Jason had seemed to accept Danny in those final days. Had risked his life to bring him home.

But Danny didn’t know him.

“She’s sleep,” Sam murmured as Drew closed the book and looked at her. “I’ll go put her down for a nap—”

“I’ve got it,” Drew said, his voice a bit dull, losing some its sweetness, its softness as he spoke to her. Since the moment Jason Morgan had crashed through the ceiling a month earlier, the man in front of her had shrunk. Had turned into himself, filled with anger, loss, and bitterness.

Today was the first day he knew the truth—that the memories inside his mind had been shoved in there, his own stolen from him. He didn’t know where he stood in the world. He’d lost two sons, lost his wealth, his place in the world.

He needed her. And oh, God, how lovely it was to be needed. No one, not even her children really, had ever needed her.

Sam squared her shoulders and smiled up at the man who was her husband. “I was signing some paperwork for Aurora,” she told him. “And it occurs to me that we should call my mother and make it legal. You’re Andrew Cain, and you own Aurora—”

Drew’s face grimaced as he got to his feet, Scout in his arms, Danny sitting on the sofa, looking at the pictures in the book they’d just finished. “I didn’t buy it—”

“But it’s my money, too,” Sam reminded him. “And it’s my dream, too. So we should make it legal. I can make Aurora my divorce settlement. This penthouse—it can still be ours, Drew. And then we’ll build Aurora just like you said. And we’ll give it all back to Jason so it’ll really be ours.”

Drew studied her for a long moment. “Sam—”

“So we should call my mother.” Sam lifted her chin. “And make sure that when people think of Aurora, they think of Andrew and Samantha Cain. We’ll get Scout’s name changed—and—” She hesitated. “And Danny’s.”

“That’s—” Drew shook his head. “Danny’s not—”

“He’s yours in every way that matters,” Sam told him fervently. “You’ve raised him. You loved him. Names don’t matter to Jason. But they matter to me. And I want Danny to be ours.”

“We’ll see,” Drew said, looking away. “We’ll see. But I appreciate what you’re saying.” He looked down at Scout, at her sleeping face resting against his shoulder. “But she’s mine. I believe that. For today, I can let that be enough.”

“I’m yours, too,” Sam insisted. But Drew just smiled at her, the emotion not reaching his eyes.

“I’ll put Scout down for a nap,” he told her, then climbed the stairs.

“Is Daddy okay?” Danny asked. “He looks sad.”

“We just have to give him lots of hugs,” Sam told her son, sitting down next to him and drawing her miracle baby into her arms. “And tell him how much we love him.”

Port Charles Police Department: Lockup

Detective Nathan West unlocked the door that lead to the holding cells but didn’t open it right away. He looked back at Elizabeth. “Are you sure? I don’t know if there are any answers you could really trust from him.”

“I know.” Elizabeth sighed, looked past him to the cell where her son’s psychiatrist was being held, at the man sitting on a bench, his head in his hands. “But that doesn’t mean I can’t ask the questions.”

“Fair enough. Jordan said you could have five minutes.” He pushed open the door. “I’ll be right here to let you out.”

“Thanks.” Elizabeth stepped into the hallway, the sound of her work sneakers quiet as she walked towards Andre Maddox. The man in question slowly sat at up as she approached the cell. Gone was smooth and urbane man who had so seamlessly won their trust and even their affection. He wore an orange jumpsuit, his eyes tired, his face lined with exhaustation and possibly regret.

She was counting on the regret she’d seen yesterday. The quiet desperate he must have felt to do something so reprehensible. She knew the story of his wife, understood his motives, but she could never bring herself to forgive him.

She’d brought her damaged child to him in hopes Andre could give Jake peace and secutrity. To give Jake back his mind and his sense of self after the damage Helena Cassadine had wrought. And Andre had used Jake, had been part of the scheme that stole his father away from them.

