Written in 48 minutes. Absolutely exhausted, so glad I managed as much as I did.

---

Elizabeth pulled her car into the driveway along side a sleek BMW she didn’t quite recognize — but she did know the man striding away from her front door. She honked the horn to get his attention, then switched off the ignition.

“Hey.” Michael met her at the hood of her car with a relieved expression. “I’m glad I caught you. I was gonna leave a voicemail, but I really wanted to talk to you in person.”

“I actually was going to call you, too,” Elizabeth said. She let herself into the house, ushered Michael in, and wondered how to broach the conversation. “What brought you over?”

“Well, first, I really was serious about getting together for dinner one night.” Michael followed her into the kitchen, watched her start a pot of coffee. “I’ve been kind of wrapped up with my own thing for a while, and I feel like I haven’t spent enough time with Jake—”

“Michael.” Elizabeth faced him, tipped her head, then smiled. “Sometimes you remind me so much of your uncle. You have your own family, and Jake’s been doing really well—” She bit her lip, made a face. “Well, until the last few days. But you’ve got your own family, and ELQ—and Willow was so sick—” She saw the shadow cross his face, and paused. “That’s part of the reason I was going to call you. I don’t feel right knowing what I do and not telling you.”

Michael tensed, met her eyes, and must have seen something that hinted at what she meant to say. “You’ve talked to my uncle, haven’t you? Did he say something—”

“Not until I asked him. I saw Willow at the hospital with Drew. Just talking—” Elizabeth added quickly when Michael grimaced. “But it connected a few dots for me. I know Jason and Drew are at odds, and you seemed so sad the other day—not—” she winced. “Not that it wasn’t a sad occasion, but—”

“Yeah, I know.” Michael let out a slow exhale. “Just talking, and you guessed?” he muttered. He dragged a hand down his cheek. “There’s no way to stop this. It’s just going to explode, isn’t it?”

“Well, I’m not saying anything,” Elizabeth told him. “And Jason didn’t even want to confirm what I’d already  guessed, but I know he’s angry about the whole thing, and, well, he told me…about the video. About the location. And suddenly I think maybe he didn’t do enough damage.”

“Nanny cam,” Michael muttered. “Motion sensor so we can see if the kids are up from their nap or out of their crib, and it catches—” He cleared his throat. “I don’t know what to do with any of it, and if it’s all the same—”

“I’m saying nothing. This is your life, Michael. But I just wanted you to know…well, to know  that if you need anything, even just someone to vent to, I’m here. I’m so sorry.”

“I know ignoring it and pretending it’s not real isn’t really the best way to handle it, but it’s all I have right now.” With a quick shake of his head, Michael sighed. “I actually came over here to apologize to you about my dad. I got some of it from Jason ripping into my dad, and then Jake filled me in on the rest—”

Elizabeth straightened. “You’ve spoken to Jake?”

“Yeah. I’m glad I ran into him. I have a little experience learning the hard way your parents existed as people who make mistakes before you’re born. And sometimes you feature in their mistakes. Not that anything you did is like Mom or Sonny—”

“I don’t know, I’m not that far off sometimes when you make the full list. But I’m glad Jake ran into you. I hope—I don’t want you to tell me anything. And you wouldn’t. But I hope it helped.”

“So do I. I hate that it came out that way — I hate that it—” Michael hesitated. “When AJ told me about  the way my parents screwed around with custody of me, when I think of the way they villanized him, made him into a monster — it’s nothing like what happened with you and my uncle. I don’t even have to know the details—”

“I wasn’t the one doing the drugging if that’s what you mean,” Elizabeth said. She poured Michael a cup of coffee, slid across the counter. “But I lied. And I pushed Jason out of Jake’s life—”

“But you didn’t raise Jake to think Jason was a monster. When Jason came home after the coma, he and Jake were able to build their own thing. I’m not saying you did the right thing or a good thing. But perspective, you know, it helps. I know you, Elizabeth. The way you’ve always stood by my uncle, by my dad—AJ—when he didn’t always deserve it—Jake’s gonna remember all of that. That’s why I wanted to come over.” Michael waited for their eyes to meet. “Before, you were his mom and even if he knew you weren’t perfect, there was still this idea of being untouchable. You’re his mom. You didn’t really exist outside of that bubble. Now you’re a person, who made mistakes. It’s going to color how he looks at you — but he’ll adjust. He’ll fit this piece into the lifetime of love you’ve given him, and he’ll be okay. You just—you just have to let him get through this part. You know? Don’t push. Don’t try to influence how he sees things.”

