Written in 50 minutes.

General Hospital: Hallway

Cameron had nearly made it to the service stairs before Emma snagged his elbow and made him stop. “Hey, Cam. Come on—”

“I just really want to be alone right now, okay?” Cameron said, jerking out of her grasp. When her pretty face crumpled with hurt, he hissed. “I’m sorry,” he muttered. “I just—I don’t know what you want from me, okay?”

“I don’t want anything, Cam, I just—” She bit her lip. “I want you to be okay. I shouldn’t have told you—”

“No, you shouldn’t have. I don’t want to know this. I don’t want to think about what my mom—” His chest felt six sizes too small. “I’ve seen this happen on TV, you know, and I can’t stop—”

“It was so long ago, Cam—”

“It doesn’t matter. I just keep seeing her in my head, crying. She cried all the time when Jake was gone, and now I—” He closed his eyes. “Just leave me alone.”

“Cam—”

He shoved open the door to the stairwell, and this time, Emma didn’t follow.

General Hospital: Hub

Elizabeth knew even before Laura reached her why she was here. As her mother-in-law approached the counter, Elizabeth put up a hand. “Before you start, I’m fine.”

“I wasn’t—” Laura winced. “Okay, I was a little,” she admitted. “But I’ve been worried—”

“You and Patrick. And Robin. And Jason. I guess I should be relieved you’re really the only people left that know.” She felt a twist of grief for Emily and for the boy Lucky had been once. For her grandmother. Elizabeth turned back to the monitor and kept updating charts. “I freaked out yesterday. I know it upset everyone. It scared me. But once I got home, and I was with my boys, I remembered something very important.”

“What’s that?”

Elizabeth met Laura’s eyes. “That sixteen-year-old girl crawled out of the bushes a long time ago. I worked damn hard to put it behind me.”

“I know you did, Elizabeth, but—”

“I wasn’t prepared to see him. That’s all. I can handle this, Laura. I refuse to let him take over my life. Not again. Never again,” Elizabeth said, her teeth clenched. “For nearly a year, it consumed my every waking thought. I didn’t sleep. I couldn’t look at anyone in the eye. I saw the man who raped me in the face of every man I came into contact with. I couldn’t see a future for myself where I would be able to let anyone touch me.” Her breath hitched. “That’s not me anymore. I have three gorgeous, perfect boys who are a miracle. I have a husband who loves me. I have another baby to dream for. There is no room in my life for Tom Baker and what he put me through.”

“Okay.” Laura stepped back. “Then we’ll let that be the end of it. I love you, Elizabeth. Without you these last few years, without your family, I would  have been lost.” She reached forward, squeezed Elizabeth’s hand. “If you need me, I’m here. I just wanted to make that clear.”

“Thank you.”

“I didn’t even get a chance to congratulate you on the baby,” Laura continued. “I’m so excited for you. Both of you. I hope you don’t mind if I cross my fingers for a girl.”

“A daughter would be nice,” Elizabeth admitted, “but I just want a healthy baby that Jason and I can enjoy together.” She paused. “I have to get back to work.”

PCPD: Commissioner’s Office

Jordan heard his voice before she saw the man, so by the time DEA Agent Marcus Taggert strode in, she was on her feet and ready. She’d already heard his angry message the night before.

“Before you say anything,” she began, “it’s really not my job to inform former PCPD officers of parole releases. The department did everything by the book on this Baker thing—”

“By the book?” Taggert demanded. “I called Laura Spencer. She said Elizabeth came face to face with the bastard—”

“He wasn’t convicted of a violent felony against her. We weren’t legally obligated to notify her,” Jordan continued. “Like it or not, Marcus, this is our system. If you’d been here, maybe if Mac had still been in charge—things would be different. There’s been a lot of turnover since you left.”

Taggert growled. “A violent rapist gets released—”

“He wasn’t convicted of rape, and—” Jordan reached for the file. “I know what the Webber statement says, but sure are you that Baker was the guy? I don’t see much of an investigation—”

“Are you telling me I screwed up her case? He confessed—”

“To a terrified, traumatized teenaged girl he was trying to keep under control,” Jordan said. “I called Mac after I looked at the file. He told you that eighteen years ago. No DNA, no case. He wasn’t convicted of this, Marcus. And without you here leading the charge, no one knew.”

Taggert exhaled slowly. “She was traumatized,” he remembered his voice quiet now. “Desperate. Came in over and over again with any scrap she could remember. I dragged her in for line ups, for questioning again—there was never anywhere to go with her case. I tried, Jordan—”

“I know. You followed the leads, but it was a stranger rape, and unfortunately, she did everything wrong—” She winced. “That seems like I’m judging her, I’m not. She did what she needed to for her own sanity. It just limited the investigation.”

“I know. She really beat herself up about that.” Taggert dropped into the seat, the rage extinguished. “I keep attacking everyone but the bastard who did this,” he muttered. “Portia nearly ripped me a new asshole—”

“Yeah, well if you call as often as you did when we worked together, she probably had a reason. No one wanted Elizabeth Morgan to be blindsided like this. I promise you.”

“He’s working at the hospital?” Taggert wanted to know. He straightened in the chair. “Who put him there? The parole officer?”

“I don’t know—”

“Because if he applied for that job on his own—Elizabeth isn’t someone who flies under the radar. I bet the whole town knows where she works,” he continued.

“He’d have to be suicidal to go after Elizabeth again. Marcus—she’s married to the number two guy in the Port Charles mafia. Morgan might look domesticated,” Jordan continued, “but he’s the suspect in three open homicide cases in the last five years.”

“Yeah, how close are you to making those cases?”

“They’re dead in the water,” Jordan muttered. “He’s good at what he does. All of them were low level operatives who were biting at the territory.” She pursed her lips. “I’m trying to get surveillance on him approved based on this Baker thing.”

“Jordan—”

“I don’t care if Baker is the scum of the Earth. He’s a citizen that I’ve sworn an oath to protect. He did his time. That’s the system,” she repeated to him. “You don’t have to like it, but we will sure as hell respect it. If Baker goes missing, I want eyes on Jason Morgan. I’m going to nail his ass to the wall.”

Taggert snorted as he rose to his feet. “And then you’ll take Corinthos down with him. Good luck, Jordan. Why the hell do you think I transferred out? I got tired of beating my head against a brick wall. Good luck with that.”

Morgan House: Kitchen

Cameron slunk into the back door a few hours later, stopping short when he saw his mother at the stove. “I thought you were at work.”

She smiled at him. “No. I had the early shift today, so I thought we’d heat up some pasta from last night—” Elizabeth tipped her head. “Your brothers are in the living room playing video games. As usual.”

“I’m fine.” He dropped the bookbag on the table and went to the fridge to get a can of pop.

“I saw Emma at the hospital,” Elizabeth continued as she took out a bag of rolls and started to prep garlic bread. “You didn’t volunteer?”

“I went, but I didn’t feel like it.” Cameron took a long sip of his drink. “Trina and Joss were arguing again.”

“Ah, the blue hair thing?”

“Yeah. I didn’t wanna listen.” He stared at the butcher block surface of the counter. “Mom.”

“Yeah, baby?”

He’d asked her ages ago to stop calling him that, but today—today he couldn’t be irritated by it. “Mom,” he said again.

Elizabeth set down the shaker of garlic powder and focused on him. “Cameron, what’s wrong? I can tell something this—”

“Emma heard her parents talking.” He took a deep breath. “The other night. She told me—” His eyes burned and his throat felt too small to speak. “She told me you—you were—”

His mother’s face was pale. “She told you what happened to me. When I was a kid.”

“Yeah.” He sucked in the breath. “That you were raped.” He found the courage to meet his mother’s eyes. “She’s not lying, is she?”

“No. She’s not.” Elizabeth exhaled slowly. “When I was sixteen,” she began quietly, “I was walking in the park after dark. I sat on a bench, and a man grabbed me. He hurt me. For a long time, it was hard to be okay.”

“But you are now.”

“I am now. I worked very hard to be okay, Cam. Because I wanted my life to be my own again. I didn’t want to think about it anymore. So I got past it, and I had my boys. I built a life that has nothing to do with any of it.”

Cameron took that in, squinted at his mother. She was a good liar, but he could usually tell when she was pretending. She didn’t seem to be now. “Can I—can I ask you questions? I mean—”

“You can ask. I might not answer.”

He furrowed his brow. “Did they catch who did it?”

“They did, but there wasn’t enough evidence. He went to jail for something else.”

“Oh.” Well, at least he’d gone to jail. “Did—I mean, did you know Dad back then? Did he help?”