“I wasn’t expecting to see you again.” Andre rose to his feet. “I want to apologize—”

“You destroyed the lives of two men,” Elizabeth cut in. She folded her arms across her chest. “You may not have arranged their kidnappings, but you knew that the man who came home to us three years ago was not Jason Morgan. You stood by and let Drew build a life here. You used my son to hide your secret—” She shook her head. “But I’m not here to rage at you. Or to listen to your excuses.”

“Elizabeth—”

“You came to Port Charles around the time the so-called truth about Jake Doe was revealed, yes. And not long after you arrived, he started to remember his past. Was that you? Did you implant the memories then?”

“I—” Andre swallowed hard. “No. The man Robin Scorpio woke in that clinic—that was Andrew Cain. I never saw Jason Morgan again after I performed the procedure. Andrew Cain woke up from the cryo-freeze believing already he was Jason Morgan. The accident, the amnesia was real. Helena allowed it continue because it served her purposes for a time. Until it didn’t. And then I was sent here to—” He looked away. “To kickstart the experiment.”

“You also arrived here only months after Helena released my son from captivity.” Elizabeth lifted her chin. “Is that how you were able to treat Jake? Because you were the one that destroyed his mind in the first place? You were the one who brainwashed him—”

“No—” Andre pressed his lips together. “But I knew Jake. He—” He looked at Elizabeth. “The first lab, where I performed the procedure—it was on Spoon Island. And Jake was there. Elizabeth—”

Elizabeth let her arms drop to her side. “I had terrible hallucinations after I nearly drowned a few years ago. They found me on Spoon Island, and I’m told in the hospital, I was convinced my son was alive.”

Andre shook his head. “I—” He frowned. “When was that?”

“November 2011.” Her eyes burned. “They told me I was wrong. That it was the fever. But I knew my son was alive. I felt it, I knew I’d seen him.”

“I—” Andre looked away. “I can’t get into it, Elizabeth.”

Oh, God. She’d seen Jake. Se’hd seen him, and he’d been alive, and she’d let everyone talk her out of it. She’d thought she was crazy.

“How could you do this to us?” she whispered. “Before—okay, you didn’t know us. We weren’t real people. But you knew Jake. You knew Drew. And you knew that Dew and Jason were desperate to prove their identities—”

“I left—” Andre bit off an irritated response. Shook his head. “Elizabeth. I left those answers. I didn’t understand when Jordan and Curtis tracked me down why anyone was still—I left those answers with Franco. He was my last patient, and he already knew Drew existed. He—”

“Wait—” Elizabeth held up both her hands, gaped at him. “You’re telling me that when you fled town all those weeks ago, that Franco knew which brother was actually Jason—No. That’s not possible.” She shook her head. “No. If he’d known, he would have—”

Even as she said the words out loud, she heard the lie in them. Oh, God.

“I have to go—”

She turned and hurried away, back to the main hallway where Nathan West was waiting, his expression so sympathetic she knew he’d overheard the majority of the conversation.

“Did you get what you needed?” he asked as he led her back to the squad room.

“You were right,” she said, her head spinning as she opened the door for her. “He can’t be trusted.”

Pozzulo’s Restaurant: Back Office

“You sure you’re not hungry?” Sonny asked Jason as he mixed himself a drink. “Something to drink?”

Jason shook his head as he took a seat in front of Sonny’s desk and waited for his partner to return to his seat, the bourbon in his hand. “No. I’m good.” He grimaced. “Spinelli’s been working on the funding for the clinic, but he’s hit a lot of brick walls and Klein isn’t talking.” He scrubbed a hand over his face. “He thinks he can crack it some more time.”

“I’m sure he will.” Sonny pursed his lips. “We’re gonna find out who did this to you, and to Drew. But it might take time. Until we have a solid lead, you might want to think about what your life looks like here. Now that the truth is out.”

“I—” Jason shook his head, looked away. “I don’t know.” He looked down at his hands. “I figured I’d come back to work with you, but—”

“There’s not a lot to do,” Sonny admitted, finishing Jason’s thought. “That shouldn’t surprise you. The game was already changing even before you went off that pier. We still get the occasional shipments, and there’s always going to be gambling income. But, honestly, I really am mostly a coffee importer these days. You’re welcome to take over any of the businesses—you’re still a minority owner—but that’s not what I meant.”

