Elizabeth opened her eyes and blinked. Christmas morning again.

She smiled and closed her eyes, snuggling to fall asleep again. She relished sleeping in these days.

“I know you’re awake,” Jason murmured in her ear, tightening his arms around her waist.

“I know we’re about to be woken up, so I just want to stay in bed as long as possible,” Elizabeth replied.

“You? Sleep in on Christmas?” Jason replied, amused. Elizabeth laughed softly and rolled onto her back.

“Well, there are certain benefits to staying in bed,” Elizabeth reminded him. He leaned down to kiss her.

“Do you ever think about that Christmas?” Jason asked, propping himself up on an elbow.

What a loaded question. She thought about that day almost all the time. There wasn’t a moment that passed that she didn’t silently thank whoever was responsible for giving her the chance to relive the last three years and make the right choices.

She’d left with Jason shortly after New Year’s. They’d been able to avoid the bomb incident with a simple guard on the door that day. Elizabeth had confided in Emily that she cared for Jason and that she was going to away with him–as friends for now. Emily was a little confused, but happy for her friends. Elizabeth had thought about telling her grandmother and Nikolas, but she left them a letter. She’d also written to the Spencers once she and Jason had left.

They’d gone everywhere–traveled the States first while Jason got the necessary information for Carly to get out of her marriage and gain custody of Michael. Elizabeth wasn’t sure why Jason felt the need to do so, but she also didn’t argue with him.

It was in May when Luke Spencer managed to find Jason and Elizabeth in Scotland to tell Elizabeth about Lucky’s miraculous resurrection. He’d expected her to come right home, but Elizabeth had gently explained she was past Lucky. She was glad he was alive, but she wasn’t going to halt her life and rush right home.

Besides, in April, Jason had told her that he was in love with her and Elizabeth considered that more important.

In June, Elizabeth convinced Jason to invite Emily for a few weeks–just long enough so Emily could avoid the rave. They were staying in a small apartment in France then and Emily jumped at the chance.

Apparently, not much had changed with Elizabeth’s absence. Lucky had returned–he was incredibly angry with everyone except Emily and Nikolas. He seemed to miss Elizabeth at times. Emily was a little curious as to why Elizabeth didn’t come home as soon as she found out Lucky was alive.

Elizabeth told Emily that while she still loved Lucky, he was part of her past. Her first love and she was happy with Jason. Emily could tell that she was telling the truth and it was the last Elizabeth heard of it.

Emily went home in July, and Jason and Elizabeth returned to Port Charles when the Sonny and Carly situation blew up. This time, it was completely different. Sonny and Carly were married–with Elizabeth and Carly still very much at each other’s throats. Since Emily hadn’t gone to the rave, she was still dating Juan–much to Elizabeth’s chagrin.

And then there was Lucky.

Elizabeth went to visit Laura and Lulu and ran into Lucky. Lucky seemed happy to see her, but upset that she was dating Jason. His words?

You belong with Nikolas.

Elizabeth was more used to this than she let on and the words just flew right past her. She calmly told Lucky that she and Jason were together and nothing was going to change her mind.

Elizabeth had subtly let a few things drop to Emily about Lucky’s brainwashing before she and Jason left town again. Since Emily wasn’t kidnapped and never went to the rave, she never met Zander Smith.

Luck worked out — Zander had decided on his own to get his life under control and while Emily was waiting for Lucky outside of Kevin Collins’ office, she met Zander who was visiting a friend. The two struck up a conversation and this time…it worked out.

Nikolas didn’t meet Gia because of her blackmailing–but they came into contact while Gia was testing for the Face of Deception. They instantly clicked, and it worked out for them as well.

Lucky’s brainwashing was quickly done away with the first time around. He reconnected with his parents and became a photographer for Deception. He didn’t have the brainwashing the second time, which meant Nikolas never dropped Gia to go back to the family. Helena eventually went back to Greece. Luke followed and the Cassadine matriarch met her untimely death in a boating accident.

As for Elizabeth…the year 2000 ended a lot better the second time around. On December 25, a year after Elizabeth woke up, she and Jason were married in Italy. Carly, Sonny, and Emily flew to Venice for the ceremony. Elizabeth invited her grandmother and the Spencers, but Audrey flat-out refused to accept her involvement with Jason. The Spencers couldn’t get away, but sent their love.

She invited Nikolas and Lucky, but neither of them could get away either. They sent gifts, which Elizabeth was grateful for.