“Later, he was important. He helped me in other ways. But, no, at first it was just your grandma Audrey and—” She sighed. “Lucky. He became my best friend and took care of me.”

“You said he was different before the fire. He got hurt and his  head was messed up.”

“Yeah, he was a very sweet boy who kept me sane for that first year,” Elizabeth remembered. “I loved him very much, and when I thought he was dead, I didn’t think I would survive it. I was just a little older than you. Then, I met your dad. Between the two of them, I knew I’d be okay.”

“What about my biological dad? The one that—” He gestured weakly.

“Zander? He came later. He was a friend for a while, but by that time, I had mostly put it in my past. Cameron, baby, I’m so sorry you found out this way. It’s part of my history, but it isn’t a story we need to tell.”

“I guess not. It’s just—you know, I see it on television and the movies, and it was just hard because I kept seeing you,” Cameron continued, “and I didn’t like thinking of you being hurt like that, you know?”

“I know.”

He felt better now, talking it through with his mother. “Thanks. For letting me ask questions.” Cameron paused. “But you’re really okay now? I mean, it doesn’t bother you anymore?”

Elizabeth opened her mouth, then closed it. “Most of the time, I don’t think about it. In fact, before this week, I couldn’t tell you the last time I had. Maybe sometimes when I thought about Lucky since he was part of it. I’d be lying to you, Cam, if I said it doesn’t bother me. I wish it didn’t happen. I wish it didn’t happen to anyone.”

“Is it like when we were missing Jake?” he wanted to know. “Because we have him back now and I love him but I also remember what it was like when he wasn’t here and we were really sad. And like before Dad came to live with us. I remember the unhappy stuff, and sometimes it makes me sad that Jake didn’t get to be with us all the time.” He hesitated. “But then I think maybe I’m a better brother because of it. Because I know how hard life was without Jake, and I don’t wanna be without my brothers.”

“Yeah, I think it’s something like that. I remember what it was like when it was still fresh and new—and sometimes that comes back and makes me unhappy. But I think I’m a better person for what I went through.” She smiled at him. “You’re an amazing brother, did you know that? And an even better son.”

“Well, I have a pretty good mom to help me do things right.” That terrible, aching feeling had dissipated. His mom really was okay. This terrible thing had happened to her—all the terrible things that had happened — and she’d come out being who she was. “I gotta go remind Jake and Aiden who rules at Call of Duty.”

“You do that,” Elizabeth said with a smile.

General Hospital: Locker Room

Tom carefully slid the combination lock out of the slot and opened it, glancing around to make sure he was still alone. Then he took out the wallet and rifled through the photos, hoping that the doctor was still old fashioned enough to carry them.

The first in his collection, he thought, as he lifted out a photograph that looked crisp and new. The pretty little girl who had run into his earlier that day beamed back at him—and what was this—

Tucked behind the pretty little girl was a photo of the girl’s father with Elizabeth. Tom smiled down at the woman the vibrant girl had grown into. She really was very lovely, but old now. With children.

No, he preferred a fresher prey to hunt. Still, knowing that his pretty girl was connected to his first love?

Well, wasn’t that sweet?

+7

Written in 56 minutes.

Morgan House: Kitchen

Elizabeth glanced over her shoulder as she opened the fridge and frowned when she caught Cameron’s eye again. Her eldest son immediately broke eye contact and slumped over his cereal, scooping up the Lucky Charms like it was the most important thing in his life.

It was the third time she’d caught him looking at her—maybe even the fourth. She rolled her shoulders and retrieved the juices she needed for Aiden’s lunch box and went over to the counter to continue packing his lunch. “Everything okay?” she asked Cameron.

“What?” Cameron blinked at her. “Yeah, why?”

She pursed her lips. “No reason.”

“I don’t care what Rocco Falconieri is doing,” Jason said as he walked into the kitchen behind a sullen Aiden. “You’re not going.”

“You act like I’m a baby,” he muttered, starting to climb onto the stool next to Cameron. He glared at Jason as his father rounded the counter and reached for a bowl to pour cereal for him.

“You still got your baby teeth?” Jake wanted to know from the other side of Cameron. “Because I think that’s how it works. You start losing those, you level up.”

Aiden scowled — because of course, he hadn’t lost any of his teeth yet. The bottom center tooth was loose but it refused to come out. “If it comes out, can I go?”

“It’s a school night—”

“That is not how it works,” Elizabeth said at the same time. Jake just grinned at her, his mission of agitation completed for the morning. “No one goes anyone on school nights.”

“But Rocco is family,” Aiden pointed out. “You said we gotta do for family.”

“When they’re in trouble. Not when they have a game system in their room and you’re trying to get around the rules.” Elizabeth zipped his lunch box shut, then looked at Cameron. He was usually in the middle of these morning clashes — whether he teaming up with Jake against who ever the target was that day or he was taking his parents’s side just to be contrary.

Instead, he sat between his brothers, his attention focused on the bowl of cereal like it had all the answers.

“Cameron gets to go places all the time,” Aiden muttered. “He gets to stay at Grandma Laura’s longer and he goes to the hospital by himself. I get locked up like a criminal.”

“Aiden, cool it,” Cameron said, his spoon clinking against the bowl as he glared at his little brother. “No one is locking you up.”

“Yeah, I know what that’s like,” Jake offered helpfully. “You’re not on a island, you got your own room, no crazy person is telling you he’s your dad and you’re gonna help him rule the world—” He was ticking these items off on his fingers as Elizabeth’s mouth dropped and Jason stilled next to him.

Aiden’s eyes were as round as saucers. “Whoa. Is that what it was like with the Cassadines? Do they really rule the world? Is that why Spencer is a giant—”

“Eat your cereal,” Jason said, shoving the bowl in front of Aiden. “Jake—” He didn’t even really know what to say. Jake had been so young when they’d rescued him from the Cassadines, and he rarely spoke about the two long years he’d spent locked up with Stavros playing his father.

“I didn’t know you remembered that much,” Elizabeth said finally. “Do you need—um, Grandma can talk to Kevin—”

“No, it’s cool.” Jake shrugged. “Aiden just doesn’t get it. That’s why he’s the baby.”

Aiden’s eyes narrowed into little slits. “I am not—”

“Here’s his lunch,” Elizabeth said to Jason in a rush as she shoved the box towards her husband. “Cam, Jake, let’s go. I’ll drop you off at school.”

“It’s not like he can hurt me,” Jake said, confidently hopping off the stool. “He kicks like a fly—”

Jason quickly put an arm out to lock Aiden in place. “Jake—”

“Someone has to make up for Cam since he’s all quiet.” Jake sauntered out towards the living room.

“It’s not fair,” Aiden muttered.

“One day, you’ll get to do all the things Cam does,” Elizabeth assured him. “Right, Cam?”

Cameron blinked at her. “Uh. Yeah. Sure. I didn’t even tie anyone up until I was eleven, so you got time, Aiden.” He slurped up his cereal. “I’ll go get my jacket and bookbag.”

“Not the help I was looking for,” she muttered as she followed him out, hearing Aiden ask Jason who Cameron had tied up.

Corinthos & Morgan Warehouse: Office

Jason usually hated to be interrupted when he was working on the books, but he was glad when Sonny knocked on the door late that morning. He hadn’t been able to concentrate on the numbers or the invoices.

“You know, Spinelli could set you up with a program that would do this for you,” Sonny said, nodding to the pile of paper and pencils on the desk. “What does he always say? Something about it being the twenty-first century—”

“Programs can be hacked,” Jason said. “I like double checking. I thought you were at the restaurant today—”

“Yeah, I’m headed over there, but—uh, Brick said you left here yesterday like things were on fire. He was worried and called me.” Sonny sat down in the rickety chair, wincing. “I’m too old for this,” he muttered.

“It’s fine—” Jason shook his head and reached for the pencil.

“I figure it wasn’t too serious since you didn’t call me, but I still wanted to check in.” Sonny paused. “You didn’t come back either, according to Brick—”

“I didn’t know he was watching me—” Jason bit back the irritated remark. “There was something at the hospital. Elizabeth—” He stared down at the pencil, twisting the yellow wood in his fingers. “Tom Baker was released from prison.”

Sonny squinted. “Tom Baker,” he repeated. “Do I know that name?”

“He was the photographer who blackmailed my sister and held her hostage in the photography studio,” Jason said.

“Then he’s also the garbage that raped Elizabeth. I remember they were the same person,” Sonny added when Jason blinked at him. “I just never took in the name. I figured you’d handled that. I didn’t know he was still alive.”

