If you knew how lonely my life has been
And how long I’ve been so alone
And if you knew how I wanted someone to come along
And change my life the way you’ve done
— Feels Like Home, Chantal Kreviazuk

Harborview Towers: Jason Morgan’s Penthouse – 9:35 P.M.

Jason glanced over at one of the lamps and a brief smile spread across his face. “Well, at least we’ll be able to find your clothes later.”

She bit her lip and cast her eyes towards the stairs. Somehow, in the dark, she hadn’t had to say it to herself–she’d just had wild, crazy, passionate sex with Jason on his pool table. She hadn’t really had to come clean with herself that her marriage was definitely over now.

But with the lights on, it didn’t seem so inevitable or so dream like. It was almost as if going upstairs, to his bedroom, with the lights shining and the power back on, reality had resurfaced and it would now be a conscious decision to continue their interlude.

And it was a decision that she decided she wanted to make. She tightened her arms around his neck and grinned. “So, we going upstairs or what?”

Port Charles Courthouse: Elevator – 9:36 P.M.

The emergency lights in the car flickered and Carly moaned–even their backup was going out. In moments, it would be pitch black.

But they only flickered and then the lights came on full force.

And so did the air conditioning. And then the elevator lurched and started to move. “Hallelujah, prayer works!” Carly raised her fists in the air. “We are getting out of here!”

“Fabulous,” Alexis sighed. “So I get to go back to my life with my adulterous husband, my tramp daughter and oh, yeah–my death sentence.” She pulled herself to her feet. “I almost preferred the idea of death by heat stroke.”

Carly bounced to her feet, the idea of getting out this elevator giving her an adrenaline rush. “The difference is, now you got me.”

Alexis peered at the blonde and sighed. “And I thought 2006 couldn’t get much worse. Now I have Carly on my side.”

General Hospital: Elevator Shaft B – 9:35 P.M.

As soon as the words had left Patrick’s lips, the flights flickered on and Robin blinked, pulling away from him. Thank God for interruptions, she decided. She’d always thought if those words left either of their mouths, it would be hers and then he’d be horrified, it would end badly so she was pretty glad she wasn’t stupid enough to say those words.

She’d never thought he would and now she didn’t know what to think–what to say–what to do. “I wonder why the elevator isn’t moving,” she mused, hoping enough time had passed that he’d realized that he’d made a mistake, that she didn’t need to hear those words, especially when she wasn’t sure what he meant or why he’d said them.

Patrick scrubbed a hand over his face and wanted to smack himself and her at the same time. Were they really going to do another round of this? “Robin–”

“I mean, the elevator must be stuck or something because with the power back on, I figured it would just start moving but it’s not and we’re still here and–”

“Robin,” Patrick cut in. “You don’t have anything to say to me?” he demanded.

Her eyes wide, she sputtered for a moment before coherent words emerged. “What do you want me to say?” she asked almost weakly.

This was exactly his worst nightmare, he realized. Why did they never do anything the easy way? Why did they always have to take one step forward and three back? “Well, reciprocation would have been nice,” he muttered.

“Because I’m not saying it just because you said it,” Robin began. “And I’m not even sure why you said it, I mean, you don’t want to feel that way and I can’t believe you said it–”

To stop her from babbling and for his own sanity, he again clapped a hand over her mouth. Her panicked expression quickly morphed into irritation and she tried to jerk away. “No, no, Scorpio. I’m done. Listen, you’re going to say because you’ve already said it and now that I’ve said it, you–” He glared at her. “Don’t shake your head at me, you did so say it.”

Robin jerked away and got to her feet. “I did not,” she denied. “A-and you can’t prove differently.”

“See, you know how I know when you lie? You get that little twitch right here by your nose–” he gestured. “You said it when we were in bed–”

“Oh, well you can’t believe what people say in the heat of the moment,” Robin cut in. “That’s just—you’re really good in bed,” she finished lamely.

He wiped the back of his hand over his mouth and really wished for the strength not to just reach out and wring her neck. Why was it so difficult for her to just admit it? She was supposed to be the mature one in this duo, not him. “I didn’t need confirmation, I already knew that, but thanks. No, you thought I was asleep.”

Her eyes widened at this and he smirked. “Coming back to you now, isn’t it?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Robin folded her arms across her chest and glared at him. “Clearly, you just want to believe that I said it first so you can pretend you’re reciprocating and not actually having to say it–”

“For the love of–” Patrick raised his eyes to the ceiling and muttered some unkind thoughts under his breath. “Okay, fine. Have it your way. You never said it, but I am saying it so will just give me a break here?”

“You’re…you’re really saying it?” she asked hesitantly. She bit her lip and peered up at him. “Like you mean it?”

“Robin, I love you, though only God knows why at this point.” He gripped her elbows and drew her closer to him. “So can we just skip the portion of the program where we bicker over it and just go to the part where you say it back?”

“Fine, but you know, if I say it, I’m going to want strings,” she warned. “Strings and commitments and exclusivity–”

“No problem,” Patrick cut in. “Just say it, damn it.”

“You’re really cute when you’re mad, you know that?” Robin teased, something settling inside of her. She grinned. “Man, if someone had told me you’d be begging to hear this, I would have told them they were nuts–”

He actually growled and she giggled. “Fine, fine, I’ll do it right this time.” She sobered. “Do it again.”

