Written in 59 minutes. Off to make coffee! See you at 10!

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Morgan Penthouse: Bedroom

When he woke, the sun was streaming through the blinds, flooding the room with slats of light. Jason sat up, looked over at the clock on the night stand and exhaled slowly. It was just before three. Plenty of sleep, and yet —

The fatigue that had been dragging his steps when he’d arrived at the Towers after dawn hadn’t eased. And clarity hadn’t arrived with rest or the cold shower.

He’d spent the night with another woman while his fiancee waited at home. And not just any other woman, but Elizabeth. Jason dug the heels of his hands in both eyes until stars dotted the black in his vision.

It had been simple standing in front of her door seven hours ago. Come home, tell Courtney that it was over because it had to be, didn’t it? He didn’t regret any of it, only that Courtney had known and suspected all night long. Maybe if she hadn’t — if she hadn’t looked at him with that calm expression and told him it was okay if he and Elizabeth had comforted each other, he might have been able to say something.

He should have opened his mouth and told she was wrong — but she wasn’t. Not all the way. He should have told her that he didn’t know if he could go back to pretending Elizabeth didn’t exist, or if he even wanted to. But he hadn’t done any of that. He’d let Courtney forgive him for a crime he hadn’t confessed to, and she’d sent him to bed.

Jason rose, and dressed, almost mechanically. Briefs. Jeans. T-shirt. Socks. Boots. He sat on the edge of the bed to lace the boots, and he had one of those rare flashes — of the night before, Elizabeth on her knees in front of him, smiling with that wicked tilt to her mouth and gleam in her eye—

He practically lunged off the bed and head for the doorway. Courtney was nowhere to be found downstairs, though it wasn’t that surprising since it was halfway through the day. She hadn’t left a note, and he could call if he wanted to find her. But he didn’t feel ready for that yet. She’d come home and want to talk, and Jason needed the words. He needed to do what she’d done — think about what to say so that it came out just right.

Instead, he headed across the hall to check in with the guard on Sonny’s door to be sure that all was well over there after the apparent fight the night before. Max brightened when he saw Jason, the relief palpable. “Jase. Good. Good. I was hoping you’d come by. Miss Matthews said you were still sleeping. She told us your sister’s gonna pull through. That’s really awesome.”

Jason rubbed his chest, but it didn’t relieve the vague itch that plagued him. Courtney telling people about Emily, talking about still sleeping as if he’d spent the entire night worrying about his sister. He’d started it that way, hadn’t he? But—

“She said there was a problem last night.”

“Yeah. Uh, Dougie was on duty last night. Said the shouting was through the door, so he went over to find you or Miss Matthews. She took care of it, but—” Max coughed. “It’s getting worse.”

“I know. Is he up or—”

“Sure, sure. Lemme go see what the situation is.” Maxe knocked lightly, then went inside, leaving Jason in the hallway, already irritated at the idea that he might have to deal with Sonny and Carly again today.

Carly’s return from Venezuela after having been kidnapped for two months should have been a triumphant homecoming—an end to the chaos, worry, and anxiety that had gripped their world since that terrible night in June. Instead, Sonny had found Carly enjoying some luxury as Lorenzo Alcazar’s captive, and he’d become obsessed with it. As if Carly, seven months pregnant, had started an affair with her second kidnapper.

Sonny had been teetering on the edge for weeks, and it wouldn’t take much more to push him over. Jason just wanted to pull him back before that happened so he could stop worrying about him. Stop worrying about what would happen to Carly or the kids.

He just wanted it all to stop.

“He’s good. Awake. Clear-headed,” Max reported in hushed tones. Jason nodded and went past him. Sonny sat at the table by the windows, a cup of coffee in his hands.

He lifted his brows at Jason. “I thought you’d be by sooner. Oversleep?”

“No. I didn’t get in until after dawn.” Jason folded his arms. “Emily — she’s going to—well, she pulled through the night. Not all the way in the clear, but—” He hadn’t even digested that news, he’d released. Let it sink in, be absorbed. He’d received the news, felt the weight leave his shoulders, and had looked next to him at Elizabeth whose bright eyes and smile had matched the way he’d felt—

And he’d kissed her—

Jason shook his head. “Uh, so I just woke up. Did you—did you know where Courtney went?”

“She was here for breakfast,” Sonny said. He picked up the newspaper, flipped to another page. “Head to Club 101 with Carly a little while ago. That’s good news about Emily. I’m glad.”

“Yeah.” Jason’s phone vibrated in his pocket, and he tugged it out, half-hoping it would be Elizabeth, but it was Monica. “Hey. What’s up?” he asked, a lick of fear in his throat. “Is Emily still—”

“She’s good. She’s up and ready for visitors.” Monica’s joy radiated through the connection. “I thought you’d want to see her.”

