A/N: So, this was such a literal prompt that I'd wanted to use the line exactly as written, but ultimately, it just didn't fit. This chapter is a bit lighter then this story has been in the past. But no worries, it's still angsty and I suspect this is mostly an aberration - this just isn't a lighthearted story. And again, please forgive my Spinelli… Thank you, as always, for the amazing feedback. -- Jessie
FNF#10: Shattered, Part 6
Prompt: Put that away, we don't have time for that right now.
Jason was playing pool. He didn't really want to be playing, but there was nothing else he could do and he needed to do something. The boys were asleep, Elizabeth was curled into the corner of the couch with a book that he could tell she wasn't really reading and Jason just couldn't face one more night sitting with her, not knowing what to say or do.
In the four days since she had asked for his help in the kitchen, it seemed that every time they took a step forward, it was followed by two steps back. They'd gone to bed that night and in the morning, Elizabeth had retreated, both physically and emotionally, from Jason.
He suggested taking the boys to the park. She said she wasn't ready for anyone to know that she was still in town.
He had offered to take her and the boys to a carnival an hour's drive out of Port Charles. Elizabeth had argued that Jake didn't like long car rides and besides, he would miss his nap.
Jason saw her excuses for what they were, one more way for her to avoid making any decisions. As long as they stayed in the penthouse and no one knew they were there, she didn't have to decide whether she would stay in Port Charles, with Jason, or whether she would take the boys and leave. And as long as she stayed isolated in the penthouse, she didn't have to deal with her own emotional health.
So he played pool. And when he'd sunk every solid, every stripe and the eight ball, he'd rack a new game and do it all over again. Because for Jason, anything was better then another evening spent avoiding everything that still needed to be settled between them.
It was near the end of Jason's fifth game that Spinelli came through the front door. He was remarkably still and calm, there was no mindless chatter from the young hacker and while Jason sort of enjoyed the quiet, he didn't like that Spinelli seemed to think that his presence was a disturbance.
Elizabeth broke the awkward silence, "Hey Spinelli. There's left over lasagna in the refrigerator if you're hungry."
"The Jackal is most appreciative, Fair Elizabeth; however, he's already partaken of his nightly nourishment." Spinelli broke into a goofy grin that even Jason couldn't ignore.
"Who'd you have dinner with tonight?"
"Maximista!" he exclaimed loudly before slapping a hand over his mouth and darting his eyes between Jason and Elizabeth. "The Jackal will take more care not to awaken the sleeping innocents."
"It's fine, Spinelli, the boys are pretty heavy sleepers. You're not going to wake them up. And I thought that Maxie was seeing Dr. Hunter?"
"Ahh, but no longer. It seems the Good Doctor isn't so good. More like a lying, cheating-"
"That's enough, Spinelli."
"Of course. Sorry." Spinelli turned toward the stairs, "The Jackal shall now retire to the regrettable pink room."
"Hey Spinelli?"
He turned his head toward Elizabeth.
"You know it's just paint and it's really not that hard to repaint a single room."
"Oh no. Stone Cold would never allow such a thing." Spinelli was shaking his head vigorously.
Elizabeth twisted on the couch to face Jason. "I don't know about that," she muttered, mostly to herself. "Jason?"
Jason looked to Elizabeth and couldn't help but notice the slight smile playing across her lips and the look in her eyes, one of mischief, one that he hadn't seen in much too long. "Yes?"
"You wouldn't mind if Spinelli painted his room would you?"
"I thought you liked the pink room," he quipped.
"I loved the pink room," she shot back, "but I don't live in the pink room and I don't think it's such a big deal if Spinelli wants to paint it. I'll even help him if that's what you're worried about."
Jason's eyebrows shot up, "You're going to help him paint?"
She nodded, "Uh huh."
He smiled a real, honest smile at her excitement, even if it was subdued compared normal, it was so much more then he'd seen from her in the week that she and the boys had been in the penthouse.
"Thank you Jason," she added demurely before turning her attention and a smile back to Spinelli. "So, you ready to paint the pink room?"
"Most certainly, Fair Elizabeth. The Jackal is most grateful." And before Jason could change his mind, Spinelli sprinted up the stairs.