“It’s hard,” Elizabeth admitted. She sighed, stirred sugar into her own cup. “Jake is still reeling from everything with Jason, and now this has been dumped on him. All I want to do is explain myself, to make him understand—but you’re right. I have to let him to handle this. However he chooses.”

—

Jason might have enjoyed the look of horror spreading across Lucky’s face if his son and Aiden weren’t standing between the two of them — Aiden still looking perplexed and Jake’s mixture of disgust and irritation.

“What do you mean?” Aiden asked, furrowing his brow. “No, Jake, you’ve got it wrong. I only asked Maxie because she’s Aunt Lu’s best friend. They were, like, my age—”

Jake raised his brows at his former father with a smile on his face that made Jason think of Elizabeth in the middle of a fight. She’d smirk and he knew that nothing civil was coming next. She’d always had a way of setting off Carly — and Courtney. And Sam—

“No, not your age,” Jake said, and then the smirk deepened. “More like somewhere between Cam and me.”

Aiden wrinkled his nose. “Ew, Dad, tell me you didn’t cheat on my mother with a teenager. That’s, like, so nasty—”

“I did not cheat on her with a teenager,” Lucky shot back, his face flushed. “Just like Jason to get it all twisted—”

“My father is the only one keeping his mouth shut. He’s good at that,” Jake said, throwing Jason a dark look that reminded him he wasn’t entirely off the hook, though he’d apparently moved a few notches down on Jake’s shit list. “You’re the idiot who practically forced me to listen to your side, chased me and Aiden out of the diner, and gave up your own dirty secrets.”

“Dirty secrets? You want to talk to about dirty secrets? You think your mother is so goddamned perfect—let’s talk about what she did to me—her and my—”

“Time to go home,” Jason said, cutting Lucky off and stepping between the boys and the furious man. He sent Jake a look. “Now. Go.”

“No, it’s just getting good,” Jake said. “And you’re not in charge of me—”

“I still don’t understand what’s going on—”

“Go home now, and I’ll talk to you later. Now. This isn’t a conversation you or your brother need to hear.”

“More secrets?” Jake demanded. “What the hell—”

“Don’t you ever stop protecting her?” Lucky wanted to know. “She lied to you, to me—”

Jason’s fist itched to plant itself in Lucky’s jaw, but it was the thing this situation needed. “Yeah, okay, eighteen years ago, she did a terrible thing. You want to drag up things that happened back then, Lucky? Things you did? Or maybe we talk about last week when you came to see me.”

Lucky pressed his lips together, looked past him to the boys. “Go home—”

“Oh, not a chance—” Jake said, folding his arms, then hesitated when Jason looked at him again. He swallowed hard. “Aiden, we’ll have to find out the rest later.”

“Okay, but you’re explaining this when we get in the car,” Aiden muttered. “And Dad, you better stop avoiding my calls.”

Jason waited until the duo had disappeared into the parking lot before turning his attention back on Lucky. “Unless you want Aiden to know you took money from me to split town again, I suggest you shut your mouth about what happened with Elizabeth and Nikolas—”

“She’s not even here to enjoy your white knight routine—”

“You see what Jake’s dealing with finding out what happened when he was a baby?” Jason retorted. “You want Aiden to go through that? To find out his mother had a paternity test, that Helena faked the results? Is that what he needs right now? Jake and Cam don’t remember any of that.”