It might have been the only declaration of love she’d ever receive in which the man declaring it would be staring daggers at her and clenching his teeth. But this one meant the most. She’d really fought for this one, had given up hoping for this one and most of all, she thought this might be last one.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, stood up on the tips of her toes and pressed her lips to his. “I love you, too.”

The elevator lurched then and they went flying back against the wall. Before they could right themselves, the doors slid open and half the hospital staff–including Patrick’s father Noah, the Chief of Staff Alan Quartermaine and Robin’s parents, Robert and Anna, were standing in front of the doors.

“Your father never could pass up the opportunity to neck in the elevator with a pretty girl either,” Alan said to Patrick.

General Hospital: Roof – 10:00 P.M.

“Do you have service yet?” Lulu asked as Dillon sat back down at her side and slid his arm back around her shoulders. “My cell’s dead.”

“Mine, too.” Dillon glanced at the door. “Well, with the power back on, it still doesn’t solve our problem of being locked out here. Let’s just hope someone comes up here soon.”

They were quiet for a while but then Lulu spoke. “So, you took this better than I thought you would.”

“Me, too,” Dillon admitted. “I panicked at first, Lu, I’m not going to lie. Because this is….” he exhaled shakily. “It’s almost too terrifying to really think about just yet. But I wanted to do better, I wanted to be what you needed.”

She glanced up at him. “So what happens next?” she asked quietly.

“Well, next, we’re going to hope someone lets us off this roof,” Dillon remarked. “But as to after that…I hope you’re okay with the fact that…I have no clue.” He met her eyes. “But you know what? I do know that whatever happens, it’s gonna be okay. You know? Because you and me, we are amazing together. And you know, things happen for a reason. I don’t believe in accidents. You’re going to be a good mom and I’m going to be a good dad, and we’ll figure it out as we go along.”

“You’re going to love her right?” Lulu asked. “I mean, you’re not going to look at her and wish she were Georgie’s or that she’d come along like ten years later, right?”

Scary questions. He wanted his answers to be the right ones, he honestly did. So he took a deep breath and just went with it. “It’s okay that she’s ours and not mine and Georgie’s. I’m okay with that. But it’s hard not to wish that it had happened even a year from now, you know? Because this is going to be so hard for you.” He brushed his lips over the top of her head. “You’re going through all this crap with your family and now you factor in that my mother is probably going to kill us both–but you don’t have to worry about me not loving her. She’s part of you, she’s part of us. And my family, and your family. And I just…” he shook his head. “We’re going to do better for our baby than our parents did for us. And I just have this feeling–” He paused. “I just have this feeling inside that she’s going to be the best of both us. Of our families. Lulu, I already love her. Or him. Either way.”

“You’re coming up with really good answers,” Lulu said after a moment. She closed her eyes and leaned into him, glad for once she wasn’t standing alone. “I’m glad you know. I thought I’d be okay with you not knowing and me leaving, to be on my own but I’m glad that didn’t happen.”

“Me, too,” Dillon said. “However, if we don’t get off this roof soon, I might cry. I’m just saying. Because I’m starving.” He looked down at her. “And you should eat. And we should get you to a doctor. And then find some sort of way to tie my mother up for the next nine months.”

August 15, 2006

Harborview Towers: Jason Morgan’s Penthouse – 7:34 A.M.

The sunlight peeked in through the cracks in the shades. Elizabeth blinked and rolled over to shade her eyes. But they flew open when she couldn’t move. Something was pinning her down. A strong something. A warm something. She peeked over and grinned. It wasn’t a dream.

“There you go, smiling again.” Jason’s voice didn’t sound the least bit sleepy but she was sure he’d only just woken up. He must be one of those annoying people that could go to from sleeping to be awake without that icky stage in between. Bastard. “You keep doing that and I’m going to get used to it,” he continued.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve wanted to,” she admitted. She closed her eyes and snuggled into his arms, feeling safe and warm and completely at peace. That would change when she left this penthouse, she knew that. The real world filter in and she’d have to deal with it. But for now, she wanted to bask in being in the arms of someone who never let her down and had never treated her badly–even though she’d probably deserved it.

“So, what next?” Jason asked, idly stroking a hand down her bare back.

“I go home, I kick Lucky out long enough to pack mine and Cam’s things and then I go to my grandmother’s.” Elizabeth hesitated. “And then I just…breathe for a while, you know?” She glanced up at him. “What about you?”

“Breathing sounds good,” Jason answered. “I could go for that.” He paused for a moment. “I could drive you home.”

Elizabeth sat up and peered at him. “When you say drive, does that mean–”

He chuckled. “I guess some things never change. Yeah, we can take the bike.”

“Excellent. Can I drive?” Elizabeth asked.

“No,” he answered, good-naturedly. He crossed to his dresser and tossed her a t-shirt to wear since her clothes were strewn down stairs.

“Okay,” she accepted that. She was out of practice. “Can we take the cliff road then?”

“That’s not on the way to your place,” he pointed out, pulling on a pair of black briefs.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes and huffed. “So? We’ll take the long way.” She grinned brightly. “C’mon, Jason, it’ll be like old times. And then, you can let me drive.”

“Cliff roads, yes, driving no.”

“You’re such a killjoy,” Elizabeth sighed. But her smile didn’t fade. “Jason?”

“Yeah?” he moved towards the bathroom to run the shower.

“Thank you,” she said simply.

He shook his head. “I didn’t do anything.”

“You always say that, but it’s never true.”

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