“Emily—” Jason rubbed his face. “She wanted it that way. Baker grabbed her and Elizabeth, shoved them into the dark room. Lucky and Nikolas got them out, but Baker confronted them. There was a fight, and Elizabeth got her hands on the gun.” He hated thinking of his sister going through that alone, of Elizabeth being shoved into a room by the same man who’d terrorized her— “Emily said Elizabeth was brave in facing him down. Confronting him. Elizabeth wanted him to get arrested. To get justice. She put down the gun.”

“But now he’s out—”

“Baker never got charged with the rape,” Jason said bluntly. “He’s out and he’s working at the hospital. Elizabeth didn’t know and ran into him. She, uh, had a pretty bad panic attack.”

“Wouldn’t be hard to get rid of him now,” Sonny said after a long moment. “Make him look like he split town. Spinelli could handle setting a trail—”

“She doesn’t want that.”

His best friend absorbed that, nodded. “Okay. I guess I can understand that—”

“She doesn’t want the PCPD to look at me. I’d be the primary suspect even if he just disappeared.”

“She should know you better. Like you’d get caught,” Sonny scoffed, but Jason shook his head.

“It’s not that. She just doesn’t want to take any chances. Not with—we just finalized the adoption for Aiden, and we’re—” A smile tugged at the corner of his lips. “We’re having another baby. Due in May or June We’re not sure—”

“Oh, man—” Sonny’s eyes lit up. “That’s great news. I knew you were thinking about it, but—okay, okay, that tracks. Elizabeth doesn’t want the old stuff coming back. Not when you got so much going right.” He tipped his head. “You’re okay with him being at the hospital, though?”

“I don’t want him breathing the same air as her, much less in the same building,” Jason bit out. “But it’s not my call.”

“No, I guess it’s not.” Sonny tapped his fingers on his thigh. “How many guys we got working at GH now?”

“Uh, three orderlys and a few of the security guards are ours. I got two more in when Cam started volunteering,” Jason admitted.

“Grab one and assign him to Baker. Just to keep an eye out,” Sonny suggested. “You’re not doing anything but it might help you sleep at night. We can toss someone on him when he’s not in the hospital.”

“Yeah. Maybe. I’ll talk to Elizabeth.”

Sonny got to his feet. “It’s a hell of a thing,” he said. “Special place in hell for rapists.”

General Hospital: Pediatric Wing

Emma folded her arms and followed Cameron off the elevator. “Are you really not going to talk about it?” she asked him as they headed for the nurse’s station on the floor. “You just went inside last night—”

“Emma—” Cameron just shook his head. “No. I really don’t want to talk about it. Let’s just get this shift over with.”

She sighed and they turned a corner. She scowled, then swallowed her protest at seeing Joss Jacks standing by Spencer Cassadine at the nurse’s station. A few feet away, Trina was glaring daggers at the blonde—

“No one said she was working today,” Trina said as Cameron and Emma joined her. “They really just take anyone in this program—”

“Hey, my dad paid for this program!” Joss said, planting her hands on her hips. “Tell her, Spencer!”

“Not a chance in hell,” Spencer said politely. “Dig your own grave.”

“Do you know how long it took my stylist to get that blue crap out of my hair?” Joss demanded. She turned her wounded eyes on Cameron who stared at the linoleum. “I thought we were friends!”

“We are,” Cameron said, dully. “I’m sorry—”

“Sorry?”

“Hey, cool it, Cujo,” Trina snarled. “You started this and you know it! You told Oscar Nero that I had head lice!”

“Well, you—”

“And that I don’t shower or wash my hair because of my braids—”

Joss’s cheeks were stained with red. “Okay, that was out of line—”

“Out of line? Out of line? I should have acid, you spoiled bitch—”

Before Trina could launch herself at Joss and finish this for good, Cameron suddenly turned and stalked off in the opposite direction.

Trina and Joss both stopped dead in their tracks at his departure. “What’s his problem?” Joss tossed her hair over her shoulder. “I’m the victim!”

“All your life,” Trina said sweetly and Joss glared at her. Emma ignored them both and took after her boyfriend.

She knew what this was about, and honestly should have dragged him in the opposite direction when she saw Trina and Joss sharing the same oxygen. They had been like oil and water since kindergarten and it was just getting worse. They’d been bickering over Oscar for almost a month, and eventually someone was going to get really hurt.

Emma turned a corner and stumbled, her toe catching on the edge of a custodian’s cart. She nearly face planted on the floor, but a hand snagged her elbow and righted her.

“You okay, little girl?”

“I’m fine,” Emma said, automatically pasting a polite smile on her face as she faced the custodian behind the cart. But the man was smiling at her already, his dark eyes fixed on her in a way that made her feel vaguely dirty. She cleared her throat. “I’m sorry. I should watch where I’m going. Um, thank you.”

She edged around the man and continued down the hall, feeling an itch between her shoulders as she turned another corner and disappeared.

Tom Baker straightened out the cart and smiled to himself as he continued on his rounds. He’d missed the sight of a pretty young girl flying through life, bright eyes and smiles. This one had long legs and a delicate build. Long brown hair.  He’d always been partial to brunettes.

He found the puddle he’d been sent to clean and got started, then started to whistle. Oh, yeah, it was good to be free.

+8

Written in 57 minutes. Did a spellcheck but not a reread.

Scorpio-Drake House: Kitchen

“Where’s Emma?” Patrick asked as he found Robin making a cup of herbal tea. “Did she load the dishwasher?”

“Yeah. I think she’s upstairs doing her homework.” Robin gently stirred her tea. “What happened earlier today?  I heard Elizabeth went a little crazy.”

“Is that the gossip that reached the lab?” Patrick grimaced, leaned back against the counter. “She had a panic attack. A bad one.”

Robin furrowed her brow. “I didn’t know—she didn’t used to have those, did she?”

“Not in the time I’ve known her. A few times after Jake died,” Patrick corrected, “but nothing like today. It was almost like she didn’t know where she is. She was almost catatonic and then Griffin tried to help her up—she started kicking and screaming.” He folded his arms. ” He hesitated. “Tom Baker is working as a custodian at the hospital. Laura said the parole officer got him a job there.”

“Tom—” The spoon in her tea clattered to the floor as Robin stared at him with wide eyes. “Tom Baker. The man who—” She took a deep breath. “Tom Baker,” she murmured.

“Oh, right—I didn’t think about it. Laura said this all went down in ’98. You and Jason were together back then, weren’t you?”

“Yeah, that was at the end of things mostly, but—” Robin paused. “I remember when he went on trial. Emily asked Jason not to do anything. She wanted to testify against Baker. To be as strong as Elizabeth was when she confronted him about the rape.” She rubbed her arm. “Jason agreed because it was what Emily wanted and he needed her to be okay after everything that had happened.”

“All I knew was that Baker didn’t get charged with the attack,” Patrick said. “What the hell happened?”

“The usual, I think. My uncle might know more, but you know how sexual assault cases are handled by the police—and the DA. Baker denied the confession, and it was her word against his. The DA didn’t want to risk it, and the PCPD put her case in cold storage.” Robin picked up the spoon, a bit more steady now. “She saw him today.”

“Yeah. Elizabeth told me about this years ago,” Patrick added, “and it’s not like I’ve never seen or met a sexual assault survivor, but it was—it kills me that it can still hit her like this after all this time. It’s been eighteen years, Robin.”

“She was just sixteen,” Robin murmured. “Barely older than Emma. I remember her back then. Lucky worked for Jason and we ran into them once in a while.” She cleared her throat, focused on Patrick. “What does Laura say? Can we get him fired or let go? I mean, he attacked an employee—”

“Can’t fire him without cause, and he’s officially not guilty of anything against Elizabeth. If Emily were still around,” Patrick said with some regret, “we might have a shot. But he didn’t even get charged with holding Elizabeth hostage. They plead it down after the mistrial.”

“I knew that—I just didn’t realize Elizabeth’s charges were left off entirely—” Robin’s lips thinned as she pressed them together. “This system,” she muttered. “It never looks out for women. If that ever happened to our baby—God, Patrick, it terrifies me. I know men are out there, but Baker’s in the hospital. Maybe we should tell Emma she can’t volunteer there any more.”

“She’s never alone,” Patrick said after a minute. “She works with a group, and if we tell her she can’t, we have to tell her why.”

“And she’ll tell Cam. I don’t think the boys know.” Robin sighed. “Fine. But I reserve the right to change my mind.”

“Duly noted.”