Jason finally met Sonny’s eyes. “Yeah. No, I know what you meant. You’re talking about the rest of my life.”

“Your family,” Sonny said with a nod. “You didn’t know it when you got kidnapped, but you have two sons. I—I can’t speak for what Sam might be thinking. Things have been complicated there for a while. But Elizabeth came by the house today. She wants to talk to you about Jake.”

“Jake.” The son he’d believed was dead. Lost to him forever. “I—he doesn’t know me.” He knew the man who’d taken over his life. The brother he’d never known existed. “What about—what about Drew?”

“Drew and Jake are close,” Sonny admitted. “The kid’s been through a lot since he came home. I’m not gonna get into that,” he added. “That’s not my story to tell. But Carly seemed to think Elizabeth was prepared to figure out something that works for everyone. Of course, Carly thinks that’s because Elizabeth wants to worm her way into you and Drew’s life, but I know better.”

Sonny waited a moment. “How much do you know about Drew’s time here in Port Charles?”

“I—I know some of it. Elizabeth came to see me when I was still in lock up for the assault.” Jason grimaced at the memory, at the thought of Elizabeth living with Franco, the psycho that had tortured them all. He knew there was supposed to be a brain tumor, but—

He couldn’t stomach the idea of her with him, of his son being in that house. He knew Elizabeth’s generosity and love had no limits, but to think that she’d managed to not only forgive Franco but fall in love with him…

“She said she’d lied about who he was. That she’d known he was supposed to be me, and lied.” Jason shook his head. “I didn’t really understand it. You said he lost his memory—”

“Elizabeth was his nurse at the hospital,” Sonny told Jason. “And I guess he had your memories, or at least some of them. Because he took the name Jake and he connected with Elizabeth right away. With Carly and Michael.” Sonny smirked. “He hated me, and he and Sam were like oil and vinegar. But Elizabeth fell in love with him. Before she ever knew the truth of who he was supposed to be. But at some point, she learned the truth and never told anyone.”

“Yeah.” Jason exhaled slowly. “She said as much—”

“That was two years ago, and I think there’s a lot of people in this town that never forgave her. It doesn’t surprise me that she’s trying to make it right for you now. To give you back Jake. To find a way to keep Drew in Jake’s life. I’d like to think Sam will try to find that balance as well, but right now, Elizabeth is reaching out. And I think it’ll be good for you to be with Jake. You’ve never been able to before.”

“He might—” Jason shook his head. “He might not want me. And…there’s…Franco.”

“Yeah, believe me. I know. I can’t understand why anyone in this town thinks he’s changed, but he’s poison. He’s a con man who knows how to suck women in when they’re at their lowest. Carly was going through a lot, and God knows, Elizabeth was, too.” Sonny shook his head. “You and Elizabeth can figure that out, but if you want my advice—I’d at least see what Elizabeth is offering.”

Jason leaned back in his chair. “I don’t know what comes next,” he said. “I knew—I knew when I got to Port Charles that five years had passed. But I don’t think I understood what that would mean. The life I had was gone, Sonny. And—” He shook his head. “After the accident, it was like this. Only this is worse. Because I didn’t have anything back then. Not even the memory of what it used to be like. I tried to go home, and the penthouse wasn’t home anymore. My job—something I thought I could always count on—that’s not here either.”

He exhaled slowly. “Sam and I were getting back together when I went off that pier, but she’s moved on. And I can’t ask her to step back. To come back to the life we planned. It’s not fair to her. I remember—I remember when Lucky Spencer came back. How hard it was for Elizabeth. I can’t put Sam through that.”

“I’d forgotten that,” Sonny murmured. “I don’t know how to make it better, Jason. But whatever you need to build the next part of your life, I’ll be here. Carly and me, Michael. We’ll all be here for you. I can’t say the same for Sam or Danny. But if you’ve got a chance with one of your boys, I think it’d be a good place to start.”

