Chapter 31
~ Lucky ~
He laid a guilt trip on Liz and he knew it. Whatever she had with Jason was wrong and if it took him talking to her like that until she realized it he would. After he and Deanna had sex he knew whatever he had with Liz was over. But he promised himself at that moment he would not let Liz fall prey to Jason. he was only after one thing as far as Liz was concerned. And once he got it he would leave her high and dry and move on to his next victim. Liz deserved better than that. Liz deserved better then Jason and it was up to him to make her realize that. As he neared Deanna’s apartment he checked his bag again making sure he had enough protection for the night. Liz and her problems would have to wait until he finished with Deanna. He couldn’t leave his ex-girlfriend unprotected when it came to Jason…but right now he had more important things he had to deal with.

Chapter 32
~ Jason ~

Jason pushed his bike as fast as it would go. Not being with Liz all of the time drove him crazy. After they made love whenever he was not with her it hurt. She was like some drug…an addiction that he had no cure for. After Robin he assumed he would be alone, not letting another close to his heart for fear they would cause him pain too. But somehow Liz found his heart he had long hidden and set it free once again. When he needed someone the most she was there by his side helping him yet never telling him what she thought he should do. She remained his friend even when everyone else told her she shouldn’t. When he left the first time he thought he had lost that but when he returned to help Emily she showed him in every way that she still was his friend. Leaving like he did to help Sonny plagued him still. He wished he could go back and tell her he had to leave himself. Sending the message through Emily made it seem as if he didn’t care how she felt but that was the farthest thing from the truth. He wanted to tell her then that she was slowly becoming what mattered most to him. He wanted to tell her then that he loved her. As he neared his apartment he sensed something was wrong. Jake’s was unusually quiet as he entered. He thought to order a drink and observe the few people there in hopes he could figure out where the uneasy feeling was coming from. But something told him not to and he quickly continued to his room. As he rounded the corner he noticed an obviously distraught Liz sitting outside his door. Her shirt was open and tears streamed down her face. He rushed to her fearful that someone had harmed her.

Jason- [whispering as to keep from frightening her] Liz sweetie…what happened? Baby are you ok?
Liz- [crying]Jason…I need you...
Jason- What happened?
Liz- Lucky…I…I should’ve told him…I…
Jason- Shh…come on… [He gathered her in his arms and quickly lead her into his room shutting the door behind them] What happened?
Liz- It’s all my fault…
Jason- What’s you fault?
Liz- Lucky…
Jason- [his anger growing]Did Lucky do something to you? Is Lucky the reason you are crying?
Liz- He...he asked me to tell him the truth and I couldn’t…I could have ended everything but I was…I was a coward…[softly beginning to cry again]
Jason- [speaking softly]Shh…don’t cry…[He gently wiped away her tears as they fell] Come on baby…
Liz- [she softly smiled despite the pain she was feeling]You called me baby…
Jason- I had to think of something…I couldn’t let you cry.
Liz- It worked…[sighing heavily] Jason I…I messed everything up…
Jason- What are you talking about? Tell me what happened…
Liz- I…I…Lucky…
Jason- Take you time…
Liz- [taking another deep breath as she began]We were in his…Lucky’s apartment trying to decide what we were going to do tonight and I got distracted and it angered him.
Jason- Distracted…how?
Liz- I was thinking about you. Your hands on my face and the way you kiss me…our time when we are alone.
Jason- [speaking softly] I think about you too…
Liz- I wasn’t paying attention to the things he was telling me and when I finally stopped to listen to him I could tell he was upset. Then out of the blue he asked me if I ever wished that we had slept together.
Jason- [speaking barely above a whisper afraid of what her answer might be] What…what did you say?
Liz- What do you think…
Jason- I…I don’t know…I mean…
Liz- No…I am not upset that Lucky and I never slept together. After we made love and you held me in your arms I was glad I did not…
Jason- Why?
Liz- Because my body belongs to you and only you…I can’t imagine any one else holding me and loving me…
Jason- [speaking softly]Liz…
Liz- Somehow I started to cry and he came to comfort me and then we started to kiss…
Jason- [quietly] Oh…
Liz- And my mind was still on you and I wasn’t paying attention to what was happening. But when I felt his hands…when I felt him starting to unbutton my shirt I stopped him…
Jason- [looking down as he repeated her quietly] You stopped him…
Liz- I couldn’t…[he looked up at her and she softly touched his face] I couldn’t do that to you…to us. [he softly smiled and gently kissed the hand that had just caressed his face]
Jason- What happened next?
Liz- When I wouldn’t…he got mad and started yelling at me.
Jason- What did he say to you?
Liz- The truth…
Jason- The truth about what?
Liz- The truth about how I have been treating him…how I have not been there when he needed me…
Jason- What?
Liz- He told me I was a liar…and he was right.
Jason- No…
Liz- Yes I am…if I only told the truth Lucky wouldn’t be hurting…we wouldn’t be sneaking around like we are doing something wrong.
Jason- Liz…
Liz- Maybe you shouldn’t be with me…maybe I was right…maybe I don’t deserve…
Jason- Liz, what Lucky said to you was wrong. You are not a liar…
Liz- But I lied to him…
Jason- Only because it hurt less than telling the truth.
Liz- That still does not make it right.
Jason- I know…
Liz- How could you…why would you even want to be with me?
Jason- Because you are what I want… You were…are all that I think of. You pulled me through when I thought I would drown. You saved my life.
Liz- [softly whispering as she turned to look away to hide her hurt] You’re with me out of gratitude…
Jason-[softly grasping her arms so that she looked at him] No…I’m with you because I lo… Remember when we were at "Cupid’s End" and you told me that you didn’t want to be alone…that you wanted someone who would hold you in their arms. Well I want to be the one that’s holding you. I want to be the one who wipes away your tears…the one who makes you laugh when all you want to do is cry.
Liz- [whispering softly] You are…but
Jason- There are no buts…you are all that I want and need and nothing anyone says or does will change that.
Liz- Jason you deserve someone who can give you all the things that you give to them.
Jason- And I have that somebody…I have you.
Liz- You deserve someone better than me…
Jason- I don’t think that’s possible.
Liz- I feel so guilty sometimes…
Jason- Why?
Liz- Because I take and take and dump all my problems on you and you never get anything in return.
Jason- That’s where you are wrong. I do get something…
Liz- What?
Jason- I get you…
Liz- Wow…
Jason- That’s what I say every time I see you.
Liz- You give me so much…
Jason- Because that’s what you deserve.
Liz- And what do you deserve Jason?
Jason- To hold you in my arms tonight and never let go.
Liz- [softly smiling] Well I think that just might be possible.

They came together and tenderly kissed. Jason was what she always wanted. Someone who would be by her side whenever she needed him. And still there when at times she didn’t. They slowly walked over to Jason’s bed and he sat on the edge and looked up at Liz. He held out his hand and welcomed her in to a paradise that she only experienced when she was with him. Holding her on his lap they slowly began to kiss.