“I do. I really do. I’ll be right there.” Jason closed his phone. “Listen—”

“Go see your sister. Send her my best,” Sonny said, waving him away. “We’ll talk later.”

“Thanks.” Jason headed for the door, eager to see his sister’s recovery for himself.

General Hospital: Emily’s Room

She didn’t look much different than she had the night before — her face was still pale, her movements lethargic but there was a spark in her eyes that hadn’t been there before. Jason sat at her bed, picked up her hand, and opened his mouth. Then closed it—his throat had closed, and he couldn’t force out a word.

He really thought he’d spoken his last words to Emily the night before. That he’d never see her again.

“Hey,” Emily said. She smiled faintly. “Fancy seeing you again, huh?”

“Em.” Jason shook his head, squeezed her hand. “I can’t—I’m just so—” The words wouldn’t come. He couldn’t form a coherent sentence. He dipped his head, took a deep breath.

“Never thought you’d have to see me again, right?” Emily asked, wryly, and his head popped up, stunned. “What, can’t we joke about this kind of thing?”

“I just…I’m so glad to see you.”

“Right back at you.” Emily sighed, closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them again. “I’m sorry I scared you. That you were all so terrified. Mom said you spent half the night in the chapel. And Elizabeth came back. Lucky and Nikolas did, too. Tell me you didn’t spend the whole night here, Jase.”

“I didn’t. I—” Jason hesitated, looked down. “I ran into Elizabeth. We—we waited together. Neither of us—”

“Wanted to be alone when the call came. I’m glad.” Emily’s voice was a bit raspy. “I’m glad you had someone.  That she did, too. You’re both so stubborn. Always putting yourselves last.” Her voice faded again and she closed her eyes.

“Emily?”

“Mm, sorry, I’ve been doing that all morning.” Her eyelids fluttered again. “You know I’m not…I’m not in remission yet. I could still…put you through all this again.”

“I know,” Jason said. “But—”

“But we’ll take the victories where we can find them. I woke up this morning, and…that wasn’t supposed to happen.” Tears clung to her lashes. “Do me a favor, Jase.”

“Anything.”

“Make sure to smile once in a while. I worry about you.”

“You worry about me?” Jason asked, his brows lifting in surprise. “Em—”

“I know, I know. I’m the one dying. But—” Emily smiled. “I do. I love you.”

“I love you, too.” He half-stood, leaning over to kiss her forehead. “Rest. I’ll talk to you later.” He squeezed her hand, then headed for the door.

In the little waiting area outside Emily’s room, he found Elizabeth perched on the edge of the chair. Her hair was pulled back, out of her face, but tendrils fell down around her cheeks. She bit at her thumb, and looked over when she heard the door.

Their eyes locked, and Elizabeth rose. “Oh. Oh. They just told me at the nurse’s station someone was in with her—” She folded her arms, then let them fall to her side, only to fold them again, but this time she wrapped them fully around her torso, hugging herself. “I didn’t know it was you.”

Jason cleared his throat took a step towards her, then stopped when a nurse and doctor passed between them. “You can go in. She’s tired, but I know she wants to see you.”

“Yeah. Okay. Um—” Elizabeth looked away, her blue eyes trained on the cream colored linoleum. “I just—I wanted you to know that…I—I’m back at Kelly’s. Working, I mean. And um, Courtney came in just before I finished my shift.”

“Courtney.” Jason’s stomach pitched, rolled. Was that why she wouldn’t look at him for very long, making eye contact, then darting her eyes away quickly — “She—”

“Um, it’s okay. I just wanted you to know that. I get it. I understand—” Elizabeth closed her eyes, expression pinched. “I do. You made promises to her.”

“Wait.” Jason stepped closer to her, but Elizabeth stepped back. His brow creased. “I didn’t say more than a few words to her when I got in this morning,” he said. “I—I didn’t talk to her. I wanted to. But—” He stopped when another doctor passed them, grimacing. “We can’t talk about this here.”

“We don’t have to. Really—”

“We do.” Jason closed the distance between them, reaching out to grasp her elbow before she could retreat again. Still she wouldn’t look at him. “We do. We have to talk. I’ll wait while you see Emily, and then we’ll…we’ll talk,” he said. She finally looked at him, her blue eyes careful, guarded. Not unlike Courtney’s had been this morning, and it was like a ton of rocks had been dropped on him. Was there any way to get out of this without hurting either of them? Or was it too late?

“Okay,” Elizabeth said. “We’ll talk after.” She slipped away from him then, and into Emily’s room.

——

What had possessed her to bring up Courtney in the hallway like that? Her entire body was flushed with humiliation and frustration. She hadn’t meant to do that — she’d just looked at him, at his face, and his hands, and the night before—earlier that morning—it had all come flooding back. Every touch, caress, kiss—she could feel it like it was still happening—

And right after that the rush of mortification when Courtney had lobbed that grenade at her. She was still in the picture, and she’d fight for it.

