Shattered Web Chapter 5

"What exactly do you think you're doing?!"

They were standing in the entranceway to the PC Grill, Johnny and the others having gone to collect the limousine. Jason immediately shifted so he stood between Liz and Carly.

"Oh great." Elizabeth said under her breath, and Jason could hear the tone of strain buried deep in her voice.

"What was that little girl? I wasn't talking to you just now. See little girls need to learn to mind their elders, so just shut up!" Carly was fuming. Jason assumed sitting quietly through two courses at the grill had tested Carly's patience even beyond her limits.

Moving quickly, Jason situated himself between the two women, effectively cutting off the retort ready on Elizabeth's lips.

With a glare to Carly, he reached out his hand to accept Liz's coat from the coat keeper and turned his back to the woman who'd used his son as a pawn. Elizabeth's eyes were slightly hurt and Jason wished he could defend her the way most men did the woman they…what? Loved?

A quick lace of panic raced through his heart and Jason's eyes grew wide to feel the unnatural emotion. Ignoring Carly's verbal barbs back at Elizabeth, Jason held out her new leather coat to the smaller woman and told her with his eyes to step into it.

The shift of her eyes told Jason she was hurting, but she turned her body towards him and allowed him to help her with her coat. When her arms were encased she tried to step away, but he held tight to the lapels and turned her instead. He knew immediately she understood the look in his eyes as an apology. She nodded her head as he moved to secure each and every button on her jacket. Behind him Carly raged.

"What's the matter Elizabeth? Not even old enough to get dressed on your own? For God's sake Jason, can't you see the way she's using you! Jason, let go of her!" With a lunging move, Carly grabbed a hold of his arm just as he finished the last button. Turning angrily, he reversed the move and caught Carly's wrist, lifting it above her head. Absently, he enjoyed the look of pain and betrayal in her eyes, so much like his must have been when she destroyed his life with Michael.

Patience and devotion in his voice he spoke to Liz without turning from Carly. "Liz, go stand over in the corner by the door so I can see you. I need to have a word with Carly." Unlike Carly in the past, Elizabeth moved without question, trusting in Jason. He knew she wondered why he didn't just send her to the car, but he didn't want her to leave his sight; they'd been together all day, "people" knew they were…what? Friends? More?

His momentary distraction caused him to miss the obvious chill that entered the air at his brother's arrival. "What the hell do you think you're doing to my wife?!" Jason wanted to laugh at the humor of the situation, instead he settled for a death glare.

"Jason, let go of me!" Ripping her hand from Jason's grip, Carly glared at the man she'd professed to love. "Jason, God! She's just a little tramp trying to get into your pants and your bank account! I mean my God, she had you buying all of Macy's today!"

That had Jason seeing red, and with unusual gruffness took a menacing step towards the blond. "You were following us?"

Always stupidly proud, Carly nodded. "Of course! You need someone to protect you from those innocent looking eyes and that "please help me I'm such a basket case at loosing Lucky," I mean really Jason--"

And then, there was no holding Elizabeth back. The pain of the previous night, the anger and helplessness of her situation finally came crashing down on Carly. There were irrational tears in her eyes when she finally pushed Jason aside and got into Carly's face.

"You bitch! He was your cousin! Your own flesh and blood! How can you talk about him like that?! I loved him, so much I thought I'd die when he did, but you, you were his family and you didn't even care!" The smaller woman was screaming, and for a moment Carly looked taken aback enough to take a step away from the emotional girl. But backing down was never Carly's style.

"What's the matter, Lizzy? Feeling a little guilty about something?" There was wicked triumph in her eyes when Elizabeth visibly winced and stepped back as if struck. Before Jason or AJ could intervene however, Carly struck again. "He must not have meant that much to you either since it's been less than a year and your already trying to get Jason!"

He didn't so much hear it as felt it as he pulled Elizabeth into his chest, pressing his hand to the half of her face exposed to the world; the sob threatened to shatter his heart.

To his surprise, he heard AJ. "Carly, that's enough! Lucky Spencer was a family friend, and your family to boot. Show some respect."

"This coming from the town drunk!"

He looked up in time to see it, the flicker of hurt that crossed AJ's face. He understood that before the accident, he'd looked up to AJ, seen his brother as a kind of role model. But those days were long gone with vague images of twisted metal and screeching tires. But as a man, he had to feel sorry for AJ; he'd never survive Carly unscathed.