“I would have been fine with leaving all of that in the past,” Lucky hissed. “But you dragged up my life—”

“Do you think I wanted any of this, Lucky? We’d put it away, you and me. You and Elizabeth. All of us. It was dead, and it was buried, and neither of those boys needed to know anything.” Jason scrubbed his hands down his face. “Look, I’m sorry I told Jake anything about you. He was furious, ready to take off in the car, and Elizabeth was a mess — Sonny threw a grenade into her life, into Jake’s life when he’s still angry at me. All I wanted to do was—”

“Protect her,” Lucky said sourly. “You didn’t give a shit about me—”

“No.” Jason grimaced. “No. And I guess I should have expected Jake to tell Aiden, even though I told him not to. I told him that it was something you should get to share, but I guess Jake wasn’t in the mood to do me favors. I just—I didn’t want Jake to be angry with the only parent who’s never left him. Elizabeth made mistakes, Lucky. But we all did. She didn’t deserve to have it thrown in her face by someone who wasn’t even part of it.”

“You think I’m proud of anything that happened back then?”

“Do you think any of us are? But you’re the only one threatening to make it worse. You say one word to either of them about Nikolas, about Aiden’s paternity mess—” Jason stopped, not entirely sure if he wanted to finish the threat.

But Lucky never did know when to back down. He lifted his chin. “What are you going to do?”

“I won’t use your kid to get back at you, that’s for damn sure.” And he really didn’t have much else — Elizabeth would never let Jason drop this idiot into the harbor. “But you keep your mouth shut and I won’t tell Elizabeth you came begging me for money to pay for your ticket out of town.”

Lucky scowled. “Go to hell—”

“I mean it, Lucky,” Jason said as the other man strode towards the diner entrance. “You dig up ancient history just to hurt Elizabeth, I’ll make you regret it.”

Written in 65 minutes.

---

You need to hear the truth—

Jake made a face, then attempted to walk around Lucky and ignore the interested looks from other patrons. “I really don’t think this is any of my business—”

“That’s not the way your mother made it sound,” Lucky said, and Jake sighed, pausing at the counter, his hand resting along the edge. He didn’t turn around. “You’re angry with her, and you should be—”

“Okay, so what we’re not going to do—” Now he faced Lucky again, but kept his voice pitched low. “What you’re not going to do is act like I’m a child of divorce and you’re fighting over me. You walked out on me and my mom a decade ago. You don’t get to walk back in and start trashing my mother.”

Lucky pressed his lips together. “I just meant—”

“You’re not my father. You brought me home from the Cassadines, and that’s great. But it’s your fault and your alcoholic trash of a dad who put me in Helena’s cross hairs in the first place. My dad is Jason Morgan, for better or for worse, so take whatever this is—” Jake gestured with both hands. “And go talk to Aiden. He actually gives a damn about you.”

“I was your father for the first four years—”

“Yeah, I’ve seen the pictures.” Jake pointed at his temple. “But up here? Where it matters? I got nothing for you, dude. Dads show up. And you haven’t shown up for me, Aiden, or Cam. Maybe you can still snow Aiden into thinking you’re worth knowing, but he believed in Santa Clause until he was like twelve, so—”

“I just want a chance to tell you my side—”

“You don’t get it,” Jake snapped, his tone rising. “You don’t have a side that matters to me. I don’t care if you were high on crack cocaine screwing everything that walked — you don’t matter to me, Lucky. I don’t give a damn about why she lied about you—you know what—” He held up both hands. “That’s not it. I do care why. Because she couldn’t have picked a more useless piece of a shit as my father—”

“You’ve got a real smart mouth,” Lucky bit out. “You think Jason Morgan’s a better dad? He’s so perfect, huh? Where has he been for two years?”

“I don’t know, asshole. Where were you?” Jake demanded. “When Mom had a breakdown and we had to live with your mother? You were nowhere. You’ve been nothing to me my whole life. Let’s keep it that way.”

He shoved past Lucky, his appetite suddenly gone, then stopped when he saw his brother standing in the entrance, when he looked around the rest of the diner and realized that he’d forgotten about anyone else in the room. Shit.

—

…Jake should live with me.

Jason stood there, his feet slightly set apart, his shoulders tight, hands fisted at his sides.  Elizabeth tipped her head to the side, squinted. “You look like you’re ready for an argument.”

