November 9, 2004

Wyndemere: Conservatory

Emily hung up the phone and smiled to herself, checking the phrase head gardener off her list of employees to hire. The mansion and the island would be returned to its former glory if Emily had to work day and night to see to it.

She’d already hired an army of maids to open all the closed rooms and give them a thorough cleaning. She’d contracted a decorator to give the whole place a brighter and friendlier look. The house may be Gothic in design but there was no point in having it be so dark and dreary.

“Miss Emily.”

At the sound of the new butler’s voice, Emily turned to the doorway. “Yes, Richards?”

“There is a gentleman to see you…Jason Morgan.” Richards was an older man with a stiff British upbringing. Nikolas had liked him from the first interview–the man had reminded him of a butler he’d had in Greece as a boy. He wore a crisp black suit and styled his silver hair slicked back. The first time Emily had seen him, she had immediately pictured Anthony Hopkins in Remains of the Day and made up her mind to hire him. He just…looked like a butler ought to.

“That’s my brother, Richards,” Emily said. She stood from her desk and set her lists aside. “He’s to be admitted immediately at any time.”

“Very good, Miss.” Richards bowed and disappeared from the room. Emily smiled and turned to look at the view outside her window. It overlooked one of the south gardens on the estate and she had a wide view of the river as it drained into the Atlantic. The view was the reason she’d chosen this room as her sanctuary.

“Jason Morgan, Miss,” Richards said as he stepped aside to let Jason into the room. “Shall I tell Master Nikolas your brother has arrived?”

“Yes, but don’t interrupt him.” Emily smiled briefly at Jason as Richards made his exit. “He’s of the mind that the master of the house must know who is in it at all times.”

“Right.” Jason shook his head and looked at his sister. “The place looks…different.”

“Better?” Emily prompted. “I’ve been working for the past week to clean it up. Since Connor Bishop was taken into military custody, I’ve had to have something to put my mind on.” She sat on the reupholstered sofa and patted the cushion next to her. “Sit.”

He did and looked around the room. “Seems you’ve done a lot in a week.”

“Well, money can do quite a bit but you’re not here to discuss any of that.” Emily shifted. “Have you spoken to Elizabeth since yesterday?”

He nodded. “Last night. Cameron has a cold and an ear infection. She called to tell me about it so I went over.”

Emily waited and glared when he didn’t continue. Talking to her brother was like pulling teeth. “Did she mop the floor with you or did you actually talk?”

“I told her that I loved her, that I didn’t want her to give up on us.” Jason smiled faintly. “Is that what you wanted to hear?”

Pleased, Emily smiled. “Yes. Thank you. So…did you come to talk to Nikolas about the job?”

“Yes,” Jason said. “I’m not promising you anything. I just came to listen. If I don’t like what I hear, then I’m not doing it, so don’t get your hopes up.”

Emily nodded. “All right. I’m just glad.” She hesitated. “This is the first time in a long time that I feel like I’m talking with my brother.” She stood and moved away. “Since I came home, you haven’t really been acting like yourself. One of my favorite things about you, Jason, was your honesty. I could count on you to tell me the truth; even if it was something I didn’t want to hear. You didn’t see the point in lying because you knew in the long run, a lie was worse.”

Jason sighed heavily. “Emily. I didn’t lie because I didn’t know how.” He stood and slid his hands in the pockets of his jeans. “When I came home two years ago, I came home to nothing. You were gone. Robin had been gone for three years. Michael was Sonny’s son. I only had Sonny and Carly in my life.” His eyes softened and he looked passed her for a moment. “And Elizabeth.”

“Jason, you always had me,” Emily informed him. Her eyes narrowed. “So, what? You bent over backwards to keep Sonny and Carly in your life? Let them walk all over, take advantage of you? And why do that for them and not for Elizabeth?”

“Because she is and always was too good for me,” Jason said simply. “I know it’s her decision to do what she wants but back then, I wanted to protect her. So when she walked away, I let her. Emily–”

“I know that Robin hurt you,” Emily murmured. “I know that losing Michael nearly broke you. But that’s no excuse to cut yourself off from the people who still love you and that’s what you’ve been doing since you left that April. You surrounded yourself with people who would always ask for your help. Sonny, Carly, Courtney, Sam…” Emily smiled sadly and looked away. “Me.”