"Jason?" His name was muffled at best, tear soaked at worst, and he ignored the pained look on his brother's face for the time being. "Jason, I--I want to go now. Please?" God, he never wanted to hear her beg, never, ever again.

With body language alone, he shifted her under his arm and moved them towards the door. He fought every instinct inside him to ignore the final barb from Carly.

"I'm watching you, Elizabeth. I'm watching you. You may have killed Lucky, but I won't let you get Jason!"

* * *

"Jason, what happened to her? Johnny called from the Grill and said she was doing better, now you bring her here and she's in tears. What the hell happened?"

They were in Sonny's penthouse, the boys carrying things into his apartment down the hall while Liz took a shower in the room she'd spent the previous night in.

She'd been quiet once they'd gotten to the car. Johnny and the other sat across from them in the limousine as Elizabeth had curled her back into his side and stared out the window at the street lamps. Twice Johnny had tried with facial expressions alone to get information from Jason. It seemed the boys had taken a liking to Ms Webber, one that threw all their old "don't ask" clauses out the window. But there wasn't much to say, so Jason ignored them, favoring instead to watch Elizabeth's reflection as she silently wiped her eyes.

"Carly." He said her name like a curse, the emotion in his voice startling even his best friend.

"What does my niece have to do with this?" As Jason understood it, Luke and Benny had been playing detective all day and still come no closer to the truth. Now, at ten, Luke had stuck around to double check on Elizabeth before heading home.

Jason sighed in dissipating rage. "Carly and AJ showed up at the Grill when Elizabeth and I got there. It seems Carly had been following us all day."

"Following you?" Sonny was used to Carly's fits of insanity, but this was even a bit more than usual for her.

Jason nodded. "She claims it was to protect me from Liz."

"Well, unless Liz started packing heat, Carly's gone completely insane."

"No, that's not what she meant. Carly seems to think Elizabeth only wants me for money and sex."

Luke smiled. "So basically the two things my sister's offspring wants you for." Jason nodded, he used to think that he and Carly had an understanding, but when she betrayed him and took Michael away--he'd never feel anything for her again but contempt.

Jason continued. "Carly said some things about Lucky and how fast Liz got over his death--"

"FAST? That poor things been-been in mourning for nearly a year, what'd she expect, Liz was going to turn into a nun? No offence to your son Luke, but everyone has to move on sometime." Jason heard the lingering sadness in Sonny's voice, both his wife and Brenda--it was so much for one person to cope with.

"Don't even mention it. I'm the first one to be cheering Elizabeth on with the rest of her life; Lucky would have wanted it that way." A different but similar pain entered Luke's voice, and Jason suddenly felt out of place in a room where the biggest pain he could support was a lost girlfriend and a son that wasn't even his.

Sonny broke out of it first. "What else happened, Jason?"

He nodded at the silent plea to move the conversation forward. "Liz just went quiet after that. She was crying a little, but quietly. Finally she asked to leave and I took her to the car. She was silent on the way back."

"Yeah," said Sonny. "And we saw her once you brought her in." Elizabeth had walked in a daze. She'd gotten out of the car and then immediately waited for him to put his arm around her. Together they'd taken the elevator in silence before one of the guards had let them into Sonny's place. Sonny had immediately taken notice of Liz's condition and sent her upstairs for a hot shower while the three men talked "business." If she guessed that she was the "business," she gave on neither indication; nor fight as she silently extricated herself from his arms and moved steadily out of his sight.

Suddenly out of no where, there was a furious knocking on the door, followed by pounding of what sounded like two determined fists. Startled, Sonny traded glances with the other two men before moving to the door and asking who was there.

"Emily! Jason, I know you're in there!"

Concern flashed through him and with a hurried pace he moved to open the door ahead of Sonny. He didn't even note the edge of anger in Emily's voice.

When he opened the door, she immediately pushed past him and let loose with a long yell up the stairs. "Elizabeth! Get down here right now! Elizabeth!"

This time he noted the anger, but was perplexed as to the reason. He moved to Emily's side. "What's wrong? Are you alright?"

And then those dark eyes were upon him and out of the corner of his eye, he saw the white terry cloth robe Elizabeth wore coming down the stairs, and he couldn't help but turn his head to watch her still wet hair shift with the movement of her body. Unfortunately it was all the evidence Emily needed to convict.