His lips parted slightly. “What?”

“Was that supposed to be my cue to refuse? To fight you?” She lifted her brows, relieved when his expressed eased and he seemed to relax. “First, even if I wanted to, which I don’t, Jake’s not an infant. He’s not a kid anymore. He’s six months away from turning eighteen, and we already put him on a plane to live in a foreign country to live on his own.”

“I—” He nodded. “Okay, but—”

“Will it be weird for him to be in Port Charles and not living with me? Of course. And I do hate the idea of him living somewhere else the way things are — he’s so angry with me.” She folded her arms. “But maybe some distance is what he and I need.”

“I don’t want—I don’t want to do anything that makes that worse. I didn’t—” Jason shook his head. “I didn’t think about that when I came up with this—I should have—”

“No, you just thought about what you wanted. And what might be best for Jake. For the both of you. For Danny, too, if it comes to that. Which is how you should phrase it to him if you want to agree without a fight.”

Jason rubbed his forehead. “Yeah. That’s what I thought. He came home to be there for Danny. I don’t think we’ll be able to get him to change his mind about Barcelona. And I don’t think Drew’s going to agree to leave Scout in Port Charles when he goes to DC, so—”

“Having Jake with him might make the transition either. And Rocco will still be around. I know you and Dante will do whatever you have to keep them close.” Elizabeth tried to smile, but dropped her gaze when she couldn’t quite manage it. “I think it’s a good idea. I’m glad you brought it up.”

“Are you sure?” Jason stepped towards her and she lifted her gaze to his. “I meant what I said. I know it’s hard after what happened with Sonny, and I don’t want to do anything to make it worse—”

“Why? You think it’s strange he needs more than thirty seconds to forgive me for lying to him?” Now she did smile. “I guess he didn’t inherit your inability to actually be angry with me for longer than an hour.”

“You didn’t lie to him—”

“I did, though. Every time I called Lucky his father in front of him.” Her throat was tight, and she had to look away. “Just because he doesn’t remember, it doesn’t mean I don’t. It matters, Jason. Don’t defend me to him. He hates when I do that for you. Don’t make that mistake.”

“I’m going to tell him the truth, and if he feels like that’s a defense, that’s not my fault.” Jason paused. “You’re not angry that I want him to live with me? At least for a little while—”

“Even if I were—it shouldn’t matter. You’re his father, Jason. I lost four precious years to the Cassadines but I’ve had all the rest. You deserve this time, and I want you to have it.”

—

TJ dropped his duffel bag on the ground by the front door and closed the door with some hesitation. Across the room, Molly refused to look up from the table where paperwork was spread out. “Hey. Can—can we talk?”

“I’m busy. My mother petitioned to have me removed as Jason’s lawyer—” Molly lifted her eyes to him briefly before returning to her work. “So I need to finish the response to that.”

“Why does she want you removed?” TJ tugged out the chair across from hers. “Because you’re her daughter?”

“She thinks it’s a conflict of interest.” Molly was grim when she looked up again, laid down her pen. “That I can’t represent someone in a case against my mother. I’m not worried. It’s waivable, and Jason and I have discussed it. He understands—”

“Then try to explain it to me. Please,” TJ added. “I don’t like how we ended things yesterday—”

Molly hesitated, then sat back. “I’m sorry,” she said lamely. “I shouldn’t have dumped that on you in the middle of your shift. Or pushed you into that corner. It wasn’t fair.”

“You might have pushed me, but I didn’t have to go where I did. And I need you to know that I don’t feel that way. Of course you were Irene’s mother—”

Molly closed her eyes, turned her head away. “But not biologically—”

“So what? So what? Curtis isn’t my biological uncle, is he? He’s known that for years. But it’s never stopped him or Aunt Stella. I felt so awful if I made you think for a second that I would ever think that. I just—” He gestured at the papers. “You took a leave of absence to defend a man you were prosecuting for murder six months ago—”

“He was innocent. And he’s not just any man. He’s Jason. You didn’t know him as well as I did, okay? He was gone most of the time we were together. But he’s the reason my sister lived as long as she did. He saved her life over and over and over again. When Danny was kidnapped as an infant he brought him home—Jason’s—”

“I didn’t realize how much he meant to you,” TJ said, and she sighed. “Or how hurt you were about your mother. Kristina, yeah. But not Alexis.” He dipped his head, trying to catch her gaze. “Talk to me, Molly. We could always do that, right?”