Jason, unable to suppress his grin, sat next to Elizabeth on the couch and pulled her legs over his lap. "That was really nice of you. Offering to help Spinelli."
"He's a good kid," she shrugged, "and really, I don't think you care what color the room is."
Jason chuckled, "No. But in my defense, he's never asked to paint or change anything."
She laughed and after a moment let her head rest on his shoulder. They were quiet for a few minutes, but it wasn't the uncomfortable silence that had plagued them over the past days. It felt good to just be.
Slipped down just a bit so they were eye to eye, Jason finally broke the quiet. "Have you thought any more about what we talked about last night?"
His eyes searched hers, hoping that she wouldn't immediately shut down and go cold in the way she had the previous evening.
"You mean about talking to a psychiatrist?" She broke eye contact, choosing instead to focus on the blank television.
"Yeah. That."
"I've thought about it. And I know you're right. That I should. But I'm not sure if I'm really ready for that right now."
"Elizabeth," he sighed, "I'm not sure you're ever going to feel ready. But I think you should do it anyway."
He didn't want to push her too hard, too fast, but they couldn't continue to exist in this limbo and nothing he was doing seemed to be helping or making a difference. Sure, she wasn't running from him anymore, but she wasn't any happier, either.
"I know." She closed her eyes and leaned more heavily into Jason's body. He wrapped an arm around her and let her end the conversation. At least there was a little bit of progress.
Elizabeth woke the next morning to an empty bed. She rolled to her left and half expected to find that it was late in the morning and that Jason had left her to sleep in as he'd tried to do most mornings since she and the boys had come to the penthouse. But a quick glance at the clock told her it was not even seven in the morning. She listened carefully for a moment. The shower was quiet, there were no voices drifting up from the living room. She cranked the volume on the baby monitor to its highest level and could hear Jake's steady breathing.
She pulled herself up from the bed and after dressing in black yoga pants and a sweatshirt, made her way downstairs.
The living room was empty but the unmistakable timber of Jason's voice carried through from the kitchen, where she found him leaning over the morning's paper with his cell phone pressed to his ear. It was a Jason she hadn't seen in awhile, his body was tight, his voice cold as ice; he was in business mode. She made her presence known with a quick crossing to the cabinet for a glass that she filled with orange juice as Jason ended his phone call with an abrupt, "I'll have to call you back."
Elizabeth watched Jason for a moment, "What's wrong?"
He didn't seem to know how to respond. A curt, "it's business" seemed inappropriate, but then, he couldn't tell her the whole story either.
"Th-there was an issue with a shipment last night." He held up the newspaper with a full color photo of a freighter in the harbor lit up in brilliant shades of orange and red, "One of mine."
"Oh." She hesitated, "Do you have to go?" She nervously peaked up at him as her fingers laced and unlaced themselves.
"Yeah," he sighed regretfully, "I need to go down to the warehouse, talk to Max and Bernie," he trailed off.
"I should be back for lunch, maybe we could take the boys to Kelly's. Or-or I could bring lunch back here."
Elizabeth smiled at him tentatively. "Why don't you call when you're on your way home ad if they boys and I are up to it, we'll meet you at Kelly's?"
He was pleasantly stunned by her reaction. He knew she might change her mind between now and then, but her willingness to even consider revealing herself and the boys to Port Charles was a big step. A huge step forward if she went through with it.
He leaned down and kissed her, hard, for just an instant, before pulling back. "I'll call," he smirked.
She was too stunned to respond, just nodded her head as he moved past her.
Spinelli was already in the living room when Jason and Elizabeth came out of the kitchen and Jason headed for the door.
"Fair Elizabeth! Look at what the Jackal procured last night!" He held up an assortment of paint swatches.
Elizabeth smiled, about to reply when Jason snatched the paint chips from his hand and tossed them carelessly onto the desk, "We don't have time for this Spinelli."
Jason yanked the door open and pushed Spinelli through it and then turned for one last glimpse of Elizabeth. She wiggled her fingers at Jason and Spinelli and closed the door before sinking back, allowing it to support her slight weight.
"You can do this," she whispered to herself, "For Cameron and Jake, you can do anything."
Cool Hand Luke Courtesy of My Lady Katy!
Member of The Magnificent Eleven
