“Okay, wait a second.” Jason shifted his position, straightened his legs out so there wasn’t as much pressure on his wound.

“You okay?” Elizabeth asked, automatically. Old habits die hard, she thought bitterly.

“Yeah, yeah. You, um, want to run that by me one more time?” Jason asked.

“I told you. Three years from now. We’re not talking and you–”

“I’m sleeping with Sonny’s sister,” Jason replied. “Yeah, I caught that. Elizabeth, Sonny doesn’t have a sister.”

“Yeah, well, she didn’t show up until last year.” Elizabeth stopped. “Well, two years from now. Anyway, you’re sleeping with her.” She grimaced. “I think I’m going to be sick.”

“Wait, wait, you wanna back up a little?” Jason asked. “Why aren’t we talking?”

“Because you lied to me,” Elizabeth replied. “You know what? This might not be a conversation we should be having.”

“Why?” Jason asked. “It was probably a dream, Elizabeth. No big deal.”

“No.” Elizabeth shook her head. “It couldn’t have been a dream. I mean, I couldn’t have lived three years and…” she paused. “Well, a lot of unbelievable things did happen. I mean, I faked my death, I got kidnapped, Lucky came back from the dead, he was brainwashed, oh and he attacked you…” Elizabeth stopped. “You know, the more I think about it, the more I really hope it was a dream.”

“See?” Jason said. “It was just a dream.”

“You know, not all of it was bad,” Elizabeth said, pushing herself up into a standing position.

“Really?” Jason asked, following her to the tree. “What was good?”

She turned back and looked at him hesitantly. It did not seem like a good time tell him that she knew what it felt like to kiss him. That might not go over well. “Well…I got to see Lucky again,” Elizabeth said. “Even if he was a little strange. I mean, he did push me to be with Nikolas, and then he attacked you–twice nonetheless. He also told me to stay away from you…” She trailed off. “You know what? Never mind.”

She paused in front of the Christmas tree and felt rush of déja vu. Would he be giving her a leather jacket?

Would he be moving out of the studio in a few days?

She grimaced. Would he be leaving next month?

How could it have been a dream? She would have woken up, and whatever would have happened would have melted away, and she would feel like she had before. She’d be glad Jason was there and she’d be missing Lucky.

And right now, she was glad she and Lucky had broken up and she wished Jason would leave, because seeing him was reminding her a lot of things she would rather forget.

This was a surreal situation. Had she been dreaming…or was she dreaming now?

“Elizabeth.”

She blinked and looked up at him. “Hmm….what?”

“You’re still thinking about that dream, aren’t you?” Jason asked, joining her next to the tree. He reached out and took a wrapped box that Elizabeth was suddenly sure held the leather jacket she didn’t wear anymore because it reminded her of Jason and better times.

“I can’t help it,” Elizabeth replied. She reached for one the boxes to hand to Jason. At least she knew he’d like the shirt she’d bought him. “It felt so real. I mean, how could I have dreamt three years in one night and have it feel like three years?”

Jason shrugged. “Don’t know. I don’t dream.”

“Yeah, well, you’re lucky,” Elizabeth said. “Because this is just…I mean, I don’t feel like I did yesterday.”

“What’s different?” he asked. He handed her the box. “Here.”

“Thanks,” Elizabeth said. “Here’s yours.”

“You didn’t–”

“Yes, I did.” Elizabeth bit her lip. “Jason, I don’t think I was dreaming. Because I feel so different. I mean, I don’t feel like I’m in love with Lucky anymore. I don’t even miss him.”

“Elizabeth, there’s no other explanation,” Jason said. “I mean, you’re not dreaming now, right?”

“Okay, let me prove it to you,” Elizabeth said. She held up the box. “If I can tell you what you got me before I open it, will you believe me?”

“How do I know you didn’t peek?” Jason asked, warily.

“Because I didn’t,” Elizabeth insisted. “Come on, you know when I’m lying, don’t you?” She bit her lip and looked down then. “At least you used to.”

“Elizabeth…does this have anything to do with what happened in your dream?” Jason asked, leaning towards her.

“A little,” she admitted. “I know, I know, holding you responsible for something you either did in a dream or aren’t going to do for another three years is stupid, but hey, I’ve never been the world’s most logical or rational person.”

“All right,” Jason agreed. “If you can guess what I got you, then I’ll believe you.”

“Okay.” Elizabeth looked down at the box and then back at him. “It’s a black leather jacket.”

He frowned. “You sure you didn’t peek?” he asked.

“I’m positive. In fact, this is my going to be my favorite jacket,” she told him. “I’m going to wear it all the time unless it’s too hot. I’ll wear it right up until we stop speaking.”

“Well, I’m glad you like it,” Jason said. “So…”

“You believe me now?” Elizabeth asked. “Because something’s happening and it’s really weird. I swear, Jason, when I went to sleep last night, the studio was empty, I was by myself and I woke up back here. And it’s freaking me out.”

“So, why aren’t we talking again?” Jason asked, pulling the wrapping off his own gift. He pulled out the long-sleeved black shirt. “Hey, thanks.”