"Then it's true!" She turned accusing eyes onto Liz. "You-You-You tramp!"

Completely taken aback, Elizabeth's steps faltered and she had to grab onto the banister to maintain her balance. "W-what?"

"My God, why didn't I see it before? 'So Emily, is your brother coming in today?' 'Oh Emily, by the way, Jason didn't happen to say he was going to the docks today, did he?' 'Emily, did Jason mention me when you talked to him--"

"T-that isn't what I said--"

"I can't believe you pretended to be my friend just so you could get close to my brother!"

Jason tried to intervene then. "Emily, what are you--"

"Don't try to deny it, Jason. You don't know what she was like before Lucky straightened her out. She was a slut back then, and it seems like she's reverting to her roots!"

"No, no Emily, that isn't right--" There was an unmistakable panic in Liz's voice when Emily cut her off.

"Jesus, Elizabeth, you couldn't even wait until Lucky's body was cold before you found the next guy, could you?"

"Emily! That's enough!" Jason was so angry, he couldn't remember being this angry with his sister, ever. "Where did you get the idea that--"

"The two of you were bed buddies? Carly. And I didn't believe her because half the time Carly's full of it, but AJ saw the two of you together too, and then Carly started pointing out all the obvious things I'd missed and magically the picture formed."

"Well, it's the wrong picture." His voice was deathly calm, he didn't think he was capable of raising it where Emily was concerned. In a way she was the only real family he had besides his Grandmother.

"…cold…" Liz's voice was like a whisper, a breath of a prayer, and Jason turned to find that she was now sliding down the side of the banister, her bottom touching the carpeted steps. He reacted immediately, and without thinking about how it must look to Emily, or anyone else for that matter.

"Elizabeth." He reached her side in seconds, enveloping her in an embrace as he twisted her to rest comfortably in his lap. Without his consent his hands moved to her hair, soothing her by touch. "Liz, what's wrong?"

There was a long pause where he heard and saw nothing but the blank expression on Elizabeth Webber's face. Finally, she spoke up. "…cold. Do you think his body will ever be cold, Jason? He's all ashes and soot, maybe he'll never be cold, never be cold…"

"Elizabeth." He pulled her head down and tucked it below his chin. Absently he heard Sonny roughly dismiss Emily, but like Carly before her, couldn't miss the last line she sent.

"I'll never forgive you for this Elizabeth. And I know Lucky wouldn't either!" He heard the door slam somewhere after that.

In his arms, Liz shook. He felt Luke come over, but Jason silently shook his head at the other's out stretched hand. He felt Sonny move to sit beside him before he turned his full attention to the child/woman in his arms.

"Elizabeth, things will work out. I'll talk to Emily and explain what really happened. Emily acts without thinking sometimes--"

It was her eyes. The moment they met his he knew the thing she was about to say wasn't with her full conscious mind behind it. Like a little of the insanity was leaking over now, throwing her into a loop of confusion. "Emily's so smart. She was Lucky's best friend. He loved her in a way, you know. He told me about their puppies, little children. Emily had a big crush on Lucky, she told me before he…died. She told me a secret and I didn't tell her mine. Lucky wouldn't have liked my secrets. Lizzy was such a bad girl, really, really, bad. Smoked, drank, did drugs for fun, no sex though, it wasn't going to be cheap, not like the rest of Lizzy. But she saw Lucky and all he saw was her sister, and she was going to get him one way or another. Lizzy was bad, but I'm worse. Lizzy would have hurt Sarah to get Lucky, and I killed Lucky to get Jason. I loved Lucky, I want Jason. Jason?" She focused on him then. "No more secrets."

His heart was racing. Elizabeth, she, she wanted to be with him. In his heart he thought she might have a crush on him, innocent and sweet, but this, the way she said it, he knew she meant it, knew the way he knew things about people no one else knew. What to say, how to say it. There was so much and so little at the same time. He finally decided to follow her lead.

Unmindful of the other two in the room, Jason shifted his hands to cradle her face in his palms. "No more secrets. You didn't kill Lucky, Elizabeth, and Lucky would want you to be happy, no matter what. People change, you changed, from Lizzy to Liz to Elizabeth, and now you're a mix of all three and that's ok. You're special and wonderful, kind and loving, and I'd be crazier than most say I am if I said I didn't find you attractive. But that's normal. Do you understand Liz? It's normal to want to be with someone. You're not doing anything wrong, no matter who you want, and Lucky would want you to be happy, no matter who you choose. No more secrets."