She was quiet for a beat, then picked up her pen. “I have to remember every morning Sam isn’t here. I open my eyes, and for little while, I forget. Maybe I get all the way through my shower, to that first cup of coffee if I’m lucky, but I always remember. And it hits the same every time. It’s like losing her over and over again. My sister—my sister is dead.” The words felt wrong on her tongue, as if they belonged to someone else. “All that’s left of her in this world are those kids. She loved them more her own life.”

“I know that—”

“She thought for so long she’d never have kids. But Danny and Scout, they’re her miracles. And they never get to have another second with her. Scout’s so young — one day, her mother is going to be a fuzzy memory. A warm thought and a picture. Sam’s not here to protect them.” Molly’s voice faltered slightly. “I can’t protect Irene. I can’t go back in time and choose someone else to carry her, to protect her. I don’t know if Ava pushed Kristina, TJ, we might never know that for sure. But Kristina went to that room and picked a fight with a woman who has already murdered someone else for just getting in her way. I didn’t protect our baby, TJ.”

“Mols—” His eyes were damp. “You did everything you could—”

“Not everything—not enough. Irene…she’s with Sam, and I know my sister will look after our little girl until we can join her. So it’s my job to do the same. Danny and Scout lost their mother, and they’re probably going to lose each other. I can’t stop Drew from taking her to DC, but Danny needs to be here. With his family. And Jason is his father. Mom and Kristina wanted to make you disappear, TJ. Mom lied for years about who Kristina’s father is, and she’s done everything she can to make it harder for my dad to be with me. She’s not taking one more father from their child. Sam wanted Danny and Scout to be with their fathers. She knew her kids better than anyone. I’m doing what’s right, TJ. For me, for the kids, for my sister. I just hope you can understand.”

—

Scout curled up in the window of the nursery at the Quartermaine’s, watching the front drive three flights below her. The cars driving in and out of the long gravel road. She pressed her cheek against the window, the coolness of the glass somehow a comfort. Maybe it would break, and maybe she’d fall out. What would that feel like? Would it hurt? Had it hurt when her mother died?

She heard voices in the hallway, muffled at first — she couldn’t quite make them out. But then they came closer, and she realized it was her father. And her aunt Willow. A hesitant smile curved her lips. Aunt Willow was a girl. She might play dolls. Rocco and Danny just laughed and went to play video games.

Mommy had always played dolls with her.

The door opened, and Scout sat up ready to greet her daddy and aunt — but Daddy came in and turned back to face her aunt so fast that he didn’t have time to notice her. And there was a giant teddy bear in front of the window seat. That was why, Scout thought. Daddy would have seen her for sure—

“Drew, this isn’t a good idea,” her aunt hissed, shutting the door and looking at Daddy. “We can’t talk about this here—what if Scout—”

“She’s still at school,” Daddy said, and Scout furrowed her brow. It was long past school time, didn’t he know that? She would just set him straight—

But then her daddy did something strange, and Scout closed her mouth, stunned into silence when her daddy pulled Aunt Willow close, and…kissed her???

 —

 Jason fished in the pockets of his jeans for the keys to his room above Bobbie’s, already mentally planning the call to Diane. He needed an apartment with three rooms — or a house. Near Elizabeth would be better, he thought. For Jake. And for Elizabeth. Jason was relieved that she was on his side, though still a bit wary. He didn’t quite know where he stood with her these days — not since that terrible day at Sonny’s or even the night before after the funeral —

He had just reached the entrance to the courtyard when the door to Bobbie’s flew open, and Aiden strode out, his face florid. Jason opened his mouth to ask what was wrong—but Jake was hot on Aiden’s heels, followed by—Jason grimaced. Lucky.