The conversation slid into other topics about the day, so Emma — listening just outside the door as she often did after dinner because that was when her parents always talked about anything they didn’t want her to hear — slid away and went up the stairs.

She went for her phone and texted Cameron.

hey meet me tonite midnight

k i’ll let u know if i cant get out

Morgan Home: Kitchen

Across the street, Jason was loading the last plate into the dishwater as Elizabeth sat at the counter. “I thought it was Jake’s night to do that,” she said. “I thought we said we weren’t going to let him get away with forgetting.” Instead, Jason had sent the boys upstairs with the rare opportunity to play video games in Cameron’s room. He’d helped them unhook the game system.

Elizabeth didn’t argue because they’d made a pact not to do that in front of the boys, and she knew why he’d done it. With video games, they’d be less likely to pay attention to anything else.

Jason shrugged one shoulder, starting the dishwasher and turning back to her. “I thought maybe tonight we let it go.”

“I’m fine,” Elizabeth said as he opened his mouth. “I told you I would be. I had a freak out, but I got it under control, okay? Laura said she’d talk to the maintenance department and make sure we don’t get assigned to same floors or even the same shifts if she could avoid it.” She hesitated. “I don’t want you worrying about me.”

“Impossible.” He leaned back against the counter, folding his arms. “You worry about me when I leave the house.”

“That’s different,” she said dismissively. “You carry a gun.”

“And you’ve been through enough,” he said. “You just found out you had a sister—”

“And we don’t talk about Hayden,” Elizabeth said flatly. “She’s gone and I don’t like her. When your secret sibling pops up, you can handle that anyway you want. I’m choosing to ignore her existence.”

“Elizabeth—”

“Jason—”

“You like to pretend things are fine,” he interrupted her. “Sometimes that works. And then sometimes it just makes it worse when you realize things aren’t—”

“What do you want me to do?” Elizabeth demanded. “Quit my job? Hide in my room? I did all of that eighteen years ago. He stole nearly a year of my life.” She took a deep breath. “Longer,” she murmured. “And maybe I never really got it all back. I don’t know. Can you?” She met his eyes. “You’re right. It’s been a long year. And before that, worrying about the Cassadines—losing then getting Jake back—I can understand why you think something like is going to knock me back. I’m stronger than I look.”

“You were bleeding out from a stab wound and shot Stavros Cassadine in the head,” he reminded her. “I am the last person who is going to question how strong you are.”

“Then what—”

Jason hesitated. “A long time ago, Emily asked me to let Baker make it to trial,” he said, shifting uncomfortably because he’d never be at ease with discussing his job with her. “She wanted to testify against him. When he went to jail, she made me change that promise.”

Elizabeth frowned. “I don’t—”

“She wanted him to finish his sentence so he could rot in prison, but she said when he got out — she wanted him to finish paying for what he did to you. At the time, I didn’t really know you,” he reminded her. “So I agreed because it was what she wanted, and honestly, even without knowing you—” He cleared his throat. “But it’s different now. Emily’s gone.” He took a moment because admitting that never got any easier. “And I don’t know if that’s what you need. Or want.”

“It’s what you want to do, isn’t it?”

“What I want doesn’t matter,” he told her. “But yeah, I’d like to rip him into pieces and set him on fire. For what he did to you then. For what he did to my sister. For today. For all the days in between you’ve had to live with it.”

Elizabeth’s lips curved into a small smile. “Set him on fire?” she repeated. “That’s not your usual style.”

“Elizabeth—”

“What I want—what I need—is for Tom Baker not to be something or someone I think about,” she said softly. “Part of me wants to tell you to go ahead because you’re right. He never paid for what he did to me. Thank you for agreeing to it back when Emily asked it even though I didn’t matter to you.”

“But?” he prompted.

“But he’s been out of my life for a long time,” Elizabeth continued, “and it didn’t change anything for me. It still took me years to trust myself or anyone else physically. It didn’t change how it felt for Manny Ruiz to grab me the way he did when he kidnapped me.” A shadow slid over her face. “Or how it felt when you did it to find Sam—”

“Elizabeth—”

“I think that was the worst of it for me. Back then—Lucky would touch me and I couldn’t handle it. It didn’t matter that I knew he’d never hurt me. Then,” she added with a wry smile because she still carried the scar from when he’d shoved a knife into her three years earlier. “Then when you just wanted to jog my memory to find Sam—I knew you wouldn’t hurt me either, and it still made me think of Tom Baker. He’s taken that from me, Jason. And I don’t know if I’ll ever get it back.”

There was silence in the kitchen then, the sound of the dishwasher gently running in the background.

“There is no justice. No way of making him pay for what he did to me. It wouldn’t make me feel better. It wouldn’t make it stop. It would just be revenge.” She hesitated. “And maybe that would be enough. I might change my mind,” she admitted. “But here’s the thing about making him disappear now, Jason—” She waited for him to focus on her. “If you’d done it quietly while he was in prison, that would be one thing. The PCPD know what he did to me. What he did to Emily. He gets hurt or disappears now, you’re the first person they’re looking at.”

“I—”

“And before you tell me that doesn’t scare you, I know that. It scares me,” she said softly. “Because the one thing I won’t let him take from me is my family. We have three beautiful boys who love you, Jason. We have another baby on the way. We waited too long for all of this. He isn’t worth the risk.” She held her hands out across the counter, waited for him to take hers. “He’s not worth a single minute of my time. He spent seventeen years in prison for what he did to Emily. I’m going to make that enough for me.”

“All right,” he said after another minute. “But if you change your mind—”

“I know who to ask.” She smiled, then slid off the counter. She wrapped her arms around his waist, and he tugged her closer. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

Robinson House: Living Room

Portia held out her hand with a raise of her brows. “It’s eight,” she said.

“You know,” her daughter began hotly, “some mothers would trust their kids.”

“And some mothers,” Portia replied sweetly, “know better. Did you have to talk to Carly Corinthos about what you did to her kid? No, I did.”

Trina’s eyes widened into pools of innocence. “I didn’t—”

“What you and Emma convinced Cameron to do,” Portia corrected. “I’m not saying Joss Jacks doesn’t have that, and a whole lot more coming, but we don’t go low in this house.”

“I didn’t go low. There is no low enough for her,” Trina muttered as she slapped her phone against her mother’s palm. “You think you’re at rock bottom, and Cujo is right there with you, digging an even deeper level—”

“Trina—”

Trina stomped towards the stairs. “A little blue hair never killed anyone, God, you’d think I cut it off—”

“Don’t get any ideas—” her mother called after her, wincing when she heard her daughter’s door slam. “Just like her father,” she muttered.

As if on cue, Portia’s phone lit up with her ex-husband’s name. She reached for it. “Marcus?”

“What the hell was that voicemail?” Marcus Taggert demanded. “Baker is out? Why the hell didn’t I know?”

“I really feel like I am the wrong person to be asking that question, and don’t you take that tone with me,” Portia retorted. “Call Jordan Ashford, why don’t you?”

“Portia—”

“This isn’t my problem. That’s the beauty of being divorced. Hey, maybe you could return some phone calls sometime and you won’t get blindsided.”

“We’re not doing this—”

“No, we’re not. Maybe you could come ask these questions in person and while you’re at it, you can visit your kid. Until then, we have nothing to say to each other.” She clicked the phone off, thought about throwing it — then carefully set it back down.

She wasn’t going to let that man get the best of her. Not anymore.

Morgan House: Backyard

Keeping an ear out for his father, Cameron managed to get out of the house that night undetected. He shimmied up the tree to the house they’d built two years ago for Jake and Aiden to find Emma waiting for him.

“Hey.” He grinned as he always did when he saw her. She was so pretty and she was dating him even though Spencer had asked her first. He was the luckiest kid in their class because she was definitely the prettiest and smartest—

Then her face registered, and Cameron’s smile fell. “Emma…” He sat next to her, awkwardly putting an arm around her. He still hadn’t quite figured out how to touch her without making a fool of himself. “What’s wrong?”

“Did your parents say anything about your mom today?” Emma wanted to know. “About work?”

“No.” Confused, he slid away slightly. “What’s wrong?”

“Because mine were talking in the kitchen after dinner tonight, and I—” She fumbled with her flashlight. “I don’t know I should say anything but I feel like I have to. I feel like me knowing this and you maybe not knowing this—it breaks the rules or something—”

“Emma—”

“Did you know your mom was raped when she was sixteen?” Emma asked in a rush.

+6

Written in 58 minutes. Did a spellcheck but not a reread.