Her tongue was still loose, but his words had ground her and she was starting to come around. She nodded to herself. "I'm all three of them. Bad Lizzy, neutral Liz, good Elizabeth. Which one do you like better, Jason? Lucky liked Elizabeth and hated Lizzy. Tom liked Lizzy. Do you like Liz?"

He sighed. "I like all of you, all of you. You be whoever you want to be with me, I'll care about you no matter who you are."

Her voice was a whisper when she asked, "Even Lizzy?"

"Even Lizzy. What's a mobster to do without a bad girl anyway?" He smiled at his strange joke, and his grin grew wider when Elizabeth followed suit. "It's all going to work out, I promise. I'll talk to Emily." Normally he believed that people would think whatever they wanted to think, but Emily's thoughts now were hurting Elizabeth and he wasn't going to allow that to happen.

Softly she nodded into his chest before reaching one of her hands up and around his neck. "I'm tired, Jason. Shopping wore me out." He smiled at her comment, he lifted his eyes and ran straight into Luke's. There was a little pain there, as if the man had finally realized that his would be daughter-in-law was now in the arms of a man who would take her away. But there was also acceptance, and at the slight nod and smile of Luke Spencer, Jason knew he'd been given permission to peruse Elizabeth.

He shared a brief understanding look with Luke before rising with Elizabeth in his arms and moving towards the door. He waited for Sonny to open it before addressing his friend. "We'll talk more in the morning. I'll have the boys take shifts to cover the floor and elevator."

Sonny nodded before he reached out a hand to the retreating Jason. "Jason, man, be careful with this one." It was a loaded statement, and Jason nodded his understanding before turning and walking down the hall to his own penthouse. At the door, Johnny let him in with a sad expression for the beautiful brunet in his arms.

Liz was quiet as he hit the lights with his elbow. In silence he made his way upstairs. He'd chosen to put her in the room next to his, the wall was fairly thin so he could hear her if she called, not to mention it was the only other room away from any easily targeted windows.

Robin had done the room in greens, but he'd changed it to soft blues for Michael. This was Michael's room, and Jason felt a stab of pain at the missing crib and toys. But a large King bed now occupied the wall furthest from the windows and it was to the powder blue sheets that Jason took Elizabeth's silent frame.

He half expected her to be asleep, but as he laid her in the pillows her eyes blinked open and she caught his eye, smiling at him. A soft blush fell across her cheeks in the moonlight and Jason had to draw in a breath at the sight.

"I-I know you were only…humoring me back there. I guess I just lost it. Listen Jason, about what you said, don't worry about it. I know you were only saying it to be nice to me."

He couldn't help it he chuckled. It was the sound that caught Liz's attention. She looked up at him questioningly.

"I can't remember much from before my accident, so I can't say what I was like before. But as far as I know, I've never said anything that I didn't mean." He watched his words stall on the surface of her mind before sinking in past the guard most people put up against rejection by their fantasies.

It was slow and sweet, the realization that her feelings were reciprocated. The slight smile and suddenly demure eyes were enough to have Jason suddenly thinking of a cold shower.

"Do you really mean that, Jason? I mean really and truly mean it?"

By way of answer he leaned down and dropped an affectionate and chase kiss to her forehead. "Get some sleep. We'll talk more in the morning."

She suddenly smiled coyly. "On one condition." Jason knew immediately that whatever it was, he'd agree to it, he felt as if he could refuse her nothing. "You promise that in the morning you'll tell me this was real and not just my imagination, OK?"

He laughed for a moment before nodding and drawing up the covers around her. It was a cool night, so the robe and a few blankets would keep her comfortable in the already night warmed apartment. Absently he ran his hand across her hair before allowing his fingers a chance to learn the contours of her cheek. Then with a smile and another nod of his head, he rose from her bed and moved to the door.

The quick panic in her voice stopped him dead in his tracks. "Jason! Please don't--don't close it all the way." His hand resting against the doorknob he agreed before turning, leaving the door open two inches. With a flick of his wrists he turned the hall lights on, adjusting the output to dim before heading to his own room, and the promise of a shower and then sleep.