“I don’t want to hear it—I don’t want to hear anything from you,” Aiden retorted, whirling back to face his father. “I’ve been calling you and leaving you messages and texting you and for what? For what? To walk in on you begging Jake to listen to you?”

Lucky took a step forward, but Jake stepped between father and son. “He told you to fuck off—”

“That’s not what he said—”

“I said I don’t want to talk to you, so same thing,” Aiden shot back, and then turned, startled when he saw Jason. “Oh. Oh. Good. You can tell me what’s going on since my own father would rather talk to his fake son.”

“Damn it—” Lucky winced. “I told you—”

“You had your chance,” Aiden cut in. “You didn’t want to talk to me. You never want to talk to me. I bet you even call Cam more than you call me.”

“That is not true—”

“Maybe we shouldn’t do this right here,” Jason said, uncomfortably. He slid his hand in his back pocket for his phone. And Elizabeth should definitely be here for this.

“No, I want to know. And since Dad won’t tell me, and neither will Maxie Jones—”

“Maxie? You told him about Maxie?” Lucky demanded, his cheeks flushing. “You son of a bitch, what gives you the right to talk to my son about anything? None of that is his business or yours—”

“Told me what about Maxie—” Aiden closed his mouth, bewildered. “I just—”

Jake’s hand shot out, covered his brothers. “He didn’t tell us anything about Maxie Jones,” he told Lucky. He tipped his head. “But you just did. Aiden, I think we found out who the other woman was.”

Written in 61 minutes.

---

Aiden figured he had hit pay dirt when his aunt’s best friend’s face paled and she stared at him for what felt like a comically long time, her mouth gaping.

“You know something, right? I mean you have to know something. You and Aunt Lu were practically attached at the hip,” Aiden said, hurrying over to scoop the shards of the lamp into a pile. “She told you everything.”

“Right, right, um—” Maxie pressed two fingers to her forehead. “She did—does—did—but that’s a wild question to just—” Her other hand flew in the air, made a swooping gesture. “And, like, you’re a child—”

Aiden bristled. “I’m fifteen, okay? My dad was basically living on his own at my age—”

“And look where that got him,” she retorted, almost snottily. “Also it was all before you were even born, so it’s not even your business—”

“So that’s a yes,” Aiden said flatly. He rose to his feet, dumped the remains of the lamp on the table behind the sofa.

“You—I never said that!” Maxie jabbed a finger at him, her eyes wide. “I never said anything like that, so don’t you tell anyone I told you anything, and how would you even know to ask about it? And—”

Aiden fought the urge to roll his eyes. “Okay, fine. So you’re not going to give me details, but you—”

“You should go. Go ask your parents questions, that’s their job to answer, not mine.” Maxie ushered him towards the front door. “Because I didn’t tell you anything, and I’m not going to tell you anything—”

“If it had been no, you’d have said that. If you didn’t know anything, you’ve have said that, too.” Aiden turned to face the older woman. “But you didn’t. You freaked out and you’re throwing me. That’s fine. You don’t have to say anything else.”

“Look, kid, we don’t even know each other—” Maxie closed her eyes, took a deep breath. If your aunt was here, you’d be asking her these things, and I get it, but you should be asking your dad—”

“He’s not returning my calls.”

“Your mother—”

“Says it’s not her story to tell.”

Maxie lifted her brows. “You’re telling me Elizabeth isn’t jumping to make herself look good? I didn’t know hell had frozen—never mind, never mind. If they don’t want to talk about it, maybe you should take a hint—”

“Would you?” Aiden challenged. “What if it were your kids? Would you want Georgie finding out stuff about you from someone else?”

Maxie opened her mouth, then closed it with a scowl. “No, but I’m not your parents. So go annoy them. So ask them and leave me out of it.”

Then slammed the door in his face.