General Hospital: Hallway

The world around her fell away. The bright, fluorescent lights, the clean anti-septic smell, the squeaking of shoes against the floor, the beeping of monitors, and the hushed voices —

All of it melted away as Elizabeth stared at the man who had been the center of all her nightmares. Her vision narrowed until it was pinpricks of light in a dark world —

There was something cold and wet against her back, and she could feel the slush of snow under her fingernails as she dug her hands into the ground, bucking wildly against the heavy weight on top her—why couldn’t she scream—why couldn’t she—

“Whoa, whoa—” Dimly she heard a panicked voice from somewhere far away but she couldn’t breath. She couldn’t force air into her lugs—she couldn’t scream, couldn’t speak, couldn’t—

Patrick barely spared a glance for the pair of men as one of them dragged away the new guy—Elizabeth’s face was chalk white as she slid to the ground, Patrick grabbing for her just before she hit the linoleum. “Damn it,” he hissed. He whipped his head around. “Can someone—”

“What’s wrong?” Griffin Munro darted across the hallway, kneeling next to Elizabeth who was still gasping for air, clutching at her throat. “What happened?”

“I don’t—” Patrick just stared in abject horror as the younger doctor attempted to lift her into his arms but Elizabeth began to fight wildly, kicking—and now she was screaming— “Baby, hey—”

“We need a sedative—”

“Wait, wait—” Patrick warded off a nurse who was coming towards them with a syringe. “She’s pregnant,” he bit out. “What’s in that?”

“It’s fine,” another voice barked. Epiphany Johnson grabbed the syringe from the shell-shocked nurse and jabbed it into Elizabeth’s arm. Elizabeth’s struggles gradually disappeared until she slumped back against Griffin, her eyes closed. “What the hell is going on?” she demanded. Then she looked around the hallway. “Go back to work!” she ordered, gesturing with sharp movements. Most scattered immediately.

“But—” the nurse who had attempted to help swallowed. “Can we do anything?”

“You can go back to work.” She nodded at Griffin who was rubbing his shoulder where Elizabeth had nailed him. “Let’s get her into a room. Get Morgan and Laura Spencer down here.”

“I’ll get Laura,” Patrick volunteered as Griffin lifted Elizabeth into his arms, this time without the attack. “And call Jason. Wait—” He put a hand on Epiphany’s arm. “She ever mention the name Tom to you? There was a custodian here. Said she was the reason he went to prison.” He whipped his around. “He’s gone now, but—”

“No, but Laura will. She’s known Elizabeth most of her life.” Epiphany followed Griffin into the room.

Patrick pulled out his phone and sent Jason a quick text to get to the hospital, adding Liz was fine, but she needed him. Then he went to find the hospital administrator.

General Hospital: Administrator’s Office

Laura frowned when Patrick shoved his way into her office, even as her assistant followed him. “Patrick, what on Earth?”

“I’m sorry—but Elizabeth just—” The doctor took a deep breath. “She had a panic attack, I think. Or something like it—”

“What? Why?” Laura started out of the office, both of them ignoring the assistant who was complaining about appointments. “Cancel them,” she snapped. “My daughter needs me.” She went stalked towards the elevator. “What happened?”

“Things were fine. She was fine,” Patrick stressed, “and then we ran into these custodians. There’s this new guy—Elizabeth looked upset when she saw him and then he said she was the reason he went to prison—”

The doors opened but Laura didn’t move. “Laura—”

“What was his name?” she asked, her heart pounding. No. It couldn’t be. He couldn’t be—

“Tom.” Patrick put a hand out to stop the doors from closing. “Laura, what the hell is going on?”

“Tom.” Laura took a deep breath, then stepped onto the elevator. “Tom,” she repeated. “Tom Baker.”

“You know who he is? Laura—”

“It’s not—” Laura fisted her hand against her heart. “It’s not my story to tell, but the only Toms that Elizabeth knows are her uncle…and someone who hurt her very much once.”

Without a word, they stepped onto the elevator and Patrick jabbed a finger against the button. When he spoke next, his voice was tight. “Tom Baker was the man who raped her.”

“She told you?”

“Yeah. A long time ago.” Patrick stared blindly at the silver doors in front of him. “How the hell does that man get hired to work here without you knowing? Without Elizabeth knowing?”

“I don’t know, but I’m sure as hell going to find out.”

General Hospital: Nurse’s Station

Jason didn’t remember much of the drive between the warehouse and the hospital. He’d read Patrick’s text message and had gone on autopilot. Everything shut down inside — he only had one goal.

Get to the hospital. Get to Elizabeth.

At the nurse’s station, he opened his mouth to ask where his wife was, but then the second set of elevators opened and Laura and Patrick stepped out. Jason charged towards them. “Where is she?”

“I’ll take you there, but Jason—” Patrick put up a hand. “She’s okay,” he repeated. “She’s fine and so—” He slid a glance towards Laura. “Everything is fine.”

“Then—”

“She saw Tom Baker,” Laura said softly. “He’s here in the hospital.”

Jason’s hands fisted. “What happened?” he demanded. “Where is she?”

“She lost it,” Patrick said as he walked them both down towards the hallway. “First she went white, and then kind of fell to the floor. Griff tried to pick her up, and she went wild—” He cleared his throat. “We had to sedate her.”

“Oh, God.” Laura pressed her hands to her face. “Oh, God. She didn’t know. If she had known—”

“I don’t think she even knew he was out of prison,” Patrick said. “Jason—”

“He’s supposed to be up for parole in six months,” Jason bit out. He’d been keeping track of the man since the day he’d gone into the system for blackmailing Emily and holding her hostage—along with Elizabeth. “I’ll find out what the hell happened.” And which one of his men had let him down.

“You must have flown here,” Epiphany said as they approached her. “She’s fine,” she assured Jason. “Griffin is with her, and she’s resting. Still out from the sedative,” she added. “But she’ll be coming around shortly.”

“Okay.” He was okay. This was okay. He could handle this. “You said she had to be sedated—”

“I checked,” Patrick added. “They know.” He winced. “Does Laura—”

“Know what?” Laura drew her brows together. “What’s going on?”

“We were—we just found out yesterday—” Jason sighed, then looked at Elizabeth’s mother-in-law. “She’s pregnant.”

“Oh.” Laura’s eyes brightened. “That’s wonderful! I know she said you were trying—but—” she looked at Patrick. “You made sure they knew—”

“I checked it,” Epiphany assured her. “Most sedatives are fine, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.” She nodded her head at Jason. “You better get in there. She needs to see a familiar face when she comes around.”

“Yeah. Yeah.” He looked at Laura. “Why was Baker at the hospital?”

“He apparently works here,” Patrick said flatly.

Jason’s nostrils flared. “He what?”

“I don’t oversee every hire,” Laura said. “But I know he plead guilty to holding Elizabeth hostage. That should have sent up a red flag. We don’t hire anyone who has a felony conviction against a current employee.”

“He didn’t—” Jason took a deep breath. “They plead that down,” he said. “Officially, I mean. It was only—only Emily’s charges went forward. Elizabeth’s case was dropped when they dropped the rape charges.”

“Oh, Christ.” Laura closed her eyes. “I’d forgotten that. I thought—But—but it was in the arrest file, and I know Taggert said he was going to keep his eye on things. He was at the parole hearing the first time. I’ll call Jordan. Maybe something got lost.”

“Maybe.” Jason didn’t want to know anymore. The man who had brutalized and traumatized his wife was out on the loose, breathing the same air—working in the same building—

That wasn’t going to last.

He dismissed the three of them and went into the hospital room where he found a dark-haired doctor sitting by Elizabeth’s side. One of the doctors who was studying with Patrick, he remembered. Griffin something.

“Hey. Hey.” Nervous, Griffin got to his feet. “I’m glad you’re here. Um—vitals are good, I mean. She’ll be okay when she wakes up. I hope—” He looked back to Elizabeth before focusing on Jason. “I’ll get back to work.”

“Thanks.” Jason dismissed the doctor and took the seat he’d vacated. It was strange to see Elizabeth stretched out on the hospital bed, dressed in the purple scrubs she wore on days when she worked on Patrick’s OR team. Her face was pale, her eyes looked almost bruised against her skin. He didn’t like to see her this way. In a hospital bed.

It always brought back the day Jake was born and she’d nearly died. Or when she’d nearly died from the biotoxin and he hadn’t gone to see her. Or when she’d nearly drowned, then had hallucinations of Jake.

She’d spent too much time almost dying in a hospital bed.

Jason reached for her hand, rubbing his fingers over the rings he’d placed there three years earlier. He’d make sure his was the first face she’d see when she woke.

