We were strangers, starting out on a journey
Never dreaming, what we’d have to go through
Now here we are, I’m suddenly standing
At the beginning with you
No one told me, I was going to find you
Unexpected, what you did to my heart
When I lost hope, you were there to remind me
This is the start
– At The Beginning, Donna Lewis & Richard Marx

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Sunday, June 4, 2000

Morgan Penthouse: Master Bedroom

Jason emerged from the bathroom pulling on a gray t-shirt, then frowned because before he’d gone in for a shower, he’d been able to see the carpet. And now—

“I know what face you’re making,” came the muffled voice of his wife from somewhere in the closet. “I have a plan—” A sweater came flying out, landing on one of the haphazard piles clothing that surrounded the closet.

“It’s summer,” he reminded her, picking his way around the piles and going over to his dresser. His duffel bag, which he’d packed the night before, was ready to go. Five pairs of jeans, six t-shirts, two new backs of briefs, and five pair of socks. He tucked his shaving kit into the side pocket, and zipped it.

He turned back, shaking his head at the two large suitcases on the bed. She’d been packing for nearly a week and still, somehow, they were empty. She kept filling them, then removing the clothes and starting over.

“So?”

“You won’t need the sweaters—”

Elizabeth finally poked her head out of the closet, the curls dancing madly around her face. He’d thought he liked her hair long so that he could slide his fingers through it, but there was something about the way the short hair framed her face now, and there was still plenty for him to touch—

“Jason—”

He snapped back to attention, and her lips curved into a knowing smirk. She sauntered towards him sliding her arms around his waist. “You know how cold it gets on the airplane,” she reminded him, tilting her head up. Jason made a face because she had a point. He didn’t feel the cold, but Elizabeth did. “I promise. Today I’m going to pack. For real.”

“You don’t have a choice,” he reminded her, kissing the tip of her nose. “We’re leaving for the airport at six. Whatever is in those suitcases is what goes.”

“Today is the day, I promise.” She rose on the tips of her toes to kiss him again, fisting her hands in his t-shirt. He dragged her closer, and she giggled. Jason lifted her, then tossed her on the bed next to the suitcases. She tugged him over her, deepening the kiss.

“You have to pack,” he murmured against her lips.

“I can pack later.”

Corinthos Penthouse: Living Room

“And sign here,” Alexis said, pointing at the line. Sonny obeyed, then slid the contract over to her. “Congratulations, you’re now the active partner in Corinthos & Morgan Coffee, with completely control over all decisions.”

Sonny made a face, sipped his coffee. “Jason already signed?”

“On my way to give him a copy of it and a few other things before they leave.” Alexis tipped her head. “Are you all right with all of this?”

“With Jason leaving?” Sonny sighed. “Yeah. He’s making the right decision for himself. And for Elizabeth. They deserve this trip.”

“He’ll come back, Sonny,” Alexis said gently. “This is their home.”

“Eventually.” Sonny forced a smile. “But I’m happy for them both. I really am.” He looked back at the contracts. “Angry at myself because it didn’t have to be this way. If I could have just given in a little, been less selfish—”

“Then would you really be Sonny Corinthos?” Alexis smirked, put the contracts in her briefcase. “Jason made it work when you left him a few years ago, you’ll survive this.”

Morgan Penthouse: Living Room

“I would have expected to see more luggage,” Alexis said as Jason set down the duffel bag and crossed over to her. “Does Liz know you’re leaving for the airport today?”

“Yes,” Jason said, taking the paperwork she offered. “Does she realize we’re leaving in three  hours? Harder to tell.” He scanned the contract. “It’s all in order?”

“You’re a silent partner. And here—” Alexis gave him the last contract. “The post-nuptial agreement you asked for. Uh, does Elizabeth know about this? Because I remember negotiating the prenup, and—”

“She knows—”

“I know what?” Elizabeth asked, appearing on the landing. Behind her, she dragged a large suitcase. It thudded as she came down the stairs. Jason scowled, went to retrieve it. “I can—never mind.” She sighed as he took it from her, then set it next to his own. “Hey, Alexis. What do I know about?”

“Is your other bag upstairs?” Jason wanted to know.

“Yeah, you can get it later. What’s going on?” Elizabeth asked.

“Alexis has the post-nuptial agreement,” Jason told her. “She brought it for us to sign.”

“Oh, right.” Elizabeth went over to the table to pick up her purse and start rummaging through it. “Yeah, as long as it says what you promised.”

Jason looked at Alexis. “It should.”

“Oh, well, it preserves the agreement you made in January,” Alexis explained. “At the time of dissolution, you get half of everything each earns during the marriage. I just updated to include property which we left out the last time.” She gave him a pen.

Jason signed the new agreement, then gave it to Elizabeth who did the same. “Thanks,” he told Alexis.

“No problem.” Alexis tucked both contracts away. “Sonny said you guys were starting in Egypt?”

“Yeah, we’re doing two weeks,” Elizabeth said. “And then Italy for four, and Greece for six. After that, we’ll either come home or pick a new place. I keep trying to get him to tell me where else he wants to go—”

“I told you,” Jason said. “Anywhere you can paint is fine with me.”

“Well, have a great trip.”

When Alexis was gone, Jason went to go get Elizabeth’s other suitcase—then returned with two. He set them down, then just looked at Elizabeth. “Was this the plan you talked about earlier?”

“We’re going to be gone two months. If not longer,” she said with a shrug. “I don’t know what I’ll need. Do you have your passport? I’ll put it with mine—”

“Yeah, it’s in my desk drawer,” Jason told her. Elizabeth went over to retrieve it, pulling it open. On top of the passport sat a small velvet box. She frowned at it, then pulled both out, turning to him. “What’s this?”

Jason took it from her. “Today is June 4,” he told her.

“I know—”

“There’s a reason I asked Alexis to bring the contracts today. Why I wanted to leave today.” He paused, waited for her to meet his eyes. “Six months ago. Today. We got married.”

“I—” She cleared her throat. “I know—”

“When we made our vows in the church,” Jason continued, “I meant them. I know you did, too,” he added. “But we didn’t do things in the order that we should have. That you deserved—”

“I don’t care—”

“I do,” he said, and she close her mouth. “Because I want you to have everything I can give you. So I asked Alexis for a new agreement because it’s what we would have signed from the beginning. Not that I’m planning a divorce—” he added with a wince. “But—”

“I understand—”

“I didn’t ask you to marry me.”

“You did,” Elizabeth insisted. “We danced and everything—” She smiled. “Is that what you’re doing now?”

Jason flipped open the box to reveal a ring with a ruby and diamond setting. “I didn’t get you an engagement ring,” he said. “It happened so fast—” He took her hand and slid it over her finger. “So I thought—I don’t know—six months. It’s sort of an anniversary.”

“It’s also the earliest Alexis said we might be able to divorce,” Elizabeth reminded him. “So instead, you’re giving me a ring, a postnuptial agreement, and a honeymoon.” She slid her arms around his neck. “I should have known you were a romantic.”

“Don’t tell anyone else,” he warned, leaning down to kiss her. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

THE END

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Author’s Note: Thanks so much for joining me on this journey! This is the first flash fiction that I really revisited and edited into something a lot stronger than the original. Drop a line and let me know what you think about the finished product!

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