—

Unaware that her youngest son was reigniting an old rivalry, a few miles away, and a few hundred feet in the air at Vista Point, Elizabeth tugged off the helmet and handed it to Jason. “You know,  the last few times you’ve taken me out on this—” She touched the handle. “It really does feel like some of the years have melted away. But then you turn off the engine—”

“And it’s still today.” Jason stowed the helmet on the back seat. “Yeah, I know what you mean.”

She smiled faintly, folding her arms, and headed towards the observation deck. Twilight was descending, the gray clouds mixing with the streaks of pink and purple and the muddy blue waters of the lake—

She’d always meant to bring her watercolors up here and try to paint what Spoon Island looked like from this view, but there had never been a good moment. Time had marched on, and she couldn’t even remember the last time she’d owned a set of watercolors.

“You said you had to talk to me?” Jason asked, coming up behind her at the guard rail. “Everything okay at the hospital?”

“The building, yes. The staff?” she looked at him, tipped her head. “I know you said you didn’t want to get into it, but if I guess the reason you and Drew fought the night before the funeral, would you confirm it?”

Jason’s mouth tightened, and she was sorry to see some of the lightness fade from his gaze. He looked out over the harbor, towards the hulking mass of Spoon Island, rising up from the  water. “I don’t know. Maybe.”

“Willow.”

When he just looked at her, she exhaled slowly and turned around, leaning her back against the rail. “Yeah, okay, I had a feeling. Michael looked sad at the house the other day, and not just because of why we were there. And he’s angry at Drew, too. Then today—” she made a face. “I saw them together at the hospital. Just talking,” she added when he tensed, looked at her sharply. “But I have a little experience being inside that bubble. Having an affair with someone I shouldn’t.” Troubled again, she looked down at the ground, digging her toe into the mixture of dirt and gravel. “Just the way they looked, the tension—anyway.” Elizabeth took a deep breath. “I’m sorry for Michael. I know how important his family is to him, and how much he loves Willow.”

“Yeah.”

“I’m surprised,” Elizabeth said, and he frowned at her, “that you’d find out this kind of information and do what you did. Starting a fight in the middle of the Quartermaine foyer? With the kids upstairs. I thought when I found out why, I’d understand better. I don’t. It’s not like you.”

“How would you know?” he bit out, then winced when she flinched, looked away. “That’s—”

“An honest answer,” she said, and he sighed, not arguing with her. “You’re right. I don’t know. I’d like to,” she added. “Three years ago, you wouldn’t have done that in your mother’s house with the kids upstairs. You were always so careful about who saw that side of you. Who you lost control around—”

“If I’d lost control, he’d be dead,” Jason cut in, and she pressed her lips together. “I left him in one piece, didn’t I?”

“Fair enough. I’m criticizing, Jason. I’m not,” she insisted when he shook his head. “I’m just asking. You don’t have to answer. And anyway, you came to see me. So we can change the subject and—”

“No, I—Drew’s part of it, I guess, we might as well finish this.” Jason looked grim when he shifted to face her, leaning his side against the railing. “It was in the nursery.”

“The fight? I thought—”

“No. He and Willow. That’s how Michael found out. A nanny cam activated by motion.”

Elizabeth tensed, her fingers curling around the iron railing. “Oh, God. That’s awful—”

“The night Sam died. The night Danny and Scout lost their mother and were just a room away—” Jason looked back out over the water. “I don’t know.  There just seemed to be something wrong—”

“Obscene, almost,” she murmured, and he met her eyes again. “While his daughter was grieving such an immense loss, Drew was sleeping with his nephew’s wife. I can understand that, I can,” she repeated. “And I’m so sorry Michael’s dealing with it. I know how hard it is for you when he’s hurting.”

“Yeah, well.” Jason made a face, then shook his head. “But you’re right. Three years ago, I wouldn’t have done that. Ten years ago. Even twenty. But there was a time when I wouldn’t have given a damn who was watching or what they thought.”

“After the accident.”

“Yeah. And while I was gone.” He was quiet for a long moment. “That’s what I wanted to talk to you about. What I said to you at your place the other day. About it being easier.”

“Jason, you don’t have to—”

“I meant it,” Jason cut in, and she closed her mouth. “I know it sounds awful, and I guess I’m sorry if it hurts to hear it, but it was easier not being here. Not being Jason Morgan.”