“Emily, I want you to come to me when you need me,” Jason said forcefully. “You’re my sister.”

“I know that. But by surrounding yourself by people who need you, you haven’t let yourself need anyone. And that’s what worries me. Because for all the people who love you, Jason, I’m so afraid you’ll end up alone.” Her eyes brimmed with tears. “Elizabeth loves you. You deserve the life she wants to give you. Why don’t you let her give it to you?”

“I think I should speak with Nikolas now,” Jason remarked abruptly. She sighed and went to the hallway. Richards was standing by the door.

“Richards, could you please see if Nikolas is free to speak with Jason? He’s expecting him this week.”

Richards nodded and moved down the corridor to Nikolas’s office. “Jason,” Emily said, turning back to him. “I just want what makes you happy. You know that, right?”

He sighed and kissed her forehead. “I know that. But trust me to know what it is and how to get it, all right?”

“All right,” Emily said. She folded her arms. “I only meddle because I love you.”

General Hospital: Kristina’s Room

“Jax!” Alexis smiled, pleased to see him outside her daughter’s room. “I can hardly remember the last time I saw you.”

“Too long,” Jax said. He kissed her cheek and looked towards the room. “I came by to see about Kristina. I should have been here earlier. When you were suffering.” He frowned. “When you made the very odd decision to marry that…lawyer.”

“It was an odd decision,” Alexis agreed. She moved to look through the window at her daughter. “But it’s one that agrees with me. We’ve all done strange and crazy things in our lives, Jax. I can no more judge him than he can judge me.”

“Yes, we’ve done bizarre things but Alexis, love, I never locked a pregnant woman in a room,” Jax remarked. “Nor drugged the one I was married to.”

“But I’ve killed a man. Plotted to kill Helena, God knows how many times. I’ve dressed like a man, and quite honestly–that is only at the tip of my transgressions. What Ric has done–he’s done. I don’t mean to say that I understand them and I’m certainly not going to forget about them. But I have the right to see who he is today.”

“Yes, well you were also in love with Sonny Corinthos.” Jax smiled ruefully. “Your line of men worries me.”

“You were in that line, I might remind you.” Alexis sipped her coffee. “Sonny was a mistake. And I deeply regret the loss of our friendship. But he gave me my little girl and nothing, no one has ever meant more to me.”

“I’m so very happy that she will continue,” Jax said. “She’s a beautiful child and you have been blessed. I’ve missed you, Alexis. If Ric Lansing is what you have chosen, who you wish to spend your life, then I will not only support it, I will celebrate it. I’ve made inquiries–Kristina will be home by December 1?”

“Yes, if all continues well.” Alexis smiled at him. “Why?”

“Well, as you know, I’ve been rebuilding the Port Charles Hotel for the last few months.” Jax smiled briefly. “I was going to rename it, but it doesn’t seem right. The Hotel was such a part of this town’s history, its heritage. It seems only right to continue that. We reopen December 15. I wish to give you and your husband a party in celebration.”

“That’s a very touching thought and I’d like to do you one better,” Alexis said. “Ric and I married with only Nikolas and Emily present. While they, of course, are important, we both agreed that when Kristina was healthy and safe again, we would have a bigger ceremony. Perhaps I could schedule it at the hotel?”

Jax grinned. “What better way to kick off a new chapter in the hotel’s history than a wedding?” He kissed her hand. “You’ve got it. Provided I get to grill the groom.”

“No.”

“Just a little.”

“Absolutely not.” A smile tugged at her lips. “Leave him alone.”

“I promise not to harm him,” Jax held up his hand as if taking an oath. “I solemnly swear on the Boy Scout motto that I won’t leave any marks. Visible ones.”

“When were you a Boy Scout?” Alexis asked suspiciously. “You’re from Australia. Do they even have Boy Scouts Down Under?”

Gate House: Front Walk

Lucky was waiting for the blonde attorney at the gate to Ned’s home. She was dressed in a plain black suit with a long skirt and a thick black pea coat. Her blonde hair pulled tightly back from her face. She carried a thick leather bag at her side. “Sergeant Spencer.”

“Ms. Joyce.” He nodded and gestured for her to go first. She did so and knocked on the door.

Ned Ashton opened the door. “Miss Joyce?”

“Hello, Mr. Ashton.” Brianne avoided the hand he placed out for her to shake and entered the house. “Sergeant Spencer and I have come by to question you, your ex-wife and Brooke Lynn.”