General Hospital: Art Therapy Room

Even as Elizabeth shoved open the door to the conference room that been converted into a studio for Franco’s art therapy, she knew what Andre had told her was the truth.

She’d tried to lie to herself on the drive to work, told herself Franco was a different man as she clocked in and stowed her things in her purse. Reminded herself that she loved him.

But if he’d done this, if he’d kept this truth—

How much had he really changed? The violence might have been controlled by the removal of the tumor, but maybe that’s all that had been fixed.  Maybe Franco was still the man obsessed with Jason Morgan, seeking to destroy his life.

And once that had occurred to her, everything else seemed to sink into place. Franco hadn’t given her an iota of attention until Jake had come home. Until Jason’s son had returned. And she’d been lonely, sinking into depression over the destructive lies she’d told and the certainty that she’d been right—he’d been there. And she’d been desperate to believe people could be change.

That she could change.

So somewhere between starting her shift and her first break, Elizabeth became convinced that the last year of her life had been a tragic mistake, that she’d been manipulated, and used—

And that Franco Baldwin was still a dangerous, pathological liar.

She shoved open the door to his studio to find him staring at that stupid painting again—the one he’d made of himself with Drew.

She hated that painting.

“Elizabeth!” Franco grinned, reached for a rag to wipe his hands. He started towards her as if to embrace her, kiss her, but then he stopped. And his face changed. His eyes narrowed. “What’s wrong?”

“You knew which twin was Jason Morgan,” Elizabeth said. She didn’t ask it. She didn’t hint. She said it as if it were a statement of fact.

And she saw now—as something in his eyes shuttered, as he looked away and carefully started to clean his brushes—she saw that it was a fact. It was a truth.

“Andre told you the day he left town, and you said nothing. For weeks—”

“Why am I not surprised that you’re here about Jason,” Franco said coolly. He glanced at her, his lips pressed into an unhappy thin line. “Because, hey, how there’s one for each of you. You planning to wait to see which one Sam picks, so you can have the leftovers? Just like always?”

She’d been shocked and numb leaving the jail, upset and almost in tears in her cars, livid as she’d stalked in here. But now, watching his face, listening to her words, a calm settled over her.

Because it was so clear now. Franco had been her ultimate act of punishment. Everyone hated her anyway, so what did it matter if she gave them all one more reason? He didn’t love her. He couldn’t love her and say those things to her.

Lucky had taught her that lesson long ago.

“Jason is Jake’s father,” Elizabeth said quietly. “And my little boy has been through enough without wondering who his father was. I have to explain to him that the man he’s loved for the last years isn’t his father, a fact I could have started to deal with weeks ago. If you’d have the decency to tell the truth. But you were telling me something about yourself yesterday when I made you drop the charges. You believed I would leave you for Jason.”

Franco snorted. “Oh, okay. So this is about Jake. Sure—” He scoffed, threw the brushes to the table. “You keep telling yourself that, sweetheart. Think about all the lies you’ve told to keep Jason. He doesn’t want you, Elizabeth. He never did.”

“You should stay with your father,” Elizabeth said. “I’ll have your things packed and sent to his house.”

“You’ll be back,” Franco taunted as Elizabeth turned to leave. “When Jason throws you away, when Drew doesn’t want you—you’ll be back. You’ll see that I’m the one that loves you—”

“If this is love,” Elizabeth told him, the tears burning in her throat now. “I don’t want it.”

She returned from her break, weary and exhausted from everything she’d done that day. She called a locksmith to change her locks, called the security company to assign a new passcode, and then sent Cameron a text with the new information so he could let himself and his brothers inside.

By the time her shift ended at almost eleven that night, Elizabeth was tired down to the marrow of her bones and gratefully accepted Felix DuBois’s escort to her car. Felix had never liked Franco much anyway and didn’t want her to walk in the parking garage alone.