“No problem,” Elizabeth replied. “I told you. You lied and ignored–you know what…it doesn’t really matter.” She moved past him to grab some clothes to change into. He grabbed her arm.

“Hey, wait a second.” He studied her for a second. “Are you trying to tell me that I lied to you and ignored you?”

She bit her lip and shifted. “Yeah.”

“Why?” Jason asked. “I mean…I don’t lie. So, are you sure I did?”

“Well, you didn’t exactly lie,” Elizabeth said. She put her hands on her hips and raised her eyebrows. “You just let me believe Sonny was dead. I suppose that makes it better.” Shrugging, she continued, “You also never came home, you never called to let me know you were alive and you hugged Courtney every time I saw you.”

“Okay, wait a second.” Jason rubbed his temple with thumb and forefinger. “I never came home. Home being…?”

She flushed, realizing she’d said way too much. Jason three years from now wanted more from her. Well, he had. The Jason she was looking at was involved with Carly or he had been. “Your penthouse,” she answered.

“And just for curiosity’s sake…how would you know I didn’t go there?” Jason asked.

“Um…I was living there…” she said. She turned around, intent on getting some clothes. Maybe it had been a dream. Or maybe she was dreaming now. Either way, she didn’t want to have this conversation.

“We were living together?” Jason asked. “Are you sure?”

She turned back around and frowned. “What kind of question is that?” She crossed her arms. “You know what? It doesn’t matter. I’m just going to get changed and I’m just going to–”

“I’m sorry,” Jason cut in. “I just don’t…I don’t understand. You woke up this morning, telling me that you had pretty much gone back in time and apparently, three years from now, we were living together, we’re not speaking now, Sonny’s got a sister that I’m sleeping with and…” he narrowed his eyes. “Was there something about Sonny being dead?”

“No, he faked his death,” Elizabeth said. “Do you really believe me?” she asked. “Because most people would just ship me off to the hospital to have tests run.”

“Uh…let’s just say I believe that you believe it.”

“Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence,” Elizabeth muttered. She sat on the couch. “What am I supposed to do? Not figure out why I’m here and just live my life all over again, or try and figure out a way to fix this…?”

Jason sighed and sat next to her. He leaned back and stretched his legs out. “Maybe you’re here for a reason.”

“Maybe I’m here to fix a mistake,” Elizabeth murmured. “But I can’t think of a mistake I made now that’s any worse than…” She stopped and looked down. “One I made about a year or so from now.”

“Which mistake would that be?” Jason asked.

“The one where I walked away from you,” Elizabeth admitted. She looked at him. “I don’t know that I should be telling you any of this. Because I could seriously mess up the future if I tell you, because it’s obvious that anything that I dreamt is gonna happen.”

“You guessed the leather jacket,” Jason argued. “That’s not hard pressing evidence.”

She hesitated. She could certainly come up with something, but she wasn’t sure if she wanted to. “I could tell you something else.”

“Like what?” Jason asked.

“Um…” She shifted on the couch, tucking one leg underneath him so she could face him. “I know that Sonny and Carly are going to get married.”

Jason frowned. “Are you nuts? They hate each other.”

“Well, that’s going to change,” Elizabeth said. “Carly gets pregnant–” She stopped and bit her lip. “Oh…you know what? Never mind.”

“What do you mean she gets pregnant?” Jason asked. “When is–” He stopped abruptly.

“Hey, Emily breaks up with Juan,” Elizabeth volunteered, changing the subject. “That’s good right?”

“I guess,” Jason said, grudgingly. “But is there anything you can prove?”

“Not especially,” Elizabeth replied. She frowned. “So you still don’t believe me?”

“I told you…I believe that you believe,” Jason replied. “So, you gonna tell me anything else about the future?”

“See, now you’re just teasing me,” Elizabeth complained.

“No, no,” Jason protested, but unable to keep himself from smiling.

She sighed and leaned against the back of the couch. “You know, I’d rather stay here than go back anyway.”

“What’s so bad about three years from now?” Jason asked.

“Haven’t you heard a word I’ve said?” Elizabeth asked, irritated. “We’re not talking and you’re sleeping with Sonny’s sister.” She wrinkled her nose. “I have no idea what you see in her. Well, I mean, she’s blonde and she’s pretty, but honestly Jason, every other word out of her mouth is something stupid.” She shook her head.

“I’m sorry…I think,” Jason apologized.

“It’s not your fault,” Elizabeth grumbled. “It’s your fault three years from now.”

He chuckled. “Elizabeth–”

“And she’s married too,” Elizabeth continued. “Then again, so are you.”

“Wait, I’m married?” Jason repeated. “To who? You?”

Elizabeth snorted. “No, not me. You’d have to spend more than five minutes with me in order to do that.” She shook her head. “No, you’re married to…wait, first I should tell you that she’s alive.”

“Who’s alive?” Jason asked, now genuinely interested.

“Brenda Barrett.”

“Whoa, whoa, I’m married to Brenda?”

← Prologue | Part 2 →