“Lois and Brooke are in the other room. I thought we could get me out of the way first.” Ned nodded to Lucky as he entered and shut the door. “How long have you been working at the DA office?”

“Nearly two years,” Brianne remarked. She set her bag on the floor and removed her jacket. “I hope you don’t think my age is a problem.”

“No, of course not.” Ned took her coat and waved towards the seating area. “Have a seat.”

Brianne sat in the arm chair and took out a clean legal pad. She uncapped her pen. “Now, Mr. Ashton, I would like to apologize in advance for some of the questions I will have to ask your daughter.”

Ned frowned. “What does that mean?”

“Well, I seem to have run into some problems when I ask about the nature of Brooke Lynn’s relationship with Diego Sanchez. I anticipate the defense will say that that the sex was mutual and that he will say they were dating.”

“That’s ridiculous. Brooke would never date him–”

“I understand that, Mr. Ashton, but if I don’t ask the question and don’t cover every angle, I run the risk of missing an important detail. It is extremely important to me that this does not happen,” Brianne said briskly. “So I wish to apologize in advance and assure you I only want the truth.”

Ned nodded. “All right.”

“Until recently, Brooke Lynn and her mother loved in Brooklyn, New York City. Under what circumstances did she move here and how has your relationship been since then?”

“Brooke ran away from home,” Ned admitted. “Lois, while an extremely generous and loving mother, tends to be overbearing at times. She merely wants the best for her of course and they tend to differ on what this is. Brooke ran away. She came here and Lois and I decided it was time I had more of a presence in her life.”

“Up until this point, you’ve had little contact with your daughter then.”

Ned bristled, but understood the question and saw the sympathy in the young woman’s eyes where there was none in the no nonsense tone. “No. Lois and I divorced when she was little and it wasn’t always easy with our schedules to coordinate visits. I missed out on watching her grow up and I regret that. Since she moved here, I’ve done the best I can to make up for it.”

“When did you meet Diego Sanchez?” Brianne asked.

“Ah, sometime in late September. He dropped Brooke off and I asked her who she was. Just a friend from school, she told me.”

“Did you know Diego Sanchez very well?” Brianne continued. “Have solo conversations with him? One on one?”

“No,” Ned sighed. “I thought about it. I discussed it with Lois. I didn’t like him. I didn’t know why, but I didn’t like him. One might say I was being a snob, that I didn’t want my daughter to associate with a foster child. But I wasn’t comfortable her being around him. But Lois convinced me that Brooke was an intelligent girl, that she was headstrong. She would do what she needed to do and we needed to pick our battles.”

He rubbed the back of his neck. “So, no I never spoke with him alone. I didn’t know him at all beyond what I knew of him. I knew that he was a foster child taken in by Courtney Matthews.” He sneered. “What a mistake that was.”

Brianne smiled thinly, “I assure you that if the defense calls her as a character witness, I have enough information to tear her to shreds.”

Lucky smirked. “Little children in the park know about Courtney Matthews.”

“You were in the hospital room when Brooke awoke after attack.”

“Yes. She was disoriented. Unsure of where she was. She moved her arms and it began to flood back. She, ah, turned to Lois and said ‘Mama, I couldn’t stop him.'” Ned’s voice faltered for a moment and he had to look away.

Brianne’s pen trembled slightly but that was her only outward reaction. “And?”

“She said that she’d told him no, that she’d screamed…that she thought he’d been her friend. She said no name at first and I was terrified at was going through my head. I thought of Lucas and I’m sorry for that. He was her boyfriend and I suppose it’s every father’s worst nightmare that the boy they trust with their little girl will hurt her.” He exhaled slowly and looked to Lucky. “But I asked her who because I could never believe he could do that and that’s when she told me it was Diego.”

“I think that’s all the questions I have for you, Mr. Ashton,” Brianne murmured. “If I could speak with Brooke and Ms. Cerullo?”

“Of course.” Ned stood but paused for a moment. “I believe that I will look forward to seeing you try this case in a courtroom, Miss Joyce.”

Brianne frowned and watched him disappear into one of the other rooms. “What does mean?” she asked Lucky.

“He respects you,” Lucky said. “He doesn’t give that easily.”

Cottage: Foyer

Elizabeth swung the door open and frowned. “Carly.”