And then he’d finish Tom Baker. The man was never going to get another chance to do this to her.

General Hospital: Nurse’s Station

Laura tapped her foot as she waited for Portia Robinson to get her page. Finally, the doctor stepped around a corner, frowning as she approached Laura. “Mrs. Spencer—”

“Dr. Robinson, thank you for answering my page. I apologize if I took you away from anything important,” Laura said. “This isn’t hospital related,” she added, “but it is an emergency. I need Taggert’s contact information.”

Portia frowned, folding her arms across her chest. “You’re the second person to ask me about Marcus this week,” she said. “The commissioner was also trying to track him down. What’s wrong?”

“Jordan was—” Laura hesitated. “Taggert was keeping an eye on a case that was important to my family,” she said. “He contacted my daughter-in-law the last time Tom Baker was up for parole. But this time—”

“Your daughter-in-law—” Portia raised a hand. “Jordan just told me about this yesterday. Baker got out on parole and was working here. I knew Marcus was worried about some case that Baker wasn’t charged with—is that her?”

“Yes. And, according to what he told us then — and what my son-in-law thought — Baker wasn’t supposed to be up for parole. I need to find out what happened—”

“Of course. I don’t understand how Marcus let this go,” Portia murmured. She reached into her pocket for her cell phone. “He never gave me details, but that parole hearing happened right before we separated. He was relieved when Baker didn’t get out. He never would have—”

She pressed a button, dialing her ex-husband. “Voicemail,” she muttered. “Marcus, it’s Portia again. Please get in touch with me. It’s an emergency. Trina is fine, but Tom Baker is out of prison, and he’s working at the hospital. I don’t know the details, but you need to get in touch with Laura Spencer and Jordan as soon as possible. Please.”

“Thank you,” Laura said. “Is it like him to not get back you?”

“Not unusual,” she admitted. “He goes undercover sometimes at the DEA, and he might be under right now. He doesn’t always warn us.” Portia grimaced. “One of the reasons we got divorced,” she muttered. “I’ll let you know if he gets back in touch with me, and I’ll text you his number.”

“Thank you—”

“Mrs. Spencer—is your daughter-in-law all right? Elizabeth is a great nurse, I mean. I just—”

“She’s all right.” For now, Laura added to herself silently as she walked away.

General Hospital: Hospital Room

Elizabeth turned her head and slowly forced her eyes open. She felt like she was swimming through a thick sea of cobwebs. She found familiar blue eyes peering at her, and she frowned. “J-Jason?”

“Hey.” His fingers brushed her cheeks. “How are you feeling?”

“Confused,” Elizabeth admitted. She cleared her throat and gratefully accepted Jason’s help in sitting up and then the water he gave her. “What—” She looked around, realizing she was on a hospital bed. Alarmed, she pressed a hand against her belly. “Jason—”

“The baby is fine,” Jason told her. He covered her hand with his own, the other sliding through her hair. “Perfect,” he promised. “Do you—” He hesitated. “Do you remember what happened?”

“No—” And then she did. Everything inside her trembled. “Jason. I—I saw—he said—he was here—he said—”

“Hey.” Jason edged onto the bed, taking both her hands in hers. “I’m right here. Nothing is going to hurt you. No one,” he added. “Look at me.”

She did, focusing on his eyes, on the feel of his hands wrapped around hers. He always made her feel safe. “Tom Baker,” she said softly. “He was…I turned a corner, and he was just there. We bumped into him, and I started to apologize—” Her voice faltered. “He said not a word. That’s what he said. He said don’t say a word,” she corrected. “But that night—the night he—” Elizabeth closed her eyes. Took a deep breath. “He hissed it into my ear. Not a word. Then he said it again that day in the studio. That’s how I knew—I recognized him, I could hear his voice, I could feel him—”

“Stay with me—” Jason tipped up her chin. “Stay with me here,” he ordered. “Right here. Right now. That was nineteen years ago,” he reminded her. “You’re safe here. With me. He’s not here.”

“He’s not here,” she repeated. She closed her eyes. “It’s over. I’m not sixteen anymore.” Sixteen. Her whole world had shattered and she’d pieced it back together, painstakingly fitting the jagged shards into something that looked like a normal person.

But shattered glass was easily broken—how many times had she fractured over the years? “Nineteen years,” she murmured. “And it can still hit me. It can still feel like now. How is that possible? How is that fair?”

“It’s not.”

“I want to go home. Can I—can you just—I want to go home.”

“We’ll go home. I’ll get Laura to grab the boys and they can go with her for the night—”

“No, no. I want the boys. I want to go home, and I want the boys. I want our family. And our life.” She took a deep breath. “I worked too hard, fought too long—he’s not doing this to me. I broke a little,” she admitted. “But I’m okay.” Elizabeth squeezed Jason’s hands. “I’m okay. Let’s go home.”

+6

Written in 48 minutes. Did a quick spell check and readthrough. I didn’t think I’d finish another scene in 12 minutes, so I just stopped.

Morgan Home: Master Bedroom

Elizabeth lingered in the doorway, listening as Cameron and Jake bickered over who would get to use the bathroom first. “You have about thirty seconds before I come in there and brush your teeth myself!”

There was some silence, then a hushed, fervent set of whispers before Jake slunk out of the room, sending his mother a beleaguered glare. “I’m not a baby anymore,” he muttered.

“That’s how I knew it would work.” She rolled her eyes and left the doorway, unfastening her watch. “Never fails,” she told Jason. “Threaten to hold them down and shove a brush in their mouth, suddenly they’re the souls of cooperation.”

He grinned at her, sitting on the bed to take off his boots. “I told Laura the adoption was finalized,” he said.

Elizabeth made a face, tossing the watch and her necklace into the porcelain tray atop the dresser. “I meant to say something,” she confessed, “but it’s been awkward. I know she supports it—”

“But she’s not one hundred percent on board,” her husband finished. He came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. She leaned back against him, closing her eyes. “She knows it was the right decision, but—”

“But it’s admitting that Aiden is never going to know the boy I fell in love with.” Elizabeth sighed. “It’s hard,” she continued. “When I was just a little older than Cameron, I had all these dreams about a family with Lucky. Remember?” She twisted. “When we talked in Jake’s that first night, and I told you about wanting a baby with Lucky?”

“Yeah.”

“That boy—that sweet, caring boy deserved to be a father. It hurts to let go of that. I thought I had years ago, but when I realized I was still holding onto a small piece of it when Lucky sent the paperwork to terminate his parental rights. I know Luke said he’s been better, but he’ll never be that boy again.” She stared at the collar of Jason’s t-shirt. “I don’t know why I have to keep relearning that. He hasn’t been that boy for nearly twenty years.” She forced a smile. “Sorry. I don’t know why I’m so maudlin about this. Aiden loves you, and I love that he has you.”

“I know, but he and Cameron both know they’re not my biological sons. Aiden’s going to have questions one day. We need to be ready to answer them.”

“Thank you for putting up with me.” Elizabeth leaned up to kiss him, then lingered. “How long do you think we have before Cam tries to sneak downstairs for one more video game?”

“It’s only nine,” Jason murmured, brushing his lips down her jaw. “Maybe ten minutes before he thinks we’re not listening.”

“Well, not enough time for that,” Elizabeth replied, “but—” She put her hands against his chest, pushing him back gently so their eyes could meet. “I’ve been waiting all day to get you alone.”

“I can be creative in ten minutes,” Jason offered, but she shook her head. She went over to the purse hanging on the back of her door. When she turned back to him, she was holding out the pregnancy test. He stared at him for a long moment before raising stunned eyes to hers. “Is that—”

“Yeah. I, um, thought maybe, but I didn’t want to get our hopes up—” She bit her lip. “So I took it at work, and then Britt did a blood test to confirm—” She laughed as Jason came forward to pick her up and swing her around before hugging her tightly. “I guess you’re happy.”

“We’ve been talking about it for a year,” Jason reminded her. He pushed her hair out of her face, tucking it behind her ears, then letting his thumbs slide down her cheeks. “Everything we’re going to get right this time. You won’t need double shifts, and I’ll be here for the cravings and to take care of the boys—”

“And you’ll get to hold the baby in the hospital and everyone will know—” Elizabeth sighed happily. “I was so afraid to hope—so sure I was just being selfish. I mean, we have three beautiful boys—we have Jake, our miracle—I didn’t know if we’d get another chance—” She broke off when she heard a tell tale creak.

“I got it,” Jason told her, kissing her forehead. He pulled open their door to catch Cameron at the top of the stairs. “No.”