—

Jake wasn’t really sure how to keep avoiding his mother, but he had a feeling his little brother wasn’t going to keep their conversation that morning to himself, and Jake was going to be a dead man when she found out what he’d done. Or worse, she’d be upset but she’d swallow it, and pretend she wasn’t mad because Jake was still angry with her. And then he’d really feel like an ass.

But she was supposed to be at the hospital at work, and if he found a way to stay out until after dinner, maybe he’d be able to sneak in late.

So he found himself at Bobbie’s, planning to grab some food and then go hang out with some friends the rest of the night —

Which had seemed like a great idea until he was halfway across the diner and didn’t realize that one of the customers at the counter was, in fact, his former…

Father? Step father? Adopted pretend father? Other deadbeat dad?

Lucky Spencer had too many labels for someone who had mattered so little in Jake’s everyday life, he thought bitterly, and nearly turned around—

But Lucky spotted him first, and from his face — he’d spoken to Jake’s mother.

Great. How much had Mom told him and how did he get out of this conversation?

“Jake.” Lucky met him in the middle of the diner. “I’m glad I ran into you.”

“You are?” That couldn’t be right. “Why?”

Lucky’s mouth tightened. “Because I want you to hear what really happened. And not just from Jason or your mother. They probably made me sound like a loser junkie. You need to know the truth.”

—

Jason wasn’t really sure what reaction he’d expected from Elizabeth — she was rarely predictable. But if he’d thought she’d be angry, he was dead wrong. In fact, if he had to describe the tilt to her head, the expression in her eyes —

Curiosity?

“I know it sounds awful,” he repeated, a bit warily now. “But—”

“There’s a freedom in not being who you are,” she said softly, and he stopped. “Do you really think that’s so impossible to understand?”

Jason hesitated. If he’d told Carly he was relieved to be gone and away from her, she’d have made his life a miserable hell. “Yes?”

“We talked about this. I told you that I wasn’t surprised or even angry. That I don’t think it means you love Jake or Danny or any one else in your family less.” She seemed a little impatient now, and he didn’t know what to do with that. “I’m not interested in making you feel guilty. It’s not like you planned to fake your death, and you always planned to come back, didn’t you?”

“Yeah.” If he hadn’t died in the process. “But—”

“But nothing. Do you think I wanted you to be miserable for every day that you were gone?” Elizabeth asked.

“I—” Jason cleared his throat. “Okay, so you’re not mad.”

“Jason. I need you to give me a little bit of credit. After all these years, after all the ways you’ve forgiven me and taken me for who I am, mistakes and terrible choices, did you really think this was going to be the deal breaker?” she asked. “I’m not Sonny.”

“No. No, you’re not.” And now that they were having this conversation, now that it was in the open, some of the tension in his chest eased. “I know that. It’s just—”

“You didn’t really come all the way to the hospital to have another conversation about this, did you?” she asked, folding her arms. “Because, you know, it’s not necessary.”

“No. No, it’s not—” Jason took a deep breath, reordered his thoughts. “No, but it’s part of it. Admitting that, putting a name on the way I felt, it…changed something. Because I’m angry with myself for letting this happen. For…sitting back,” he decided. “Reacting. I was too impulsive after the accident. If I felt something, if I wanted something or someone, I took it, and I put myself at the center. No one else mattered. I had to—I had to stop living that way. I hurt people. Robin, mostly. And Emily, and my grandmother. So I learned to think first, to let things happen. I just…”

“Went too far in that direction,” she said.

“Yeah, I guess. I let people matter too much. What they wanted, what they needed. I made that more important than what I wanted. And it’s stopping. I’m stopping it.”

“Okay.” Elizabeth lifted her brows expectantly. “And how are you starting that?”

“With Alexis, and what she wants to do. I’m fighting. Molly asked to take my case, for her own reasons, and I agreed. I want Danny to live with me, and—” he paused. “I want Jake to live with me, too. I want them both. That’s what I came to tell you. That Jake should live with me.”