“Hello,” Carly pushed past her armed with Morgan in the stroller and Michael at her side. “I hope you don’t mind but when Michael found out about his cousin, he was anxious to meet him.”

“Right.” Elizabeth blinked. She closed the door and watched Carly settle Morgan into the playpen she kept in the living room for Cameron. “Well, he’s napping right now.”

“Oh.” Michael frowned. “For how much longer?” he asked disappointed. “I wanted him to meet his cousins.”

Touched, Elizabeth knelt in front of him. “Well, he’s due for a dose of medicine in about twenty minutes so if you’d like to wait around.”

“Can we, Mom?” Michael asked.

“Sure. Go play and watch Morgan while I talk to Elizabeth in the kitchen.”

“Cool.” Morgan took a hand held video game from the bag hanging from the stroller and settled in front of the playpen to watch his little brother.

Still somewhat flustered, Elizabeth followed Carly into the kitchen. “I wasn’t expecting you to embrace Cameron like this.”

“I firmly believe the children shouldn’t pay for the sins of their parents,” Carly said, sitting at the table. “Jason is an uncle to Michael. He’s part of the family and Michael wouldn’t understand why his son wasn’t.”

“I’m glad though,” Elizabeth sat across from her. “Michael and Morgan mean so much to Jason. I know he’ll be happy to hear that Cameron means a lot to them.”

“I want to tell you that I’m sorry for being one of the reasons Jason kept this all a secret.” Carly shrugged. “And I have to admit that if I had known, my reaction would have been worse than either of you could imagine. I’m a selfish person, Elizabeth. It’s quite obvious to everyone else that I think Jason belongs to me, that I should always come first.” She waved her hand. “All that and probably more would have been spewed at you.”

Elizabeth tilted her head to the side. “But you don’t believe that do you?” she asked softly.

Carly frowned. “Of course I do. Don’t you know me at all?”

“No,” the other woman said slowly. “I don’t believe many people do. I don’t think you believe that about Jason at all.”

“Well, no I don’t think he belongs to me. Jason has and will always belong to himself. It’s just that…he offers unconditional love. Unconditional friendship, support.” Carly shrugged and looked away. “It can be so easy to take advantage of that and not even realize. He’s always there when you need him. He’s so strong, you know? I just didn’t realize how much I depended on him until I realized what I was costing him.” Carly sighed. “Look, we don’t like each other. I don’t see why that has to change simply because Jason is in love with you and you have a son. I will be cordial to you. We might end up with some kind of civility thing going here. I will love and adore your son because he’s Jason’s. But I don’t expect either one of us to become best friends.”

“I don’t expect it either.” Elizabeth shifted and looked at the baby monitor. “Would you like to come up and see Cameron?”

Carly nodded. “Sure. I haven’t had a chance to see him up close.”

Gate House: Living Room

Brooke sat where Ned had before, her mother next to her and Ned pacing restless behind the couch. “Hi,” the teen said softly.

Brianne stared for a moment at the girl’s battered face but quickly averted her eyes. “Hello, I’m Brianne Joyce. I’m with the DA’s office.” She didn’t extend her hand and looked away when Lois offered hers.

“I’m Brooke Lynn but most people just call me Brooke.” She shifted nervously. “So you have to ask me some questions.”

“Yes.” Brianne turned to a fresh sheet in her pad. “I’m sorry, but they’re going to be difficult for both of us. I wish I didn’t have to ask you but I assure you, if I don’t ask it on direct, the defense will on cross. And they’ll make it worse.”

Brooke nodded and Brianne turned to her list of prepared questions. “When did you meet Diego Sanchez?”

“September,” Brooke remarked. “Maybe it was October.” She hesitated. “Early October,” she decided. “He seemed okay. Rough around the edges.” She thought for a moment. “He never really fit in with our friends.”

“How so?” Brianne asked.

“Well, he always wanted to better than everyone else. Be tougher. He wanted to work for Sonny Corinthos and when that didn’t work, he wanted to work for Lorenzo Alcazar just so he could feel big and bad.”

“What type of relationship did you have? Was it close, was it distant? Do you think there’s anything you said that gave him reason to think you felt more?”