“Just one more game—”

“No.”

“Come on, Dad!” Cameron scowled. “Spencer keeps saying that I only suck because I’m not allowed to have it in my room—”

“You don’t have to go to sleep, Cam, but you know the rules. In your room at nine.”

“When I’m an adult, I’m going to have all the game systems right next to the bed,” Cameron muttered but he slunk back to his room and slammed the door.

“Are we being too strict?” Elizabeth wondered as Jason returned.

“He’d play those stupid games all night. We already took away the phone and tablet,” he reminded her.

“I know. And he doesn’t look death warmed over because he’s actually sleeping at night.” Satisfied, Elizabeth perched on the edge of the bed. “You sure you want sign up for another eighteen years of enforcing rules?” she teased.

“Only with you.”

General Hospital: Hub

Jordan stepped off the elevator and headed straight for Portia Robinson. She waited as Portia finished talking to Finn, then waved to get her attention. Portia made a face that reminded Jordan that they were not friends — but came over anyway.

“This isn’t about Trina, is it?” Portia asked. “I told her about curfew—”

“No. I’ve been trying to get in touch with Marcus,” Jordan said. “But he hasn’t returned my calls. I thought you might know what’s going on—”

“He’s working a case,” Portia said. “As always. Or at least, that’s what he said when he canceled last weekend with Trina. You know, Jordan, the whole point of divorcing Marcus was so that I didn’t have to constantly answer questions. Leave a message with the DEA—”

“Wait—wait—it’s about one of his cases from when he worked here,” Jordan said as Portia turned to leave. “It was before he started seeing you, I think, because it’s definitely before he left the PCPD for the DEA, but this guy is up for parole and the case file said to contact the arresting officer.”

Portia sighed. “He never talked about his cases—”

“Thomas Baker,” Jordan cut in. “Arrested in 1998 for blackmail and holding Elizabeth Webber and Emily Quartermaine hostage. It looks like a pretty straight-forward case — do you know why Marcus would care about his release?”

“Baker?” Portia repeated. She held a chart against her chest. “I actually—it’s one of the few cases Marcus checked in on when he left the department. He went to Baker’s first parole hearing five—no, six years ago. Wanted to make sure he’d serve the full twenty. I think he said Baker was suspected of another crime, but Marcus couldn’t make the charges stick.”

“Do you know what kind of crime?” Jordan asked. “Should I be keeping an eye on this guy?”

“Rape and assault of a teenaged girl. Marcus never got specific with me, and I knew better. I think maybe he wanted to keep the victim in the loop since she wouldn’t be notified. Why is the case coming up now?”

“Because he made parole,” Jordan said with a wince, “and his parole officer got him a gig here. At General Hospital.” She pulled out her phone. “I’ll have Dante pull the rape files from back then. Can you get in touch with him?”

“Yeah. I’ll do what I can. This case—it stuck with him,” Portia murmured. “He’d wanted to know the guy is out.”

General Hospital: Hallway

“Hey. Got a minute?” Elizabeth asked, catching up to Patrick Drake as the neurosurgeon started his rounds.

“For you, Webber, no.” Patrick flashed her a grin. “You can have two.”

“Generous.” Elizabeth paused. “I don’t know if Robin told you we talked in the locker room yesterday—”

“Yeah, she told me you know about the IVF.” Patrick rocked back on his heels. “Crazy, right? Starting over again, but it went great yesterday. Hopefully it’ll take.”

“So she didn’t tell you what she and I talked about?” Elizabeth asked.

“No, she said you’d be tracking me down on your own.” Patrick furrowed his brow. “You good? Anything wrong? The adoption?” He scowled. “Did that little bitch mess things up—”

“No, I told you it was finalized. It’s good news.” Elizabeth bit her lip. “You’re not the only ones starting over. Jason and I have been trying for a year, and yesterday—” She grinned. “It came back positive.”

“Oh, yeah?” Patrick wrapped her in a tight hug. “Look at you, joining us on the crazy train.” His grin was broad as he pulled back. “Oh man, can you be excited and terrified at the same time?” he asked as they started walking down the hall. “I used to be a lot younger.”

“Yeah, but think of all the mistakes we won’t make again,” Elizabeth said. She slid her arm through his. “And you know, we were both kind of alone for the hardest parts. Right after they were born, when they were just babies.” She took a deep breath. “I know Robin didn’t want it that way—”

“But it’s how it rolled out. It’s part of the reason we’re doing it again. She didn’t get to have everything. Between the PPD, Africa, and those psychos—she missed half of Emma’s life. We’re making up for it, but it’s not the same.”

“Same. Jason’s been in and out since Cam was born,” she told him, “but we really just—we want that experience. Start to finish, you know? I want him to have all the moments.”

“Still, we made a pretty good team,” Patrick said. “The pair of single parents in history. Those kids never got away with a single thing.”

“Well, they almost managed to stow away on a plane and get to Greece,” Elizabeth reminded him.

“You know, I should have been more angry about that,” he admitted, “but Dante said seeing Maxie and Lulu tied and gagged up by a bunch of fifth graders was a highlight of his life. And hey—”

“They left Aiden with a remote and a Lunchable,” Elizabeth finished, grinning at the memory. It had once been a terrifying one to recall—how close their precious babies came to joining the chaos in Greece, but after three years — it had become almost a legend. “Did you hear the late gossip from the ninth grade?”

“I try hard to forget that’s happening,” Patrick said with a grimace, “how did Emma get old enough to be a freshman?” He sighed. “What did Joss do this time?”

“She tried to make Trina miss the cheerleading tryouts, so Trina might have enlisted Cam to dump blue hair dye in Joss’s shampoo.” Elizabeth paused. “I don’t think Emma was part of it—”

“Who do you think talked Cam into doing it?” Patrick said. “I may not acknowledge this whole dating thing, but I know your kid is a sucker for anything mine asks him to do.”

“They’ve been dating for a year, Patrick. When are you going to admit it—” Elizabeth laughed as they turned a corner, walking straight into a pair of custodians. “Oh, I’m sorry—”

“No worries,” one of the men said as they turned to face Patrick and Elizabeth. Elizabeth stared at him as the man smiled. “Don’t say a word.”

Elizabeth’s hand slid from Patrick’s arm as she forced herself to speak. “How—why—I don’t—”

“Elizabeth?” Patrick asked, concerned. “Do you know him?” He squinted at the man’s name tag. “You’re new, aren’t you? Tom? When did you start?”

“Just last week,” Tom said with another smile. “Elizabeth and I go way back.” He fastened his eyes on hers. “She’s why I went to prison.”

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Quick Notes: Set in Fall 2016, about three years after the last story ended. Most of the intervening three years will be established in the first few parts. If you haven’t reread the first two stories in a bit, here are the highlights: Jason & Elizabeth reunited in 2012 after she helped him expose Tea’s son was actually Sam’s son. Sam and Jason have gone their separate ways, while Jason & Elizabeth moved in together. They learned Jake was alive and being held in Greece by Helena Cassadine, so Laura, Jason & Elizabeth headed across the ocean with Spinelli & Sonny to get their son back. It got complicated after that as Patrick, Robert and Anna joined to rescue Robin, Nikolas faked his death, Lucky stabbed Elizabeth — but Elizabeth and Jason were reunited with their son and returned home to Port Charles where they got engaged.

*deep breath* Okay. Got it? Great. Let’s go.

Written in 53 minutes. Did a quick readthrough and spell check. Hopefully caught most of the typos.

September 2016

General Hospital: Employee Locker Room

Elizabeth Morgan took a deep breath and exited the bathroom, stopping short when she saw the room was no longer empty. “Oh, hey. I didn’t hear you come in.”

Robin Scorpio-Drake turned as she opened her locker. “Sorry, did I surprise you? I thought you were done working these night shifts.” She checked her watch. “It’s almost five—”

“I switched with Felix. He had a date.” Elizabeth sat on the bench. “You’re early for yours.”

“Yeah, I have a ton of paperwork to go over, and then Patrick and I have an appointment later with Britt.” Robin closed her locker. “We’re going to start IVF. I mean, today. It’s my first procedure.”

“IVF?” Elizabeth repeated. “Oh, that’s amazing! I didn’t know you were thinking about having another baby.”

“Well, we weren’t but then Patrick found a new gray hair and we both realized—I mean, we always wanted more,” Robin clarified. “But…things kept getting in the way.”

Things like Lisa Niles and Cassadines. Elizabeth nodded. “I know what you mean.”