“You’re better off,” Felix said as they stopped off the elevator on the level where Elizabeth kept her Miata. “You and me, girl. We should be alone together.”

“Yeah, I definitely think I’m doomed,” Elizabeth muttered as she rummaged in her purse for her keys. “But I’m changing the locks, the security code is already done, and I’m pretty sure Cameron was happier than I’d seen him in months when he called at dinner time.” She wrinkled her nose. “I don’t think Cam liked him either.”

“I knew Cam was my favorite Webber boy,” Felix said. He raised his brows as they turned a corner and saw Jason Morgan leaning against the side of Elizabeth’s dark blue car. “Well, well, I’m sure that pretty man is not here for me.”

“No, I guess he’s not.” Elizabeth licked her lips. “Jason.”

“Elizabeth.” Jason nodded, then looked at Felix. He frowned. “I’ve met you.”

“Right before you tried to pound Franco’s head into the linoleum a few weeks ago,” Felix said. He offered a hand. “Which makes you my hero. Felix DuBois.”

“Nice to meet you.” Jason flicked his eyes to Elizabeth. “Sonny said you wanted to talk to me.”

“I—” She looked at Felix who just grinned at her. “Yeah. I wasn’t expecting to see you today though—”

“I’ll leave you all to your business.” He kissed Elizabeth’s cheek. “Let me know if you need anything, babe.”

“I will.” Elizabeth waited until Felix had sauntered out of earshot. “Have you been waiting long?”

“No, I called Epiphany. She told me when you were done.” Jason shifted. “Is that okay?”

“Yeah.” She cleared her throat. “Yeah. I just—it’s been a long day. I just—” She took a deep breath. “I’m sorry. I just wasn’t expecting to see you tonight. I wanted to talk to you about Jake. Because I want you to be part of his life. We—” Her throat was thick. “I got a second chance with him two years ago, when he came home. And I want you to have one, too.”

Jason stared at her for a long moment, before taking a careful breath, his eyes dark with his own emotion. “I want that, too. But I know Drew—”

She swiped at her eyes. “I haven’t talked to Drew yet. He’s—We just kind of started being friends again after everything that happened. And I don’t know what he’s going to want to do. But I remember—” She hesitated. “I remember how generous you were with Michael. How important it was for you to do the right thing for him. I want you to be Jake’s father, Jason. But I also hope you can allow Drew to stay in his life as his uncle.”

“Of course.” Jason reached out, touched her elbow. “Are you okay? You looked upset when you came over—”

“It’s been a long day,” Elizabeth repeated. “And you won’t have to worry about Franco. He won’t be at the house. And he’s not in the picture. Not after today.”

“You—” Jason blinked. “You broke up with him?”

“Yeah. I guess that’s what I did. I—that’s another long story, and one you should probably hear. I went to the jail to talk to Andre—I just had a lot of questions about Jake, and I don’t how much of what he told me was the truth, but he told me Franco knew which one of you was—Franco knew. And he said nothing.” Elizabeth sighed, dug out her keys. “And when I confronted him, he was just—that’s not important. What matters is that he’s out of my life, so it’s not something you need to worry about.”

“But you said he lives with you. Did you—”

“I already changed the security code, I’m changing the locks, and he’s not there now.” Elizabeth sighed. “It’ll be fine for tonight. I think it’s best if I talk to Jake on my own, and then see if he’s open to seeing you. He might be resistant.”

“I’ll do whatever Jake needs,” Jason told her. He reached into his pocket and held out a scrap of paper. “I’m staying at the Metro Court right now and this is my new cell phone number. Call me.” He offered a half smile. “So you don’t have to run into Carly when you need me.”

“I’ll let you know how it goes. I’m glad you came by, Jason.” She smiled. “And I’m glad Jake is going to get to have you in his life. Drew—he had your memories. But it wasn’t the same.”

She extended her hand, as if to touch his arm, but then let it fall to her side. “I better get home to the boys. I’ll call you.”