Lois made a growling sound. “So what if she did? This isn’t her fault–”

“No, Ma…” Brooke squeezed her mother’s hand. “If she doesn’t ask, they will. And they’ll make it sound like I did lead him on, even though that doesn’t matter.” She focused on Brianne again. “I thought we were friends. We didn’t know each other very well and I felt a little sorry for him. He was dealing with a new foster home, a new city. I have always been a wealthy kid so I always feel bad when I come in contact with someone who isn’t. I was friendly with him, I don’t think I said anything to make him think it was more but I don’t know how he thought.” She shrugged. “You read all the time about these people who have obsessions with people they don’t even know because of some small interaction.”

“That’s a good answer,” Brianne nodded. “I want you to remember that for the trial.” She shifted in the chair. “November 2. You were at Kelly’s. You were alone.”

“Mike stepped out and asked us to watch the place for a bit. There were no other customers so it didn’t feel like a big deal.” Brooke swept a hand through her hair. “He wanted to work for Lorenzo Alcazar or for Sonny Corinthos and even a conversation with Jason Morgan wouldn’t change his mind. I–I was worried. I didn’t see the point in him choosing such a dangerous life. He was only seventeen. He had other options.”

“And then?” Brianne prompted.

Panic knotted and coiled inside Brooke as she prepared to speak in detail about that night. She licked her dry lips and took a deep breath. “He kissed me. I pushed him away. I was angry. He knew I was dating Lucas.” She swallowed hard. “I–he was angry. He couldn’t understand–he didn’t think we were friends. He said ‘You think I wanted to be your friend?’ I asked him to let me go but then he just started…” Her breath was coming in quick small gasps.

“Ssh, baby,” Lois murmured. She looked to Brianne. “We should finish this another time.”

“Lois, Ned, why don’t we go in the kitchen?” Lucky stood. “I think Brooke will do better if the room isn’t crowded.”

“No,” Lois said. She wrapped her arm around Brooke’s shoulders. “Why don’t you take a nap or–”

“Ms. Cerullo, I’ll have to ask you to follow Sergeant Spencer into the kitchen,” Brianne broke in. “The preliminary hearing is tomorrow and I need your daughter’s statement. It might be better if you weren’t in the room.”

“Can’t you see this is upsetting her?” Lois snapped.

“Lois,” Ned said softly. “We have to cooperate.”

“Oh, don’t you start!” Lois stood and glared at him before turning her anger on the ADA. “You have the nerve to come in here and ask my daughter insulting questions and then when she’s obviously upset by them, you just keep on going,” she seethed with mounting rage. “Do you have any compassion, any heart?”

Brianne flinched but before she could defend herself, Ned strode forward and took Lois by the arm, shaking her a little. “Do you think a defense attorney is going to be any gentler?” he demanded contemptuously. “Do you think he’s going to stop and wait for her to gather her thoughts before asking for more details? He’s going to try and break her on the stand, Lois–”

“What the hell do you care?” Lois spat with burning, reproachful eyes. “You’re barely even her father, you–”

“Stop it, just stop it!” Brooke cried, miserably. She sprang to her feet and glared at her parents. “This isn’t about either one of you. Do you think it makes any better for the two of you tear each other part?” She shoved her father away from her mother. “Go sit down,” she ordered before whirling to Lois. “And stop trying to protect me! You can’t! You can’t keep bad things from happening. They already have and I have to do this, no matter how much it hurts.”

Lois pressed her lips together and sat down hard. “Fine,” she said shortly. “Carry on.”

Brooke sat down slowly. “He pulled me into the kitchen,” she continued. Her voice was hushed and thick with tears–both from the confrontation of a few moments ago and memories of a night that had never really ended. “He shoved me against the counter so hard that I have bruises here,” she rubbed the small of her back.

She breathed in air almost greedily before continuing. “He tried to tear my shirt but it wouldn’t rip. He tried to kiss me again but I scratched his face and he hit me. It was so hard, I could feel my teeth rattle.” She touched her cheek where the bruise still bloomed dark purple. “He went for my shirt again but it still wouldn’t rip so he started yanking at my skirt.”

Lucky slowly sat back down, his knees feeling slightly week. Across the room, Ned began to pace. If he was ever in the same room as that scum….

“I heard the zipper on my skirt but I kept fighting and I hit him again. I tried to knee him but he hit me again. He threw me to the floor and I hit my head against the side of the stove.” Brooke hesitated. “It’s not really clear after that. I guess I might have blacked out. They said I had a concussion. The next thing I remembered, the kitchen was empty, my skirt was torn and my–” she swallowed and colored a little. “My panties were gone. I was sore all over but especially…between my legs.” She clenched her hands into fists. “That’s when Mike came back.”