“Anyway, I know Patrick was probably going to tell you at some point, but we were keeping it to ourselves for a bit. I mean, we’re kind of at the older end, and even though my viral load is nonexistent, we thought IVF would be the safest and quickest—” Robin paused. “We’re not really telling anyone except family.”

“No, I completely—actually—” Elizabeth laughed slightly as she reached into her scrubs pocket and took out a white stick. “That’s why I’m in here.”

“Oh my God! Are you—”

“I don’t know. Two more minutes.” Elizabeth exhaled on a rush of air. “We’ve been trying for a year,” she admitted quietly. “I’ve never had trouble getting pregnant before but I’m thirty-six—and, well—”

“Jason’s forty-two. I know. It feels weird to think of us as getting old,” Robin admitted. “I keep waiting to feel like an adult. You know?”

“I know! I keep looking around for the adult in charge, and it’s usually me.” Elizabeth shuddered. “It’s not that I don’t like getting older, I just thought I’d feel older. Most of the time, I don’t—but this last year—every month—” She rubbed her heart. “If I’m not pregnant this time, I think we might give up.”

“Hey…” Robin touched her shoulder. “You could see doctors—”

“We could. And we could do what you’re doing with fertility treatments—but I just—maybe it’s not meant to be. I just…the boys are getting older, and I’m not ready to be done being a mom. And Jason hasn’t really had a lot of time to be a dad. I know they’ll always be our babies—”

“I get it. I missed so much of Emma’s first year, and then even more time with her with the Cassadines and Africa. You and Jason haven’t been able to do this together from the beginning. Patrick and I are looking forward to doing everything together. No separations. No postpartum because I’ll be on top of it this time—” Robin smiled at her. “And if you’re pregnant, hopefully I will be soon, too. So—” She nodded at the stick. “You ready?”

Spencer House: Living Room

“Aiden!” Laura Spencer’s voice rose an octave as she repeated her youngest grandson’s name for the third time. “Aiden, it’s time to go!”

“One more minute!”

“He said that five minutes ago,” Laura told Jason Morgan who just shrugged. “I told him it was time to go, that you were on your way, but—”

“Video games,” Jason said. He checked the clock over her mantel. “I’ll go get him if he’s not done in another couple of minutes. Thanks for grabbing him after school.”

“I love spending time with my babies,” Laura said, wincing as she heard Cameron and Spencer arguing from upstairs. “Sometimes they even like each other.” She paused as she picked up one of the toys under the coffee table. “Elizabeth told me that the papers were coming in this week?”

“Alexis got the word yesterday that it was finalized.” Jason shifted. “I’m sorry, Laura. I know you were hoping—”

“That Lucky would swoop in at the last minute like his old self, and stop the adoption.” Laura offered a weak smile. “Three years, you’d think I’d give up on that. The last Luke heard, Lucky was still with Nikolas tracking Mikkos. I don’t think either of my sons are coming back any time soon, Jason. Aiden deserves a full-time dad, and he’s got that.”

“I don’t blame you for wanting it to be Lucky,” Jason said, even though he’d be happy to never see the little bastard again. The last time he’d been in a room with Elizabeth’s ex-husband and Aiden’s biological father, Lucky had stabbed Elizabeth, aiming for Jason. The injury had nearly killed Elizabeth.

“And I can’t blame you for being glad Lucky is far away with apparently zero interest in his own son.” Laura’s lips thinned. “Every time I think I’ve come to terms with it—” She took a deep breath. “I think of my little boy. My sweet boy who idolized family. Helena killed that boy a long time ago.” She paused. “I imagine you changed Aiden’s last name.”

“We did,” Jason said, with a bit of regret. “Aiden wanted to be like the rest of us. We talked about Elizabeth staying Webber when we got married, having the boys share that name—”

“No, I know. Elizabeth and I talked about it, too. The Webber name never meant a lot to her. Not the way it did to me once. Her parents have never made her feel like she was part of that family. I’m glad she and the boys have you.”

“They have you, too,” Jason reassured her. “And maybe Nikolas will give up hunting down Mikkos and come back.” Lucky could stay in Siberia for all he cared, but he’d always liked and respected Laura. She’d never once treated Cameron or Jake like they weren’t her grandchildren.

“Maybe.” But Laura didn’t believe that anymore than Jason did. She looked up the stairs again. “Aiden! I’m only going to say this—”

“Ugh, why doesn’t Cameron have to go?” Aiden demanded as the six-year-old stomped down the stairs. “How come I’m the baby?”

“Because you were born last and can’t walk home by yourself,” Jason said as his son reached the bottom of the stairs.

“What if you tell Mom, though?” Aiden asked. He sat on the bottom step and fought with his shoelaces. “If you tell Mom I can walk home—”

“I agree with Mom,” Jason told him. He knelt down and helped guide Aiden’s tiny fingers so that he could tie his own shoes. “Cam knows the rules, and when you’re fourteen, you’ll get more freedom.”

“But that’s forever away, Dad!” Aiden huffed. “Grandma, tell him I’m grown up.”

“Not a chance,” Laura said. “If I had my way, I’ll wrap all my babies in cotton and never let you out.”

Aiden’s eyes widened in horror and he looked at Jason. “You’re not going to do that, are you?”

“No, but I’m tempted to.” Jason pulled Aiden to his feet. “Come on, since your brothers are both out with friends, you get to pick what we have for dinner.”

“Haha, suckers!” Aiden bounced over to grab his jacket and his bag. “Adios, Grandma!”

“Bribery,” Laura said with a smile as she followed Jason to the door. They both watched Aiden dart down the front steps to the driveway where Jason’s SUV was parked. “I don’t resent you adopting him, Jason. Or his taking your name and calling you Dad. Please don’t think that—”

“I don’t,” Jason assured her. “I know it’s hard. I’m sorry it had to be this way—”

“Don’t lie to make me feel better,” Laura said gently. “This is the best outcome for you and Elizabeth. And the boys. They have happiness, stability, and everything I ever wanted for them.” She patted his arm. “Give Elizabeth my love, and I’ll ship Cameron home in about an hour.”

Port Charles Police Department: Commissioner’s Office

Jordan Ashford strode into the office and went behind her desk, two of her detectives taking the chairs in front. “Did we hear back from DOC on the Hornsby transfer?”

“Yeah,” Dante Falconieri assured her. “He’s cooling his heels in protective custody.”

“The ADA said it might be a few months before we get to trial. Maybe longer,” Nathan West offered. “They gotta find a special prosecutor since our current DA—”

“Is an accused serial killer.” Jordan made a face and sat down. “Well, at least that’s done. I have a ton of paperwork to get through—” She sighed at the pile on the her desk. “So many things fell through the cracks—”

“Bound to happen—”

“There’s a bunch of new parolees and prisoners on work-release,” Jordan told Dante. She unearthed a file. “It came in two weeks ago, but I put it aside. Go through the cases, see if there’s anyone we need to keep our eyes on.”

“I don’t think there were any high profile guys or the media would have picked it up,” Dante assured her, but he scanned the list of names in the folder. “Yeah, none of these are ringing a bell. Mostly some petty crimes—” He frowned. “One felony release.”

“Who is it?” Jordan asked. She turned to her keyboard. “I’ll check the records.”

“Pled guilty to extortion and attempted kidnapping. Served ten years—out on parole as of last week,” Dante said. “Thomas Baker.”

“I got a few Thomas Bakers,” Jordan said as she perused the list. “Ah—here it is.” She tapped a few keys. “Baker was arrested October 1998, accused of holding Emily Quartermaine and Elizabeth Webber hostage in a photo studio.” She looked at Dante. “You know Elizabeth, don’t you?”

“Yeah, but this was 1998,” Dante reminded her. “I didn’t move here for another decade, and I never met Emily. What about the extortion?”

“Blackmail photos,” Jordan murmured. “There’s a note on this file to contact the arresting officer.” She frowned. “Marcus Taggert. This was his case.”

“Maybe he wanted to warn Elizabeth and Emily that Baker was gonna be out,” Nathan suggested. “He didn’t plead to a violent crime. Attempted kidnapping doesn’t rate a contact from the parole board.”

“It’s been almost twenty years,” Jordan pointed out. “Do you think Elizabeth would still care?”

“Doesn’t hurt to call Taggert and get his read,” Nathan said. “You worked with him, didn’t you?”

“Yeah, we were partners at the DEA and he’s still around to see his daughter.” Jordan reached for her phone and went through her contacts. “Let’s find out where Baker is. He might be holding a grudge and might not realize Elizabeth got herself married to the mob while he was in Pentonville.”

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