Because unlike you, I know Jason’s worth fighting for.

Is that what Jason thought? That Elizabeth hadn’t wanted to fight for him? How could he think anything else after all she’d done to him, all the ways she’d made him feel like he wasn’t enough—

Elizabeth leaned against the closed door, squeezing her eyes shut, willing it all to go away.

“Did you see a ghost or something?”

Emily’s amused, but faint,  voice brought Elizabeth back to reality. Her eyes popped up, then filled at the sight of her best friend, still alive. Still breathing. Still with them.

“Hey, you.” Elizabeth came away from the door. “I’m so glad to see you.”

“Me, too. You, I mean. I’m glad to see you. I’m also glad to see me,” Emily admitted, and Elizabeth laughed. She sat down. “Sorry I was so dramatic last night. But you know, those doctors.”

“You fought back,” Elizabeth said. She squeezed Emily’s hand. “And you’re going to keep fighting, you know. You can do this. I’ll be right here with you.”

“Like I’d let you get that far.” Emily’s eyes fluttered closed, then opened again. “What’s wrong? You were upset when you came in. Did—” Her face fell. “You and Jason. You’re not upset with each other again, are you?”

“What?” Elizabeth blinked. “Why would you ask that?”

“Well, he told me he took you home. That you guys waited together—”

“He said that—”

“And—” Emily made a face. “I hate this,” she muttered. “Jason never tells me what’s wrong, and I could tell something was. I can tell you’re upset. But you won’t say why, will you? And if I asked him—”

“Em, you should just be concentrating on yourself—”

“When I get out of this bed—” Her voice faltered, fading out. “I’m going to kick both your asses.”

“I look forward to it.”

Elizabeth’s Studio: Hallway

Maybe it had been a mistake to accept the offer a ride back to her studio, but Elizabeth couldn’t pass up the chance to sit behind him, wrap her arms around his waist, and hold on like she’d never let go.

She’d let go so many times — why was she surprised that Jason had run out of patience and stopped holding his hand out? Last night had been a mistake, she knew that. It had to be. And he was trying to think of a way to tell her that. To be kind about it.

She stopped at the door, then turned to look at him — the way she had this morning, when the real world hadn’t existed for either of them. Her eyes searched his. “It’s okay, you know. I’m not mad or anything. That you decided to stay—”

“I didn’t—” Jason grimaced, took out his own keys and with a start, she realized he had his own copies. Her heart pounded as she watched him unlock her door.

“You still have them.”

“Well—” Jason looked down at the keys in his hand, then back at her. “You never know when I’ll need a place to hide.”

Because the world was always waiting to ruin everything, Elizabeth thought. She took a deep breath, forced a smile. “You know you can always come to me. I won’t—” She shook her head, went inside the studio.

“Elizabeth—” Jason followed, closing the door with one hand. “Listen—”

“Courtney said—”

“Courtney saw us last night,” Jason said and Elizabeth closed her mouth. “Leaving the hospital. She didn’t know for sure. She still doesn’t unless you said something.”

“I—” Elizabeth furrowed her brow. “She knows, Jason. She told me she knows. Whether or not you confirmed it with words—” She looked at him. “I don’t understand. I told you I’m not mad that you decided to stay, and you’re saying we need to talk because you didn’t decide—but now—now, you’re saying that our secret is still safe—is supposed to be a secret then?” Her voice wobbled on the last few words. “Because you don’t want her to know for sure?”

Jason closed his eyes, winced. “That’s not what I meant. I don’t—I was tired when I got home. And I meant what I said when I left here.” He took a step towards her, and like the hospital, she stepped back. “I mean it,” he repeated. “I still do. It’s just—”

“You looked at her and remembered all the reasons you love her,” Elizabeth finished.

Jason opened his mouth, then closed it, a bit mystified. Bewildered. “No. Yes, but—” He fisted his hand. “It’s more that — I realized that I was going to hurt her, and she didn’t do anything to deserve that, you know? I didn’t know how to start the conversation and then she started it for me, and I was tired—”

“Jason—”

“It seemed so easy when it was just us,” he murmured, more to himself. “Standing out in the hallway, I looked at you—” His eyes found hers. “And it’s all I wanted. To come back here and be with you.”

“That’s how it always is,” Elizabeth said. One hot tear slid down her cheek. “We work really well in here. In your room at Jake’s, on your bike, sitting on a bench—when it’s just us, oh, it’s the best feeling in the world.” She smiled even as the tears continued. “But that’s not the real world. Last night — it felt like a moment out of time. And maybe we’re not meant to hold on to it. Maybe we never are.”

“I won’t—no, I don’t believe that. I won’t—” Jason strode towards her and kissed her, cupping her jaw with his hands. Elizabeth slid her hands up to push him away, then fisted in his shirt, dragging him closer.

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