Brianne exhaled slowly and closed her legal pad. “Brooke, tomorrow is the preliminary hearing where the judge decides if there’s enough evidence to be bound over for trial. I don’t want you to worry about that.” Her hands were shaking just a little as she slid the pad into her bag. “There’s enough physical evidence without me having to put you on the stand. I just wanted to get your statement today in case I had to. He will be bound over for trial, there’s no doubt in my mind about that.”

“And that’s when he’s going to tell people that I like rough sex,” Brooke said in a small voice. “Can he really get on the stand and say that? Lie?”

“Yes. He’s allowed to put a on a defense. However, thanks to Sergeant Spencer, we’re ready for him. We have a list of rebuttal witnesses, including your own boyfriend who are ready to testify that there was nothing but friendship. We have the doctor’s report that says you were raped. And honestly, we have your background working for us.”

“Because I’m a Quartermaine and he’s a foster kid,” Brooke said resigned.

“At least being a part of this family is good for something,” Ned muttered.

“Essentially.” Brianne stood and put her coat on. “The hearing is tomorrow at 9 AM. I’ll need you and your family to attend. To put a face on the statement, so to speak.”

Brooke nodded. “That’s fine, right Ma?” she asked, turning to Lois.

“It’s fine.” Lois looked at Brianne coolly. “If you cross examine that little scum half as well as you interrogated my daughter, we should be fine.”

Brianne remained silent, looping her bag over her shoulder and heading for the door. Lucky stood and said his goodbyes and followed her.

“She’ll hold up on the stand,” Lucky said as he followed her down the walk. Brianne ignored him and continued past the Quartermaine mansion to where her car was parked on the estate’s driveway. He hesitated a moment and stared after her before quickening his pace.

His long stride put him in front of her and Lucky slipped in to block her hand from opening the car door. “Hey, wait a second–”

Brianne jerked away. “I have to go.” She clenched her fists until her nails bit into her palms. “I have to get back to work.”

“You can take five seconds.” Lucky cocked his head to the side. “Lois is just upset. She didn’t mean what she said.”

Brianne huffed. “Of course not. Her daughter was brutally raped and beaten. She’s allowed to lash out.” She inched away from him. “What is your problem?”

“Nothing.” Lucky stepped back. “Are you going to interview any other of the other witnesses today?”

“Yes but I won’t need you.” Brianne turned and yanked her car door open. “Thank you very much. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Lucky’s hand shot out and he gripped the edge of the door to keep her from simply getting in the car and driving away. “Lucas is my cousin. He trusts me. And Georgie and Maxie are his cousins. They’ll cooperate more if I’m there.”

“You can’t be there all the time. You can’t protect them. Bad things happen all the time and there’s nothing you can do about it,” Brianne said stiffly. “So back off and let me do my job.”

Lucky blinked. Stepped back again. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Ms. Joyce.”

She got into the driver’s seat, slammed the car door shut and started the car. With a roar of an engine and the squealing of some tires, Brianne pealed out of the driveway, leaving Lucky to stare after her.

Wyndemere: Nikolas’s Office

“Hey, Jason.” Nikolas stood as Richards showed Jason into the newly renovated office. Stefan had used it when they first bought the Gothic mansion and Nikolas had it closed up when his uncle left for Greece. He felt ready, now, to embrace that part of his past. “I’m glad you came by.”

“I told Emily not to get her hopes up,” Jason remarked. He shook Nikolas’s hand and sat in the chair in front of Nikolas’s thick mahogany desk. “I was only coming to hear about the job.”

“Right, right.” Nikolas took his seat. “Well, since my uncle’s death last year, I’ve been working to rebuild the empire my family used to possess. I haven’t been able to put my full attention into it but I’ve had advisors doing most of it. We’ve got a lot of properties overseas. And we’re doing some work for other agencies, hence the need for a securities expert.” He shuffled through some papers. “In addition to overseeing the security for every building owned by Cassadine Industries, you would be expected to fly out and be present for the larger jobs or any emergencies. You would have the Cassadine Jet at your disposal of course.”

“And why exactly do you think I’d do well at this?” Jason asked after a long moment.