Elizabeth and Jason returned to Port Charles again in January and hid out in her old studio much like Jason had the first time around. Sonny was the only one who knew they were in town, but after the warehouse fire (which Elizabeth was still uneasy about), news of both their return and marriage leaked out.

They stayed in town until April, just like Jason had the first time. Elizabeth wanted to keep Jason’s comings and goings pretty much the same as to avoid more drastic changes. She did, however, manage to befriend Carly this time around and talked her out of her plan to turn Sonny in.

When Jason left town to track down Sorel’s men, Elizabeth stayed at the penthouse with Carly and Sonny. She found out she was pregnant just after Jason left, but elected to wait until he returned.

Jason came back to collect her, and they left again. This time, they went to Italy immediately and settled into an apartment to await the birth of their child. Caroline Emily Morgan came into the world in late August.

Jason and Elizabeth made a final return in May, but not for Carly’s “funeral.” Carly and Sonny had stayed together and had a child to show for it. Michael got a new little sister in time for Easter. Carly had named her Adella Elizabeth, but tried to explain that Elizabeth was a family name for Sonny. Elizabeth let her get away with it.

Luis Alcazar came to town with Brenda and Elizabeth managed to let Jason know pretty much everything in advance. Sonny was a little suspicious about the way Jason managed to stay ahead of Alcazar the entire time, but it ended the same way.

Alcazar was eventually killed–and Elizabeth still didn’t know who had done it–Brenda or Skye or even Sonny or Jason. She particularly didn’t care since she’d managed to get kidnapped again anyway.

But all had ended well. It was Christmas morning 2002, and Elizabeth couldn’t help but feel that she’d gotten it right this time around.

“I think about it all the time,” she admitted.

“You know…I still wonder if you were hallucinating,” Jason said lightly. “But after this summer, I think I finally believe it.”

“Well, all of my inside knowledge is completely used up,” Elizabeth remarked. She grinned. “As of last night, the future is exactly that…the future.”

“So, out of curiosity…” Jason said, leaning down to brush a soft kiss across her lips. “Which reality do you prefer?”

“Hmm…” Elizabeth pretended to think. It wasn’t really a contest. Living without Jason, watching him with Courtney in no way compared to having spent the last three years being in love with him…being married to him and being the mother to their child. “Definitely this one,” she replied. “Hands down.”

“Good to hear.” Jason wrinkled his nose. “Although…I have to admit…I wonder if you dreamed Sonny’s sister.”

Elizabeth laughed. “Yeah. I wonder why she and Janine never ended up in Port Charles.” She frowned. “Do you think I should tell Sonny?”

“He wouldn’t believe you if you tried,” Jason told her.

“That’s true.”

The sound of Caroline crying interrupted their conversation and Elizabeth looked towards the door. “I’ll get her.”

Jason swung his legs over the other side of the bed. “No, I will.”

Elizabeth smiled and tied her robe. “We’ll both get her.” Jason stopped her just before she reached the door and gave her a good, sound kiss.

“Happy anniversary,” he murmured in her ear.

She wrapped her arms around his neck. “You know…I’m really glad I got to change my future,” Elizabeth told him. “I think we deserved a second chance.”

“Since I wasn’t exactly there for our first chance, I’ll take your word for it,” Jason replied. He kissed her again before pulling away. “Come on. I think Caroline wants to open her presents.”

Elizabeth followed him down the hall to the nursery, laughing. “Jason, she’s only fourteen months old. She’ll be more interested in the wrapping paper than the presents.”

Jason grinned as he pushed the door open and stood over the crib. He lifted Caroline out and kissed her forehead. “I notice that didn’t stop you from buying out the baby section in Wyndhams.”

Elizabeth laughed and smoothed Caroline’s already unruly blonde curly hair. “She’s my little baby and she deserves the best.”

“Come on,” Jason said, heading for the door. “We’d better get the presents opened before Carly comes over. You know she can’t wait to see what we got her.”

Elizabeth stood in the nursery for a beat after Jason and Caroline went downstairs. Sometimes she was a little nostalgic for pieces of her last life. She and Audrey had never gotten their relationship back on track and she missed her grandmother immensely. She’d become close with Lila through Jason and Caroline and somehow she and Carly had managed to bond. She and Emily were still as close as ever–she’d also forged better friendships with Nikolas, Lucky and even Gia.

“Elizabeth?” Jason called from the downstairs.

“I’m coming!” Elizabeth replied. She looked around the nursery that she, Carly and Emily had decorated for Caroline.

Everyone deserved a second chance.

← Part 4 |