“Providing security has always and will always be one of your best personality traits,” Nikolas said. “When Emily suggested you, I immediately agreed. You have experience with a lot of the technology, you seem to have the capacity to expand on that and you don’t strike me as someone who’s afraid to try something new. Something better. What’s at your core, Jason, is someone who knows how to make people safe. Or at least feel that they are.”

Jason hesitated. He stood and moved towards the fireplace, where a fire was crackling. He stared into the flames for a moment before looking back at Nikolas. “Emily would have told you about Elizabeth.”

“That Cameron is your son, yes.” Nikolas shrugged and leaned back in his chair. “I knew.” When Jason’s expression stilled, Nikolas let his lips curve into a smile. “I’m not stupid, Jason. I knew he wasn’t Zander’s son. When Elizabeth came home in June, I hadn’t yet regained my memory. When I had, I was upset that I had missed Cameron’s birth. You know how much she loves him and I was sorry that I’d missed something so important. I was worried that he’d been born in early May. Which meant she’d been pregnant barely seven months. I inquired into his health and Elizabeth told me he’d been full term. A slip on her part, but it didn’t take long to understand that when Cameron was conceived, Emily and Zander were still together. Elizabeth was still parted from Ric.”

“You knew months ago?” Jason asked, suspiciously. “And you said nothing.”

“This was Elizabeth’s secret. I didn’t know that she’d told you and I haven’t always been deserving of her trust. I kept it to myself.” Nikolas laced his fingers together. “What I do want to know is if you intend to fix things between the two of you.”

“Yes,” Jason said. “I do. But I don’t want that to have anything to do with this job. It’s important that my job be separate from my personal life.”

Nikolas nodded slowly. “Have you told Sonny you’re leaving the organization?”

“No.” Jason paused. “I only decided over the weekend. Part of my problems with Elizabeth stemmed from my job. I want to remove that from the equation. I want regular hours–emergencies not included.”

“Naturally. And when you do have to travel, you can always take her with you.” Nikolas stood. “I trust Elizabeth to know what she’s doing and while she’s made choices I don’t always understand, I don’t hold them against her. She’s made the choice to be with you more times than I personally think you deserve. But only she knows why she’s doing it.” He held Jason’s gaze with dark, sober eyes. “Don’t make her regret it.”

Jason held his hand out. “Do we have a deal?”

Nikolas shook it. “Welcome to Cassadine Industries.”

General Hospital: Sam McCall’s Room

Sam smiled faintly when she saw Jason enter the room. “Hey, stranger.”

“Hey.” He sat in the chair next to her bed. “I was here for a few hours last night but you were asleep.” He shifted. “How are you?”

“Empty.” She sighed and rested her head against the pillow, closing her eyes. “Did you work things out with Elizabeth that morning?”

Jason sighed and bowed his head. “I am so sorry I wasn’t there–”

“Hey, hey…” Sam shook her head. “I told you to go. I wanted you to fix things with her. No one could have seen this coming.” A hand came up to rest on her abdomen, still swollen from pregnancy. “The doctor said that there wasn’t much of a chance that she would have survived no matter how fast I was rushed to the hospital.”

“But there was one–”

“Sure,” Sam sighed. She rubbed her eyes. “Jason, I don’t blame you. And if Sonny did, well–he doesn’t now. The only person left who blames you is you.” She reached her hand out to him and he took it. “Did you work things out?” she repeated.

“Not so much,” Jason admitted. “I’ve hurt her so much, Sam.”

“People recover from being hurt,” Sam murmured. “If you’re hurt, you can feel. And if you can feel, you’re human. It’d be nice not to have to hurt anyone, Jason, but it’s not a promise you can ever make and…what a boring life it would be if we never had our heart broken once in a while.” She squeezed his hand. “You’ll fix it with her, right?”

“Yeah.” Jason exhaled slowly. “I’m going to fix it.”

General Hospital: Vending Machines

Sonny was getting some coffee when Jason strode up to him. “Hey, have you been to see Sam?” he asked.

Jason nodded and slipped his hands into his pockets. “Do you have a minute?”

“Sure.” Sonny sipped the coffee and grimaced. “This tastes awful,” he muttered.

“There’s no easy way to say this and I’m tired of trying to find the right words for everything.” Jason took a deep breath. “Cameron’s my son. Biologically, legally and in every other way that matters.”

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